Sleeping in is physically impossible for me. Often Anderson will wake up around 5:00 am. He’ll come into our room with the sweetest little pitter patter of feet that always wake me up and he’ll ask me, “Momma, can I get in the big bed?” He’s still small enough for me to pick him up and pull him into the warm little nest of blankets between Chris and I. I call it “family snuggle time.” It is my very happiest place on earth where Anderson is relaxed and sleepy and my arm is around him and Chris somehow finds a way to rest his hand somewhere on me. I get an ache in my heart when I think of the future, when he’ll be too big for family snuggle time, so I’m determined to eat it up now while I can. I usually drift off for a little while longer, but when about 6:30 rolls around, even on a Saturday, I’m up and longing for coffee. The moment my feet hit the floor, three cats are rallying for my attention with one thing on their minds: food. All the while, Anderson and Chris can just sleep and sleep.

My two boys are in there somewhere.

It is 9:00 as I write this, and both of them are still sleeping peacefully. I love these mornings with a little time alone with my coffee or a good book (reading this one now and, like almost all Anne Rivers Siddons books, it is good). Lately, there has been no down time, so I’m extra grateful.

I’ve been meaning to share this recipe with you for a while. A friend recently gave me a mason jar full of granola. You may think granola is, well, just granola. Once you have this granola, you won’t believe that anymore, nor will you ever buy the stuff in a bag on the shelf of a grocery store. I actually hid the jar in the pantry, hoping no other family members would discover it (how wretchedly selfish am I?). Chris found it.

I emailed my friend, Carlin, (who gave us this recipe for muffins a few years back) and demanded to know where the granola recipe came from. The answer, shamefully, was Orangette. Why shamefully? Simply, Orangette is one of my favorite blogs. How could I have missed this? Perhaps because granola is not very sexy? It isn’t dressed up like colorful macarons or cupcakes. It is just, well, granola. Trust me, this isn’t just granola.

I proceeded to make three cookie sheets of said granola, which translated into eight mason jars of various sizes. One of these jars went to my mother, who immediately proceeded to buy coconut chips and also beg for the recipe.

It isn’t my recipe, so I’m directing you to Orangette. The only suggestion I have for you is to increase the coconut chips (they must be unsweetened!) and instead of just using olive oil, use olive oil and coconut oil together (I used half and half). The only sugar is via maple syrup. Also, I chose just cashews, though I think my mother will use pecans. Carlin used almonds. The oils and maple coat the main ingredients and toast to a beautiful golden crispy brown in the oven. It is so simple to make.

Click here for the best granola. Ever. 

Thank you, Carlin!