3/4 cup butter, softened
1 1/2 cups brown sugar, divided
1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon, divided
1 teaspoon salt, divided
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup ground dry-roasted peanuts
2 cups rolled oats
3 1/2 cups apples, peeled, cored and sliced
1 bag (10 ounces) caramels, unwrapped
1 tablespoon milk
1/2 cup chopped peanuts

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line 13×9-inch pan with foil and lightly spray with cooking spray. In medium bowl, mix butter, 1 cup brown sugar, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon salt and baking soda until thoroughly combined. Mix in flour, ground peanuts and oats until crumbly. Reserve 1 cup of mixture and press remainder firmly into prepared pan. Toss apples with remaining brown sugar, cinnamon and salt. Arrange over crust.

Combine caramels and milk in microwave-safe bowl or measuring cup. Microwave in 30-second intervals until melted and pour 1 cup of resulting sauce over apples. Sprinkle with reserved crust mixture. Bake 35-40 minutes until bubbly and apples are just tender. Remove and let cool until just warm to the touch. Garnish with chopped peanuts. Cut into squares. Before serving, allow to cool until caramel is set.

Use leftover caramel sauce as ice cream topping.

Servings: 24. Serving size: 1 bar. Per serving: 226 calories, 4 g protein, 10.4 g fat, 29.8 g carbohydrates, 1.8 g fiber, 140 mg sodium, 15 mg cholesterol

Tammi Thompson, Farmers Electric Cooperative