1 1/2    Sticks unsalted butter

      1 c  Sugar

      1 c  Packed, light brown sugar

      1 c  Milk

    1/2 c  Heavy cream

      1 c  Coarsely chopped pecans

      2 c  Whole pecan halves

      2 T  Vanilla extract

  1 1/2 c  Semisweet chocolate chips

  NOTE: Chocolate chips should be chilled.
     Assemble all the ingredients and utensils before
  starting to cook. (Measure out the chocolate chips and
  keep them refregerated until just before needed.)  You
  will need a large, heavy-bottomed aluminum pot or
  skillet with deep sides, a long-handled metal whisk or
  spoon, 2 large spoons (or an ice cream scoop with a
  manual release) and a very lightly greased cookie
  sheet.    Melt the butter in the pot over high heat;
  add the sugars, milk, cream and chopped pecans.  cook
  5 minutes, whisking constantly.  reduce heat to

  medium, and continue cooking and whisking 10 minutes.
   Add the pecan halves and continue whisking and
  cooking until done, about 8 to 10 minutes.  (If the
  mixture smokes excessively toward end of cooking time,
  lower thge heat.)  Stir in vanilla.  then immediately
  drop about 1/4 cup of chocolate chips into about
  one-sixth of the batter.  Stir quickly and just enough
  to cover some of the chips with batter but not nenough
  to allow the chips to melt.  Quickly drop the
  chocolate mixture onto the cookie sheet by heaping
  spoonfuls, using the second spoon to push the batter
  off the first (or use ice cream scoop); each praline
  should be about 2 inches in diameter and 1/2 inch
  thick.  repeat with remaining mixture, stirring
  briefly before adding more chocolate chips.  The
  cooled pralines should be light brown, opaque,
  somewhat chunky and crumbly. LAGNIAPPE:  To clean the
  pot and utensils, boil water in the pot with the
  utensils in it.  This will melt the batter off. From
  Paul Prudhomme's Louisiana Kitchen.