Lunch: Carmelitas

Ingredients

2 cups flour
1 3/4 cups quick-cooking oats
1 1/4 cups brown sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/4 cups (2 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
1 cup chocolate chips
3/4 cup chopped pecans
1 1/2 cups Salted Caramel Sauce, recipe follows
2 1/2 tablespoons flour

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9 by 13-inch pan. Combine the flour, oats, brown sugar, baking soda, salt, and softened butter in the bowl of a mixer. Mix on low until crumbly. Divide the mixture into 2 equal portions. Press half the crumb mixture in the prepared pan. Bake for 10 minutes. Remove and cool slightly. Sprinkle the chocolate chips, and chopped pecans over the cooled crust. Mix the salted caramel sauce, and flour together, and drizzle over the chocolate chips, and nuts. Top with the remaining crumb mixture. Return to the oven and bake for an additional 15 to 20 minutes or until the crust starts to brown. Allow the pan to cool, and refrigerate it until the caramel filling is set. Cut into bars and serve.
Salted Caramel Sauce:In a heavy-bottomed saucepan, combine the sugar and water over medium-low heat until the sugar dissolves. Increase the heat and bring to a boil, without stirring. If necessary, use a wet pastry brush to wash down any crystals on the side of the pan. Boil until the syrup is a deep amber color, about 5 to 6 minutes. Remove the sugar from the heat and carefully whisk in the heavy cream. The mixture will bubble. Stir in the unsalted butter, and salt. Transfer the caramel to a dish and cool.*Cook's Note: This recipe will last in the refrigerator up to 2 weeks. Reheat before serving. Salted Caramel Variations:Salted Caramel Dip with Harvest Apples: Package the sauce with seasonal apples for making caramel apples or simply dip the apple slices into the caramel sauce. Carmelitas:Attach a recipe for a classic carmelitas recipe to the jarred caramel sauce suggesting using the sauce in the recipe. Salted Caramel Milkshake: Add the salted caramel sauce to basic vanilla milkshake recipe, recipe follows.
Salted Caramel Milkshake:Combine the ice cream, milk, and caramel sauce in a blender and blend until smooth.

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