Chocolate and Caramel Oatmeal Bars

E2 and I made these this week.  In preparation for Christmas, of course.  We had to leave a few out to sample, just to ensure a quality product for the upcoming holiday season.

Here is the link to the original recipe.  It's a Betty Crocker.  It's hard to go wrong with Betty

Betty Crocker Chocolate and Caramel Oatmeal Bars

These weren't bad, but I think I'd change things up a bit. They start out with a yellow cake mix and quick rolled oats.  You add butter, chopped pecans, chocolate chips, and some thickened caramel topping.  Predictable and consistent, to be sure.  But maybe lacking a little something. 

If I were to make them again, I'd probably add something else to the cake mix mixture.  Cinnamon, perhaps?  A little less butter or more oatmeal may have made for a more crumbly mixture.  Mine turned out very wet.  A more of a streusel topping would have made my heart sing a little louder.

All in all, a dependable, quick to whip together concoction.  It'll be in my recipe file, but maybe not for super special events where I'd like to wow someone. 1. 2.

Chocolate and Caramel Oatmeal Bars

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