Dried Cranberry and Maple Granola

Making homemade granola is simple and lets you control the sugar and fat content — and your child can help.

Hands-On Time: 25 minutes
Ready In: 1 hour, 15 minutes
Yield: 4 1/2 cups

1/4 cup canola oil
1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
1/3 cup maple syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups puffed-grain Kashi cereal or other puffed cereal of choice
1 1/2 cups rolled old-fashioned oats
1/2 cup sliced almonds (optional)
1 cup dried sweetened cranberries

1. Heat oven to 325 degrees. Lightly oil a baking pan or line it with a silicone baking mat. Have your helper stir together the oil, brown sugar, maple syrup, and vanilla in a large bowl until combined well. Stir in puffed cereal, rolled oats, and almonds (if using) until coated (feel free to sample any ingredients that escape from the bowl).
2. Hold the bowl sideways so your helper can scrape the cereal mixture with a spatula into the baking pan, spreading it evenly. Bake, stirring mixture every 10 minutes (to prevent pieces on edge of sheet from burning), until golden brown, about 25 minutes.
3. During the second stirring, add the cranberries (they'll only cook the remaining 5 minutes). Cool granola in the baking pan, about 25 minutes, and store in an airtight container. Keeps at room temperature 2 weeks.