Ingredients:
1-1/2 cups dark brown sugar
1-1/2 cups white sugar
2 tablespoons margarine
1/8 teaspoon salt
1-1/2 cups evaporated milk
2 cups whole pecans
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup very cold water (to test "hard-ball" stage)
1 teaspoon oil (for cookie sheets)

Directions:
In a large saucepan, combine above ingredients except water. Stir constantly with a wooden spoon over a medium-low flame. Mixture should be at a low boil. Stir bottom and sides continuously. Cook for about four minutes until a drop of the mixture forms a "hard-ball" drop when placed in a cup of cold water, or mixture reaches 260-degrees. Remove from stove and beat briskly for two minutes until mixture cools, thickens, and becomes creamy.

On large pieces of waxed paper, aluminum foil, or oiled cookie sheets, drop two or three pecans with a tablespoon of mixture for each praline. When all of mixture has been poured, let cool thoroughly. Store in airtight containers.

Yield:  Forty 2-inch pralines (about ten servings).