Festive Filled Bars

Ingredients:

2 cups oats..uncooked
1 1/2 cups flour
1 cup chopped nuts
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon soda
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup butter melted
2 tablespoons vegetable shortening
1 1/2 cups plain M&M's
1 can Eagle Brand Milk

Combine oats, flour, nuts, sugar, soda and salt-mix well, add butter,mix until dry ingredients are thoroughly moistened and mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Reserve 1 1/2 cups...press remaining crumb mixture onto bottom of greased 15 1/2x10 1/2in.pan...bake at 375 degrees for 10 minutes.

Melt shortening in saucepan until warm, add 1 cup candies; continue cooking over very low heat stirring constantly with metal spoon and pressing candies with back of spoon to break up. Chocolate mixture will almost be melted , remove from heat...stir in Eagle Brand Milk..mixing well.

Spread over partially baked crust to within 1/2in. of edge. Combine reserved crumb mixture and remaining candies..sprinkle evenly over choc mixture pressing on lightly..continue baking about 20 minutes or until golden brown. Cool thoroughly..cut into bars