Caramel Apple Nut Bars
Miz Helen's Kitchen
Ingredients
25 Caramel's (about half of a 14 oz. package)
2 cups all purpose flour
2 cups quick cooking rolled oats
1 1/2 cups firmly packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/4 cup butter or margarine, melted
3 medium apples, peeled and coarsely chopped
1/2 cup toasted walnuts or pecans
Directions
Unwrap caramels and cut each one in half. Then cut each half into three pieces. Use wet kitchen shears to do this. You may have to clean the blades and re wet the shears a couple of times. Put caramel pieces in a shallow container. Set aside. Place flour, oats, brown sugar, and baking soda in a mixer bowl. Add melted butter or margarine and mix at low speed until crumbly. Dump 1 cup of mixture into each of a greased 10X15 inch baking pan. Pat each cup of mixture out to evenly cover half of the baking pan. Reserve remaining mixture for topping. Bake at 350 degrees for 8 minutes. While base is baking peel and chop apples. Set aside. When base is done remove from oven. Scatter caramel pieces over the hot base. Return to oven for 5 minutes or until caramels begin to soften. Remove from oven. Scatter chopped apples evenly over the top of base/caramel layer. Scatter nuts over apples. Sprinkle remaining sugar/flour/oat mixture over the top of the apples and nuts. Press down slightly with hand. Return pan to oven and bake 20 to 25 minutes longer or until golden brown. Remove from oven. Cool in pan on rack for 30 minutes. Cut into 1X1.5 inch bars. Let cool another 30 minutes.
Makes about 48 bars.
This recipe has been adapted from Grandma Loy for The Secret Recipe Club