Chocolate Caramel Bars

Ingredients:

For crust:

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1/2 cup butter or margarine
• 1 cup pecans or almonds, finely ground
  For filling:
  
• 1 cup butter or margarine
• 3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
  For topping:
  
• 2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips

Instructions:

Grease a 13 x 9 baking pan, bottom and sides, and preheat the oven to 350º F. First make the crust by mixing the flour and brown sugar in a bowl, then rub the butter or margarine in in pieces until the mixture looks like coarse meal. Press this mixture into the bottom of the pan, coating the bottom evenly and making it flat.

Make the filling by throwing the butter and brown sugar into a saucepan, then cooking it on medium while stirring constantly. The mixture will eventually boil, and you should cook it about a minute until it thickens a little. Then turn off the heat, stir it a little more, and pour over the crust in the baking pan. Use a spatula to spread it over the crust evenly.

Put the pan in the oven for 15-20 minutes. When you take it out the filling should be bubbly. Sprinkle the chocolate chips over the top and wait for three minutes or so while they melt. Use a spatula to spread the chocolate evenly over the top. Cool in the pan on a wire rack. When completely cool, cut into bars.

NOTE: As a variation, you can use white chocolate chips instead.