Cinnamon Caramel Swirl Bars

Here is another recipe you will not find in a Weight Watcher's Cookbook.  Like many of her recipes, my Mother, Jan, probably found this while thumbing through a magazine.  This recipe was published in a McCormick ad.

Any time you can put cinnamon or caramel in a recipe, you are going to have my attention, but put them both together in a recipe and you will have my undivided attention.


INGREDIENTS:

• 1½ cups flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 1½ cups firmly packed brown sugar
• ½ cup (1 stick) butter, melted
• 2 eggs
• 1 tablespoon Pure Vanilla Extract
• 1 cup coarsely chopped pecans
• 1 package (14 ounces) caramels, unwrapped (or one 11 oz bag Caramel Bits)
• ¼ cup milk

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. 
2. Line 13×9-inch baking pan with foil with ends of foil extending over the sides of the pan.
3. Spray foil with a nonstick cooking spray.
4. Mix flour, baking powder, cinnamon and salt in medium bowl. Set aside. 
5. Mix brown sugar, butter, eggs, vanilla and pecans in large bowl until well blended. 
6. Add flour mixture; mix well. 
7. Reserve 1 cup of the batter. 
8. Spread remaining batter into lightly greased foil-lined pan. 
9. Bake 15 minutes or until firm.
   
   
10. Microwave caramels and milk in microwavable bowl on HIGH 2 to 3 minutes or until caramels are completely melted, stirring after every minute. 
11. Cool 5 minutes or until slightly thickened. 
12. Pour over baked layer in pan, spreading to within 1/2 inch of edges. 
13. Drop reserved 1 cup batter by spoonfuls over caramel layer. 
14. Cut through batter with knife several times for marble effect.
15. Bake 15 to 20 minutes longer or until center is set. 
16. Cool in pan on wire rack. 
17. Lift from pan. 
18. Cut into bars.