Turn Back NOW

So a little over a week ago, I saw this post for Apricot Bars over at Tammie's Blog, who got it from Daphne, who in turn got it from The Pioneer Woman.

Now Apricot is not exactly my favorite, but I thought I'd give the recipe a try anyway because the oatmeal part sounded delicious. The first time I made them I only made a few adjustments:

1.) I used "I can't believe it's NOT butter" sticks instead of regular butter (to help cut down on the guilt, you see)

2.) I used apple butter in place of the apricot preserves for the filling

3.) I added 1 tbsp of cinnamon and a pinch of cloves to the oatmeal batter stuff to compliment the apples.

They were delicious. Outstanding. I ate them screaming hot, right out of the pan, they smelled so good I just couldn't help myself.

THAT however, is not the worst of it. I'm warning you: If you are on a diet, if you are trying to watch your weight or waist line, or what have you. TURN BACK NOW. Absolutely DO NOT read any further. Just don't... because once you do.. there is no going back. You have been warned. Just remember that.

The worst part is, after I (sadly)ate the last of my apple butter bars this morning for breakfast... I started thinking that I had plenty enough of the ingredients to make another batch... EXCEPT for the butter. Or in my case, the NOT butter. So as I'm sitting there, trying to justify going out in the (FINALLY) cold weather with the baby for ONE stick of not butter, I get this idea. This horrible, awful, terrible, DELICIOUS idea.

I thought, "What about peanut butter?" Oh yeah. So I made another batch, subbing 1/2 cup of peanut butter for 1 stick of butter and then using regular (not) butter for the remaining 3/4 of a stick.... and then... I used mini chocolate Hershey bars that I raided from the Halloween pumpkin for the filling.

You see? I told you to turn back. They are so good. They are horribly, sinfully, good. And I'm NOT sharing. Make your own! ..... If you dare.