This is the second post in our series: house guests where we are sharing some of our favorite recipes and tips for making your guests feel right at home. You can find the first post here for a hearty banana hazelnut muffin which is the perfect companion to our really good granola.

When you're expecting house guests, it's easy to feel overwhelmed with a long to do list. From cleaning to cooking to itinerary planning, it can feel like a lot. Once your guests arrive, you want to spend as much time as possible with them, not running around trying to play catch up. Earlier in the week we talked about putting together a simple breakfast platter with muffins, granola, yogurt, some fruit topped with sweet condiments like honey or jam. This has worked brilliantly for us. In less than 5 minutes, your guests have a nutritious and protein packed breakfast just in time to plunge the french press.

Last weekend, we hosted our dear friends all the way from Norway. They arrived in time for a late dinner on Friday and left before the sun was up on Sunday. We stayed up too late catching up on what has happened in our lives since we last saw each other, and were awoken by a sweet little boy laughing in his crib in what always feels like the wee hours of the morning. We threw together our breakfast platter, poured a french press and rushed out the door to get a head start on the San Francisco Ferry Building Farmers Market. A light breakfast was perfect because all we wanted to do was stuff our faces with every single thing. Our day mostly centered around food, but had we planned something less culinary-centric, I would have packed us some containers of this granola for the trip. It's the perfect to go snack and with an apple can be a quick no-fuss meal.

The granola in our house is never the same. Each time I make it, it takes on a new flavor profile, depending on what is in the pantry. However, this recipe is one I will make again and again and then once more. Feel free to swap out different dried fruit or use pecans instead of almonds. Throw in some sunflower seeds or add chocolate chips when you stir in the dried fruit in the end. I think for the holidays an orange and chocolate granola will certainly make an appearance!

really good granola

serves 12

(adapted from this excellent recipe)

Ingredients:

3 cups rolled oats
1 large egg white, beaten
1 1/2 cups sliced almonds
1 1 /2 cups coconut shavings
1/2 cup maple syrup
1/4 cup walnut oil (or other vegetable oil)
1/4 cup black sesame seeds
1 tablespoon poppy seeds
2 tablespoons packed light brown sugar
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 cup dried apricots, chopped
1/2 cup orange flavored dried cranberries (or regular dried cranberries)

Preparation:

Pre-heat the oven to 300 degrees and line a rimmed baking sheet with a silicone liner.
Combine the first eleven ingredients (leaving out the dried fruit, you'll mix this in after baking) in a large bowl until well mixed. Spread it out evenly onto the baking sheet.
Bake until the granola is fragrant and golden brown, about 40 minutes. Rotate the pan halfway through baking to keep the granola from browning unevenly.
Place the sheet pan on a cooling rack and let the granola cool completely. Transfer to a large bowl and mix in the dried fruit. Store in an airtight container on the counter for up to one week. For longer storage, keep the airtight container in the freezer for up to two months.