Dark Chocolate and Almond Homemade Granola

This concoction was a total accident. How could my house -- one normally stocked with vanilla extract by the liter -- be out?! Totally out. I scratched my way through the pantry, trying to find something that would be even close. Needing four teaspoons of vanilla, I found only three of almond. "Close enough," I told myself. And then I found the rum extract and rounded out the four total teaspoons I needed with that. Nervous, I tried it. But I think it worked.

The recipe I ended up using on the fly:

• 8 cups rolled oats
• 1 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 cup water
• 3 teaspoons almond extract
• 1 teaspoon rum extract
  
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 cups slivered almonds, toasted
• 2 cups golden raisins
• 2 cups dark chocolate M&Ms

Preheat oven to 275 and line two cookie sheets with parchment paper.

Combine brown sugar and water in a 4-cup microwave-proof glass measuring cup. Place in microwave on high for five minutes -- stirring about halfway through -- and cook until sugar is completely dissolved. Remove from microwave, add extract and salt. Stir.

In a large mixing bowl, combine oats and brown sugar syrup mixture. Stir until thoroughly mixed. Spread the granola onto cookie sheets and bake 45 minutes to 1 hour or until golden and crunchy.

Toast slivered almonds over medium heat for about five minutes or until they just start to brown.

When the oats mixture comes out of the oven, add toasted almonds and raisins. When granola has cooled completely, add M&Ms. Store in an airtight container or enjoy right from the bowl!