Gooey Goodness Bars

1. So I've got a rule when it comes to cooking or baking--if you're going to take the time to make food, you might as well make a lot of it! If I'm cooking, I want leftovers so I can be off the hook for cooking for one meal (don't get me wrong, I love cooking but it's nice when you don't always "have" to. And for baking, I want lots (. . . no. Not just so I can gorge myself on a bigger pan of brownies) so I can try a little, make sure my husband has a good-sized portion, and then either have enough to bring to some friends or take with me to a social event. That said, this dessert violates that rule. I generally stay away from recipes that call for a 8/9" pan and gravitate toward recipes that call for a 9x13" pan.
   However, this time I was searching for a recipe to use up my leftover evaporated milk (from making Oatmeal Cookie Cake with Coconut-Pecan Frosting), so I couldn't be too picky. PLUS the vision of chocolate-peanut butter-caramely goodness lured me in. Not to mention, I have a total weakness for layered desserts

Ingredients

• 10oz. caramels, unwrapped (about 34-36)
• 1/3 cup PLUS 1/3 cup evaporated milk, divided
• 1 box (1 lb. 2.25 oz. ) chocolate cake mix
• 1/2 cup butter
• 1/4 cup peanut butter
• 1/2 cup chocolate chips
• 3/4 cup- 1 cup mini peanut butter cups (I only used 1/2 cup, but as you can see from the picture, it could use more)

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 350°. Spray 9- x 9-inch baking pan with cooking spray.
2. Melt caramels in 1/3 cup evaporated milk in medium saucepan over low heat, stirring constantly, about 12 minutes; set aside.
3. Microwave Peanut Butter with butter in medium microwave-safe bowl 1 minute or until melted; stir until smooth. Stir in remaining 1/3 cup evaporated milk and cake mix until smooth, about 1 minute. Stir in chocolate chips.
5. Press 1/2 of the cake mixture into prepared pan. Bake 10 minutes. Remove pan from oven, then spoon on melted caramel mixture. Sprinkle mini peanut butter cups on top of caramel. Flatten pieces of the remaining cake mixture between hands and lie on surface of the caramel layer, the batter does not need to completely cover the caramel. Bake an additional 18 to 23 minutes or until top is set, caramel will still be quite liquidy but will firm up as it cools. Cool on wire rack until room temperature before serving.

Note: I have made recipes similar to this one before and for whatever reason, it never set and it was too gooey (and that's hard to do with a brownie if you ask me), but it was more like brownie batter. If somehow this happens to you, don't dismay! When it's all gooey, this makes an AMAZING ice cream topping--I just put it in a container, stuck it in the fridge, and when I wanted some for ice cream I just microwaved some and poured it on. This lasted a good week without going bad. . .I might have to undercook this on purpose just so I can have a gooey brownie sundae!

(Adapted from: yummly.com--a country crock recipe)