Caramel Candy Brownies

Filling
1 (14 ounce) bag caramels, unwrapped (about 45 caramels)
2 tablespoons milk

Base and topping
4 (1 ounce) squares unsweetened chocolate
 3/4 cup butter or margarine
2 cups granulated sugar
3 eggs
1 tablespoon milk
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup chopped pecans, divided

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9-inch square cake pan.

Filling: In a microwave-safe bowl, on medium power, heat caramels and milk for 3 minutes. Remove from oven and stir until melted and smooth. (Alternately, heat caramels and milk in a saucepan over low heat, stirring until smooth and melted.) Keep warm while preparing brownie batter.

Base and topping: In a large saucepan over low heat, melt chocolate and butter, stirring constantly, until smooth. Remove from heat and set aside to cool slightly.

When mixture has cooled, stir in sugar. Add eggs and beat until just blended. Stir in milk. Blend in flour. Stir in nuts. Spread half the batter evenly in prepared pan. Spoon filling over batter. Sprinkle 3/4 cup of the nuts over top. Drop remaining batter by spoonfuls over nuts, then sprinkle with remaining nuts.

Bake in for 30 to 35 minutes or until a tester inserted in the center comes out clean. Place pan on a rack to cool completely, then cut into squares. Makes 24 brownies.

Nutrition information per brownie: 264 calories, 3 grams protein, 14 grams fat, 35 grams carbohydrate, 2 grams fiber, 44 milligrams cholesterol, 112 milligrams sodium

Tip: To melt chocolate in a microwave, use chocolate chips, chocolate squares (each 1 ounce) or small chunks of chocolate. Place in a microwave-safe bowl, cover tightly with plastic wrap and microwave on high approximately 1 minute per ounce. (Times will vary depending upon the power of your microwave and the quantity of chocolate used.) Remove from microwave and stir until melted and smooth.