Caramel - Peanut Butter Bars

I pulled this recipe out of Sandra Lee Semi Homemade in April of 2010 but only got around to making it the week before James was born. She lists it as a great bake sale idea but the bars would also be good to give as gifts to neighbors at Christmas or for some other occasion.  While they were pretty easy to make I will warn you that they are very rich and very peanut buttery!  So be prepared -- if you aren't a big peanut butter fan you won't like these bars, but if you like peanut butter then this might be just the dessert for you!  But the dessert did get better the longer it sat so I'd definitely recommend it if you're baking them ahead of time.

Caramel-Peanut Butter Bars

Makes one 9x13 dish to be cut into bars

1 box yellow cake mix

1 cup regular Oats

2/3 cup creamy Peanut Butter

1 large egg, slightly beaten

2-3 Tablespoons whole milk (I used 2% because it was as high fat content as I had)

8 oz Cream Cheese, softened

1 12.25 oz Jar Caramel Ice Cream Topping 

1 cup SemiSweet Chocolate Chips

1. Preheat oven to 350.  Lightly grease a 9x13 baking pan.

2. In a large bowl, combine cake mix and oats.  Using a pastry blender or two forks, cut in peanut butter until mixture is crumbly.

3. In a small bowl, combine egg and milk.  Add to peanut butter mixture; stir until just combined.  Reserve 1 1/2 cups peanut butter mixture.  Press remaining mixture into prepared pan.

4. In a medium bowl, beat cream cheese at medium speed with an electric mixer until fluffy.  Add caramel topping; beat just until combined.  Carefully spread over peanut butter layer in pan.  Sprinkle remaining peanut butter mixture over cream cheese layer.  Sprinkle with chocolate chips.

5. Bake for 30 minutes, or until nearly set in center.  Cool completely in pan on a wire rack (about 1 hour).  Cut into bars.