Chocolate Filled Walnut-Oatmeal Bars
Makes 48 bars

Prep Time: 15 min.
Baking Time: 25 min.

Ingredients

• 1 - cup (2 sticks) butter or margarine, softened
• 2 - cups packed light brown sugar
• 2 - eggs
• 1 - teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 - teaspoon powdered instant coffee (optional)
• 3 - cups quick-cooking rolled oats
• 2-1/2 - cups all-purpose flour
• 1 - teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 - teaspoon salt
• 1-1/2 - cups chopped walnuts, divided
• CHOCOLATE FILLING (recipe below)

Directions

Preheat oven to 350°F.

1. Beat butter and brown sugar in large bowl until well blended.
2. Add eggs, vanilla and instant coffee, if desired; beat until fluffy.
3. Stir together oats, flour, baking soda, salt and 1 cup walnuts and gradually stir into butter mixture with spoon. (Dough will be thick.)
4. Set aside 2 cups dough.
5. Press remaining dough evenly onto bottom of ungreased 15-1/2x10-1/2x1-inch jelly-roll pan.
6. Prepare CHOCOLATE FILLING; spread evenly over dough.
7. Crumble reserved dough evenly over filling.
8. Sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup walnuts.
9. Bake 25 minutes or until top is golden brown (chocolate will be soft).
10. Cool completely in pan on wire rack and cut into bars.

CHOCOLATE FILLING

Ingredients

• 1/2 - cup (1 stick) butter or margarine
• 2/3 - cup Hershey's Cocoa
• 1/4 - cup sugar
• 1 - can (14 ounces) sweetened condensed milk (not evaporated milk)
• 1-1/2 - teaspoons vanilla extract
• Melt butter in medium saucepan over low heat.
• Stir in cocoa and sugar.

Directions

1. Add sweetened condensed milk; cook, stirring constantly, until smooth and thick.
2. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla.