Festive Fudge-Filled Bars

Cookie bars with a festive fudge filling layered between a nutty-oat crust and a crumb topping dotted with colorful, candy-coated chocolates.

Recipe Ingredients:

2 cups quick cooking oats
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup chopped nuts
1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup butter or margarine, melted
2 tablespoons vegetable shortening
1 1/2 cups candy-coated chocolate pieces - divided use
1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk

Cooking Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C).
2. In a large bowl, combine oats, flour, chopped nuts, brown sugar, baking soda, and salt. Stir in melted butter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Reserve 1 1/2 cups of the flour mixture, pressing the remainder into a greased and floured 13x9x2-inch pan. Bake for 10 minutes.
3. Melt shortening in a saucepan over low heat. Stir in 1 cup candy-coated chocolate pieces, pressing with a spoon until broken. Heat until melted. Remove from the heat and stir in sweetened condensed milk. Spread over the baked layer to within 1/2-inch of the edge.
4. Add 1/2 cup candy-coated chocolate pieces to the reserved flour mixture and sprinkle on top, pressing in lightly. Bake until golden brown, about 20 minutes. Cool before cutting into bars.

Makes 24 bars.