Caramel Oatmeal Chewies

So yesterday while I was at work I was thinking about how it is less than two weeks until I leave to study abroad in Spain for the summer, and boy am I excited!!!  The only problem is that being away for two months means two months of not cooking and baking, so I figured I should try to get in a couple of good posts before I leave.

I decided I wanted to bake a dessert so when I got home from work I looked through my two new cookbooks and found this bad boy.  I was short a couple of ingredients though, so I decided to walk the couple of block to Trader Joe's since I had never been there which I am now embarrassed to say because it is my new favorite grocery store!  It is awesome!

Recipe from Fresh, Fast and Fabulous: 2nd Edition.

Ingredients

• 1 3/4 cups oatmeal
• 1 3/4 cups all purpose flour, divided
• 3/4 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) butter, melted
• 2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 1 cup pecans, chopped
• 1 cup caramel ice cream topping

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Grease bottom of a 13x9 inch metal baking pan.
2. In a large bowl, combine oats, 1 1/2 cups flour, brown sugar, baking soda and salt.
3. Stir in melted butter, mixing well.
4. Set aside 1 cup of oats mixture.  Press remaining mixture into bottom of pan.
5. Bake 12 to 15 minutes, or until golden brown.
6. Sprinkle with chocolate chips and pecans.
7. Mix caramel topping with remaining 1/4 cup flour.  Drizzle over pecans to within 1/4 inch of edges.
8. Sprinkle with remaining oats mixture.
9. Bake for an additional 18 to 22 minutes, or until golden brown.
10. Cool in pan on wire rack.  Then refrigerate until firm.