ChOcOlAtE FiLlEd WaLnUt-OaTmEaL BaRs

Ingredients:

• 1 cup (2 sticks) butter or margarine, softened
• 2 cups packed light brown sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon powdered instant coffee(optional)
• 3 cups quick-cooking rolled oats
• 2-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1-1/2 cups chopped walnuts, divided
• CHOCOLATE FILLING(recipe follows)

Directions:

1. Heat oven to 350°F.

2. Beat butter and brown sugar in large bowl until well blended. Add eggs, vanilla and instant coffee, if desired; beat until fluffy. Stir together oats, flour, baking soda, salt and 1 cup walnuts; gradually stir into butter mixture with spoon. (Dough will be thick.) Set aside 2 cups dough.

3. Press remaining dough evenly onto bottom of ungreased 15-1/2x10-1/2x1-inch jelly-roll pan. Prepare CHOCOLATE FILLING; spread evenly over dough. Crumble reserved dough evenly over filling. Sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup walnuts.

4. Bake 25 minutes or until top is golden brown (chocolate will be soft). Cool completely in pan on wire rack; cut into bars. About 4 dozen bars.

CHOCOLATE FILLING

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter or margarine
2/3 cup HERSHEY'S Cocoa
1/4 cup sugar
1 can (14 oz.) sweetened condensed milk (not evaporated milk)
1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Melt butter in medium saucepan over low heat. Stir in cocoa and sugar. Add sweetened condensed milk; cook, stirring constantly, until smooth and thick. Remove from heat. Stir in vanilla.