Tuesday, February 9, 2010

the fake fendi

I've got a little confession to make.
these chocolate-caramel-oatmeal bars are a total knockoff.

christmas baking, 2009.
a coworker brought in a famous batch of her mother's cookie bars loaded with oatmeal, peanut butter, chocolate chips, caramel. the works.
and they were all the rage.
so I just had to try one for myself...only to realize, they were all right. it was gooey and creamy and crunchy and just plain amazing.
like that delicious cookie at the cookie swap that everybody can't stop talking about, can't get enough of.
and so I begged for the recipe.
and begged and begged.
and nothing.
until betty crocker came to the rescue, that is.
a similar recipe just happened to pop up one day and I wondered "hmm...this could be it.".
it had the feel of a homey, down-to-earth, no fuss, no frills kind of recipe.
betty crocker could be it!
it's not.
at all.
but that's ok, because just like that knockoff purse, it fills the void...at least a little bit.
and it's not like these aren't totally delicious either, because they are.
I adapted the recipe a bit because the original had a thin layer of gooey caramel running through the middle. along with chocolate chips tucked perfectly in.
warm right out of the oven with a glass of ice cold milk...you can't go wrong.
besides, to those who never had the original and don't know the difference, these are authentically delicious.

Betty Crocker's Peanut Butter Chocolate Jumble Bars
adapted from Betty Crocker

1 pouch Betty Crocker peanut butter cookie mix
1/3 c butter, softened
1 egg
1 c quick-cooking oats
1/2 c chocolate chips
about 25-30 caramels, melted

1. Preheat oven to 375degreesF.
2. Make dough by blending cookie mix, butter, egg, and oats. Reserve one cup of dough.
3. Press remainder of dough onto the bottom of a 9x9 pan. Spread caramel over and the sprinkle chocolate chips on top.
4. Press remaining dough on top of caramel-chocolate chip mixture. Make sure to cover caramel as best as you can or else it may burn in the oven if really exposed.
5. Bake about 15-20 minutes. It may take longer but I seem to have Super Oven.

These are truly delicious warm, but I also can't help but gobble them up after they've sat in the fridge a couple of hours to firm up. Either way, a total treat.
Thanks, Betty!

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