Caramel Oatmeal Bars

Total Time: 40 mins Preparation Time: 10 mins Cook Time: 30 mins

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup shortening (crisco butter or 3/4 stick crisco butter shortening sticks)
• 1 1/2 cups quick oats, uncooked
• 3/4 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour, plus
• 3 tablespoons flour
• 1/2 cup whole wheat flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 1/3 cups milk chocolate chips
• 1/2 cup walnuts, chopped
• 1 (12 1/2 ounce) jar caramel ice cream topping, smuckers

Recipe

• 1 heat oven to 350°f coat a 9 x 9 x 2-inch baking pan with no-stick cooking spray.
• 2 combine shortening, oats, brown sugar, 1/2 cup all purpose flour, whole wheat flour, baking soda and cinnamon in large bowl. with an electric mixer at low speed, blend until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. reserve 1/2 cup for topping. press remaining crumbs into prepared pan.
• 3 bake 10 minutes. remove from oven.
• 4 sprinkle chocolate chips and nuts over crust. stir together caramel topping and 3 tablespoons flour until well blended. drizzle over chocolate chips and nuts. top with reserved 1/2 cup crumbs.
• 5 return to oven. bake an additional 20 to 25 minutes or until golden brown. while still warm, run a knife around the outside edge of pan. cool completely on rack.
• 6 cut into squares.