Southern Pecan Pralines

Preheat oven to 350°. Lay a large piece of foil out on the counter. Spread nuts on a baking sheet and roast 10-12 minutes. While nuts are hot, stir in 2 Tablespoons butter and sprinkle with salt. Set aside. In a heavy medium saucepan, stir together brown sugar, sugar, evaporated milk, and rest of butter until sugars are mostly dissolved. Add nuts. Boil until mixture reaches soft ball stage (236°). Let stand off heat 4 minutes. Add vanilla and start beating with a WOODEN spoon. As soon as you feel it start to thicken, start spooning it in 2" drops onto the foil. Let cool completely. When cooled, you should be able to peel them off the foil and have a solid cookie. Store in an airtight container up to 2 weeks.