Carmelitas

• CRUST:
• 2 cups flour
• 2 cups oats
• 1 1/2 cups firmly packed brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/4 cups butter or margarine, softened
• 
  
• FILLING:
• 1 jar caramel ice cream topping
• 3 tablespoons flour
• 1 (6 ounce) package chocolate chips
• 
  

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease 13x9-inch pan. In large bowl, combine all crust ingredients; mix at low speed until crumbly. Reserve half of crumb mixture (about 3 cups) for topping. Press remaining crumb mixture in bottom of greased pan. Bake at 350 for 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, in small bowl, combine caramel topping and 3 tablespoons flour; blend well.

Remove partially baked crust from oven, and sprinkle chocolate chips on the crust. Drizzle evenly with caramel mixture. Sprinkle with reserved crumb mixture.

Return to oven; bake an additional 18 to 22 minutes or until golden brown. Cool 1 hour or until completely cooled. Refrigerate 1 to 2 hours or until filling is set. (We just let it cool down enough to cut and eat. It's really good warm and melty, and we can't wait 3 hours to eat them.) Cut into bars.