Caramel-Pecan Cheesecake Bars

This recipe is from Kraft Foods. They are the best homemade cheesecake bars I've ever tried. :) YUMMY!! Enjoy!

Ingredients:

1 cup PLANTERS Pecan Pieces, divided

1-1/2 cups crushed NILLA Wafers (about 50)

1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter, melted

4 pkg. (8 oz. each) PHILADELPHIA Cream Cheese, softened

1 cup sugar

1 cup BREAKSTONE'S or KNUDSEN Sour Cream

3 Tbsp. flour

1 Tbsp. vanilla

4 eggs

24 KRAFT Caramels

1 Tbsp. water

3 squares BAKER'S Semi-Sweet Chocolate

How to make it:

HEAT oven to 325°F. Line 13x9-inch baking pan with foil, with ends of foil extending over sides. Remove 1/2 cup nuts; set aside. Finely chop remaining nuts; mix with wafer crumbs and butter. Press onto bottom of pan. Refrigerate until ready to use.

BEAT cream cheese and sugar in large bowl with mixer until blended. Add sour cream, flour and vanilla; mix well. Add eggs, 1 at a time, mixing on low speed after each just until blended. Pour over crust.

BAKE 45 min. or until center is almost set. Cool completely. Microwave caramels and water in microwaveable bowl on HIGH 1 min. or until caramels are completely melted when stirred. Pour over cheesecake; top with reserved nuts. Melt chocolate; drizzle over cheesecake. Refrigerate 4 hours. Use foil handles to remove cheesecake from pan before cutting to serve.