Caramel Layer Chocolate Squares

This is hands-down my family's favorite cookie.

I made this many years ago for a church event, they flew off the cookie table. I had one in my hand while I was talking to a friend. A elderly lady approached me, seeing that I hadn't touched it, and asked me if I was going to eat it. I think she wanted it if I didn't!

1 (14oz) pkg. light caramels
1/3 cup evaporated milk

1 pkg. Butter Pecan cake mix (if you can't find this, you can use 1 pkg golden butter cake mix + 1/2 cup pecans, which have been placed in a food processor to a very fine powder)
3/4 cup butter, room temperature
1/3 cup evaporated milk
1 cup chopped pecans
1 cup milk chocolate chips

oven temp 325
baking time: 25 min

Generously grease a 13x9" baking pan (must be a 13x9 pan, nothing smaller or the recipe will not work well).

In a large bowl, combine dry cake mix, butter, 1/3 cup milk, and nuts. Stir by hand until dough holds together. Divide dough in half and press 1/2 of the dough into the prepared pan. Reserve the remaining dough for topping.

Bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes. Sprinkle chocolate chips over baked crust.

In a microwave safe dish, combine caramels and 1/3 cup evaporated milk, cook for 1 min then stir, cook again at 1 minute intervals until smooth and melted when stirred.

Spread melted caramel mixture over the chocolate chips. Crumble reserved dough over caramel and chocolate layers. Return to oven and back an additional 18-20 minutes to set the caramel filling.

Let cool, cut into small squares and store in an air tight container to keep moist.