Recipe: Crunchy Granola Ice Cream Squares with Caramel Sauce

CRUNCHY GRANOLA ICE CREAM SQUARES WITH CARAMEL SAUCE
Source: Susan Branch's The Summer Book from the Heart of the Home.
Makes 9 squares

3 1/2 cups really good granola (recipe follows)
(say no thank you to diet granola)
1/2 cup Hershey's chocolate syrup
1 quart vanilla ice cream, softened
Caramel Sauce (recipe follows)

Spread 2 cups granola evenly in the bottom of a 9x9-inch pan. Drizzle chocolate sauce over the granola and spread on the softened ice cream as evenly as possible. Sprinkle remaining 1 1/2 cups granola over ice cream and press down gently and make it level.

Freeze till ready to serve.

Cut into squares and serve with either cold or heated Caramel Sauce.

CARAMEL SAUCE:
1 cup sugar
3 Tablespoons water
1 cup heavy cream

Heat sugar and water together in non-aluminum pan. Bring to simmer and cook without stirring until amber in color.

Heat cream in another pan.

When sugar is amber, slowly pour in hot cream, whisking constantly until well blended. Good hot or cold.

SARAH'S GRANOLA:
Makes approximately 2 1/2 quarts

1 lb. (5 cups) oats
1/3 lb. (1 cup) raw sunflower seeds
1/4 cup raw sesame seeds
1/2 cup wheat germ
1/2 cup unsalted cashews, chopped
1/2 cup sliced almonds
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup honey
1/2 cup ample syrup
1 1/2 cups unsweetened coconut "chips"
3/4 cup raisins

All ingredients can be purchased at your health food store.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Combine the first 9 ingredients and spread on cookie sheets in one layer.

Bake 20-25 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add coconut chips for last 5 minutes. The granola should be a golden, toasted color. Remove from oven and cool.

Add raisins. Store in an airtight container.