Caramel Layer Bars

1 pkg caramels (recipe doesn't say what size package tho, I'd have to ask her. Or maybe somebody here knows?)
2/3 c evaporated milk, split
1 box German chocolate cake mix
3/4 c margararine or butter (melted all the way to pour it)
1 c chocolate chips

In double boiler, combine caramels and 1/3 c evaporated milk. Stir till caramels are melted.

In lg bowl, combine dry cake mix and remaining 1/3 c evap milk. Stir by hand till mixed well. Press 1/2 of this dough into 13X9" greased and floured baking pan. Bake at 350^ for 6 mins.

Remove pan from oven and sprinkle chocolate chps over baked crust. Spread caramel mixture on top. Add remaining dough on top of that*. Bake 15-18 mins at 350^. Cool; cut into squares. Store in covered container in fridge; they'll keep for a couple of weeks in there (if you don't eat them all first!). My friend said if she just leaves them out of the fridge, they get stale after a day or so, probably b'cuz of the evaporated milk.

*My friend said this is how she "adds the remaining dough on top of the melted caramel mixture". She said you can't just drop it by the spoonful and expect to spread it out, it's too thick for that and makes a mess of the hot caramel mixture. What she does is takes a couple of spoonfuls of the dough and makes patties of it between her two hands. She then places these patties in the pan, on top of the melted caramel mixture. This won't be perfect, the patties won't lie exactly end-to-end, but it will all spread out as it's being baked.

by: Audrey