Chocolate Carmelita Bars

  I have those special recipes tucked away in my recipe box.... you know the ones with the stains and brown edges from being handled so much. Once in a while you find a recipe that is on the back of a package of Chocolate chips or boxes of cake mixes you fall in love with. I found this one on the bottle neck of a Vegetable oil bottle I purchased at the grocery store. This recipe is one that could be tattered around the edges, it's that good!
Enjoy!
Chocolate Carmelita Bars
No-Stick Cooking Spray
1 3/4 cups oatmeal, I used the old fashioned kind 1 3/4 cups flour, divided
3/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
3/4 cup Crisco Butter Shortening(Guess which brand I got this recipe from)
1 tbsp water
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup chopped pecans or walnuts( i used pecans)
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 cup Smuckers Sundae Syrup Caramel Flavored Syrup
Heat oven to 350*. Coat a 13 x 9 inch baking pan with no-stick cooking spray.
 Combine oats, 1 1/2 cups flour, brown sugar, shortening, water, baking soda and salt in large bowl.
 Beat with mixer on low speed until well blended. Reserve 1 cup oat mixture.
Press remaining oat mixture into bottom of prepared pan.
Bake 10 to 12 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool 10 minutes on wire rack.
 Sprinkle with pecans and chocolate chips.
Combine caramel flavored topping and remaining 1/4 cup flour in small bowl. Stir until smooth.
Drizzle over chocolate chips.
Sprinkle remaining oat mixture on top.
 Bake an additional 18 to 22 minutes or until golden brown.
 Cool completely in pan on wire rack.
Cut into bars.
Makes 3 dozen.