Chocolate-caramel Bars

Total Time: 53 mins Preparation Time: 25 mins Cook Time: 28 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 24
• 1 (18 ounce) box devil's food cake mix
• 3/4 cup butter or 3/4 cup margarine, softened
• 1 egg
• 2 cups old fashioned oats
• 1 (14 ounce) bag vanilla caramels, unwrapped
• 1/4 cup milk
• 1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 1/2 cup chopped pecans or 1/2 cup walnuts, if desired

Recipe

• 1 heat oven to 350 f (or 325 f if using dark or nonstick pan). generously grease bottom and sides of 13x9 inch pan with shortening or cooking spray.
• 2 in large bowl, beat cake mix, butter,and egg with electric mixer on low speed until well mixed.
• 3 stir in oats until crumbly (may need to use hands to mix dough).
• 4 reserve 1 1/2 cups cake mixture. press remaining mixture in pan. (use plastic wrap or waxed paper if mixture is too sticky).
• 5 in heavy 2 quart saucepan, heat caramels and milk over medium-low heat, stirring frequently, until melted.
• 6 pour over chocolate layer in pan. sprinkle with chocolate chips and pecans.
• 7 sprinkle reserved cake mixture on top.
• 8 bake 22 to 28 minutes or until caramel bubbles along edges and cake mixture on top appears crisp and dry.
• 9 run knife around sides of pan to loosen bars.
• 10 cool completely.