Caramel Brownies

I got this recipe from my sister back in high school--years ago.  We won't dwell on how long ago that might be, but, rather, let's think about gooey caramel and melted chocolate pillowed by moist chocolate brownie.  I make these every Christmas for our neighbors, and now that we are in a brand new neighborhood, they don't know what deliciousness awaits!  Our family goes around and passes them out together, along with an invite to our church's Christmas Eve services.  It's a great tradition, and today I'm sharing the recipe with you! 
The only people who are not allowed to bake these at Christmas are people on my street.  Seriously.  We can't have EVERY neighbor handing out these decadent treats.

Okay, gather your ingredients:

Now comes the hard part:  unwrapping all the caramels . . . 

Success!

Get that caramel all warm and gooey in the pot

Yes, there is serious butter in this recipe.  It is butterific.

The caramel is melting and should start to look like this gooey loveliness.

Start mixing the ingredients for the brownies

Press HALF the brownie mix into the bottom of your ungreased pan (isn't that much butter grease enough?)

Bake for 6 minutes

Think about pretty packages for your brownies:  a decorative chinese takeout box like this one from Michael's

A festive plate from a discount store

Take the brownie bottoms out of the oven and sprinkle the WHOLE package of chocolate chips over the hot brownie mix

Pour the pot of caramel all over the top of that yumminess

Sprinkle, clump or dot the top with the second half of the brownie mix

Look at those chunky, chocolate, caramel layers!

It is ready to bake for 18-20 minutes more and voila!  You have to wait a little while to eat them or you will burn the roof of your mouth.  I know from personal experience.

Caramel Brownies

Ingredients:

1 package of German Chocolate Cake Mix (I used Devil's Food flavor on accident this time)

3/4 cup of margarine or butter, melted

2/3 cup of evaporated milk

1 cup of chopped nuts (optional)--I personally detest that the nut family tries to invade my sugar family

14 oz pkg. of caramels

1 pkg. of semi-sweet chocolate chips (12 oz)

Preheat the oven to 350.  Unwrap the caramels.  Melt caramels in a pan, with 1/3 cup of evaporated milk over LOW heat.  In a mixing bowl, mix unprepared cake mix powder with melted margarine, the other 1/3 cup of evaporated milk, and nuts.  Spread 1/2 the mix into an ungreased 13 by 9 inch pan.  Bake for 6 minutes at 350.  Remove from oven.  Sprinkle bag of chocolate chips over dough.  Pour the melted caramel mixture over the dough and chocolate chips.  Crumble on remaining cake mix dough over the top.  Bake 18-20 minutes longer.  It burns quickly--don't overcook!  Cool to room temperature.  You can eat these gooey at room temperature or refrigerate them and eat them cool.  Enjoy!