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     Title: Chocolate Oatmeal Bars
Categories: bar cookies
     Yield: 1

------------------------------------Crust-----------------------------------
 2 1/2 c  all-purpose flour
     1 ts baking soda
     1 ts salt
     1 c  vegetable shortening
     2 c  light brown sugar; packed
     2 lg eggs
     2 ts vanilla extract
     3 c  rolled oats

----------------------------------Filling-----------------------------------
     1    semisweet chocolate chips
     2 tb butter
     1    sweetened condensed milk
     2 ts vanilla extract
     1 c  walnuts; chopped

 Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

 To make the crust, combine the flour, baking soda, and salt.  In a
 large bowl, cream the vegetable shortening and brown sugar.
 Beat in the eggs and vanilla.  Gradually blend in the dry
 ingredients.  Fold in the rolled oats.  Press 2/3 of the crust
 mixture into an ungreased 13 x 9 inch baking pan.

 To prepare the filling, melt the chocolate chips and butter in a
 double boiler over low heat, stirring until smooth.  Remove from
 heat and stir in the sweetened condensed milk and vanilla.
 Fold in the nuts.

 Spread the filling evenly over the crust in the baking pan.  Press
 the remaining crust mixture on top of the filling.  Bake for 25 to
 30 minutes, until firm to the touch.  Cool in the pan on a wire rack
 before butting into large or small bars.

 Variation:  I substituted approximately 1 cup coconut for the nuts.
 It was very good.


 Contributor:  1001 Cookie Recipes from Gregg R. Gillespie
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