Cashew Carmelita Bars

I just saw Magic in the Moonlight.  The reviews said it wasn't Woody Allen's best films, and though I agree, I thought it was delightful.  

The last Woody Allen film I saw was Blue Jasmine.  I was expecting a light hearted comedy, but it was dark with occasional bits of humor.  I prefer cheery humor.

I ate my first carmelita bar earlier this year.  I was walking through the bakery of Whole Foods on the way to purchase my goods when I saw a thick, oat filled bar with oozing caramel.  Even though I knew it had a million calories, I had to purchase it.

It was completely unhealthy but totally worth it.  

I have a soft spot for gooey caramel. Who doesn't?

This recipe came from food.com.  I spiced it up, figuratively of course, by adding a cup of chopped cashews.  

The ingredients are 1 cup chopped cashews, 2 cups all-purspose flour, 2 cups oats, 1 1/2 cups brown sugar, 1 teaspoon baking soda, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1 1/2 cups melted butter, 12 ounces chocolate chips, and 16 or 17 ounces of caramel.  I used a brand that wasn't thick enough; the caramel partially melted into the bar. The recipe suggested Mrs. Richardson's caramel sauce.  

I added the flour and oats to the melted butter.

I added the brown sugar, salt, and baking soda.

I stirred everything together.

I added half of the mixture to an oiled and lined 9 by 13 inch baking pan.  I spread the oats into an even layer.

I baked the first layer for 17 minutes at 325 degrees.  After it had partially set, I added the chocolate chips, cashews, and caramel sauce.  This was my favorite part!

I evenly placed crumbles of the remaining oat mixture on top of the carmel and chocolate goodness.

I baked this for another 17 minutes at 325 degrees.

I let it cool for over 3 hours.  It was pipping hot straight from the oven, and the caramel was like molten lava.

 These were magnificent!  They were rich and luxurious.

I cut these into small squares because they were sweet.  If you have a sweet-tooth like me, these will sate any sweet urge you'll ever encounter.

Oats are an excellent cookie or bar ingredient because they add a little crunch.  The chocolate and caramel melt together into a delicious center.  Everyone who tasted these bars enjoyed them immensely.