Pecan Turtles

Who can resist rich chewy caramel over crunchy pecans dipped in chocolate? Not me! These have become my new holiday favorite to make and give away. My good friend, Linda J., won 2nd place in a Taste of Home contest one year (sorry, can't remember which year now!) with this recipe. The only thing I do is not cook it as long as she did to make mine more like soft caramel and I dip mine in chocolate, rather than drizzle it. Yummy, yummy!
Pecan Turtles

2 1/4 cups packed brown sugar

1 cup butter or margarine (I use butter)

1 cup light corn syrup

1/8 tsp. salt

1 can (14 oz) sweetened condensed milk

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1 1/2 lbs. pecan halves

1 1/2 lbs. melting chocolate (you can mix semi sweet chips and milk choc. chips or buy the melting chocolate discs at a bakery)

2 TBSP. shortening (to thin chocolate)

In a large saucepan, combine the first four ingredients. Cook over medium heat until all the sugar is dissolved. Gradually add the milk and mix well. Continue cooking until candy thermometer reaches about 220 degrees (or soft ball stage). Remove from heat; stir in vanilla until blended. Fold in the pecans. Drop by teaspoonfuls onto a freezer paper lined cookie sheet. Chill until firm. Melt chocolate in a small crockpot and dip the turtles until fully covered and place back on freezer paper lined cookie sheet. Cool. Yields about 4 dozen.

Recipe by Linda Jonsson