Fudgy Oatmeal Bars

I took a big risk this past weekend and made a dessert that I have never heard of or sampled to bring to another couple's house to go with dinner. I thought that it would just be the four of us, but right around dessert time, two other people showed up. It made me pretty nervous to think that 5 people, two of which I had never met, were going to try this dessert with me for the first time. What if it didn't taste good? I was afraid they would all think that I was a bad cook. Thankfully, my fears were not realized and theses Fudgy Oatmeal Bars tasted delicious. They were exactly the combination of flavors I was searching for when I decided to find a new recipe (which, by the way, came from a cookbook compiled by my mother). Thank you Rallet Abram for contributing this lovely recipe to the Ponderosa Ward Cookbook of 2001.

Oatmeal layer:
2 cups packed brown sugar
1 cup butter, softened
1 tsp vanilla
2 eggs
2 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
3 cups regular or quick oats


Caramel layer:
20 Kraft or other brand soft caramels
1 tsp water

Chocolate layer:
2 Tbsp butter
1 14 oz can sweetened condensed milk
1 pkg (12 oz) semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp salt

Preheat oven to 350°. Grease a 9x13x2" pan. In a large bowl combine brown sugar, 1 cup butter, 1 tsp vanilla, and eggs. Stir in flour, soda, 1/2 tsp salt. Stir in oats. Reserve 1/3 oat mixture and press remaining oats into pain.

Melt caramels over low heat with water. Spread over oat mixture

Over low heat, combine 2 Tbsp butter, condensed milk, and chocolate chips, stirring constantly until melted. Remove from heat and stir in 1 tsp vanilla and 1/2 tsp salt. Spread or drizzle over caramel.

Drop remaining oat mixture by spoonfuls over top. Should not completely cover caramel and chocolate mixture. Bake 20-25 minutes. Cool at least 20 minutes before cutting into approx 2x2" squares.