Pecan Pralines

This is my recipe for pralines. My Aunt Jo used to make this every year at Christmas time. When she passed away my Grandaddy continued making them. A few years ago I got the recipe from him since he had stopped making them at some point. He is a diabetic, after all, so I suppose pralines just sitting around would be too much of a temptation. I know they would be for me. These are great! The original recipe called for condensed milk, but when I made my first batch, all I had was evaporated. They were not as sweet as the pralines we were used to eating as kids, but everyone liked them. So I've made them with evaporated milk ever since.

My brother-in-law has been on my case about making him some for weeks, months even. He said he had to beg me to make them. It's true. I finally got around to making him a batch this past weekend. Here's the recipe.

Pecan Pralines

2 cups sugar
1 stick butter
1 12-oz. can evaporated milk
1 tsp. vanilla
4 cups pecans

Butter 2—3 cookies sheets or plates. Combine sugar, butter and milk in a medium pot. Cook on medium heat until mixture forms a hard ball when dropped into cold water.

Add vanilla and pecans. Stir until mixture begins to get hard. Spoon onto buttered plates or cookie sheets. You can make the pralines however big or small you want them to be.