Yum: Caramel Chip Bars

Today Daughter whipped up a batch of her now-practically-famous Caramel Chip Bars. She's taking them to the state fair in competition. These bars are soooo good they are surely deadly!

We must give credit to my mother-in-law for finding the recipe. We've made numerous batches for all kinds of functions and everyone loves them, especially Daughter's friends.

Daughter has taken Caramel Chip Bars two or three times to the fair, receiving as high as a second place ribbon. (Keep in mind that our state fair has the biggest food entry department in the country, and competition is very intense.) This particular batch looks perfect to us, so we have high hopes for a blue ribbon this year! After the bars cool in the fridge overnight, she will cut them into 2" squares. She'll select a few perfect squares for the judges to sample, then we'll have the rest to eat! YUM!

Caramel Chip Bars

½ cup butter (no substitutes)

32 Kraft caramels

1 can (14 oz) sweetened condensed milk

1 package (18.25 oz) yellow cake mix

½ cup vegetable oil

2 eggs

2 cups semisweet chocolate chips

1 cup vanilla OR white chips

2 oz Heath toffee bits

Oven 350 degrees

In large saucepan, combine butter, caramels, and milk. Stir over medium-low heat until smooth. Cool. In a mixing bowl, combine cake mix, oil, and eggs; mix well. Stir in chips and toffee bits. Press ¾ dough into greased 13x9x2-in. baking pan. Bake 15 min; place pan on wire cooling rack for 10 min. Pour caramel mixture over crust. Spoon remaining dough onto caramel layer. Bake 25-30 min., or until edges are golden brown. Cool for 10 minutes; run knife around edges of pan. Cool 40 minutes longer; cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.