Caramel Apple Bars

I love fall. I think it is my favorite season. One of the things I love about fall is going to the apple orchard and then eating and then cooking with all the apples. After I posted about the apples I got at the orchard I had several people ask for the recipes that I was going to make.

So, here is the first one I made this week. I love this recipe. I have been making it for quite a few years. I think the original recipe came from Taste Of Home. I have tweaked it over the years to give it more of an apple taste. It just did not have enough apples for me. So, I added more. I have changed a few other things also to come up with a recipe we love. I really like these. I ate way to many of these this week! But I am trying to convince myself they are healthy, they do have apples and oatmeal in them, right?

I hope to make apple bread today and I will try to post that recipe later this week.

Caramel Apple Bars

2 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups quick cooking oats
1 1/2 cups packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/4 cups butter, melted

3 to 3 1/2 cups apples – peeled, cored and sliced ( I like Granny Smith or Jonathan)

1 12 ounce jar caramel ice cream topping
1/2 cup all-purpose flour

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 15×10 inch jellyroll pan.
In a large bowl, combine the flour, quick cooking oats, brown sugar, and baking soda. Stir in the melted butter. Mix until crumbly. This is the crust. Press about 2/3 of this mixture into the prepared baking pan. Bake for 8 minutes in preheated oven.
In a small pan, over medium heat combine the caramel topping and the remaining 1/2 cup of flour. Stirring constantly, bring to a boil and cook for 3 minutes. This is the caramel filling.
Spread apple slices evenly over the baked crust. Then pour the caramel filling over the apple layer. Crumble the remaining crust mixture over the top of everything. Bake again for 20 to 25 minutes or until golden brown. Cool before cutting into bars.