In Bagombo Snuff Box: Uncollected Short Fiction, Kurt Vonnegut wrote “Every character should want something, even if it is only a glass of water.” Since this is an oat blog with strict demarcations, I don’t have to say I want whaling to end, or an African team, preferably Ghana, in the World Cup, or even talk about war. Right now, Kurt, all I want is this:

 

Oatmeal Carmelitas

(from Dana Treat) adapted from With Love & Butter

makes 36 bars

1½ cups (3 sticks) butter, at room temperature
2/3 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
2 cups flour
2 cups oats (quick or old-fashioned)
1 tsp. baking soda
¼ tsp. salt
1½ cups chocolate chips
½ cup coarsely chopped walnuts
1 cup honey
½ cup cream

Preheat oven to 375° with the rack in the center position.  Butter a 9×13-inch baking pan.

Cream the butter and brown sugar together with an electric mixer.  Add the flour, oats, baking soda, and salt and combine. Set aside 1/3 of the dough.  Press the remaining dough evenly into the buttered baking pan.  Bake for 10-15 minutes.  The crust should be barely brown.  Leave the oven on. Scatter the chocolate chips and walnuts over the hot crust.  

Now blob the reserved dough as evenly as you can on top of the chocolate and nuts. 

Combine the honey and cream.  Heat in the microwave or on the stove until hot but not boiling.
Pour the honey cream sauce over the dough and bake 15 to 20 minutes.  The bars will be done when they turn a uniformly rich golden color.  Cool and cut.