My Pioneer Woman Obsession

if you haven't already heard of the pioneer woman then you need to get her cookbooks or check out her blog ASAP! i have a slight obsession with her. my dinner calendar is marked with PW at least 3 nights a week (for PW dinner...rather AWESOMENESS). i've read her books. have both cookbooks. and love her photography. oh, and i record her cooking show on food network.

a recent post of hers was a recipe for Chocolate Dipped Granola Bars. it looked so fabulous i thought i'd share.

recipe from www.thepioneerwoman.com

Chocolate Dipped Granola Bars:

6 cups rolled oats (not quick oats)
4 T butter, melted
1/2 vegetable oil or canola oil
1 t salt
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 honey
1/4 cup apple juice
1/4 cup molasses
3 t vanilla
1 1/2 cups Rice Krispies
1 cup wheat germ
1/2 cup roughly chopped almonds
1/4 cup chopped pecans
8 oz. chocolate, melted

• Pre-heat oven to 350
• Toss oats with melted butter, vegetable oil and salt.
• Spread on two baking sheets, bake for 15-20 minutes shaking around twice to make sure it doesn't burn. Remove from oven and set aside.
• Reduce heat to 325
• In medium sauce pan, combine brown sugar, honey, apple juice and molasses together. Heat slowly, stir until combine. Stir in vanilla.
• Toss toasted oats, rice cereal, wheat germ and chopped nuts. Pour in sugar mixture while stirring. Toss to combine. It will be sticky!
• Press into one baking sheet that is well greased with butter or lined with foil and grease the foil. Bake 20-25 minutes, until golden. 
• Use a sharp knife to cut into bars and dip the bottom side (bar will be parallel to the counter top) in chocolate. Bars will become chewy after being. I like to break up the granola into chunks :)

PLEASE make this. it is to die for. really. would be wonderful dipped in white chocolate and peppermint chunks for Christmas treats or dye the white chocolate orange for a Halloween treat! mmmm