A Sweet Snack to Savor: Praline Grahams

          The job of my dreams would necessarily require that I spend the majority of my day elbow-deep in various combinations of butter, sugar, and flour; baking up delicious treats for all to enjoy. I am hopeful that, one day, this glorious dream will become a reality, but until then, the only thing I'm up to my elbows in, is paperwork. And I'm doing my very best to enjoy it.

          I am supremely lucky to have my job - or any job for that matter - and what's even luckier is that I get to hang out with the elderly on a daily basis (really). I have found that I share a great deal of common ground with the seniors that frequent the community center where I work, not the least of which is our shared appreciation of a good snack. Every Thursday, the volunteers at the center compose a heavenly array of goodies that many look forward to all week long. Within this array are a few perennial favorites: warm banana bread with whipped cream cheese, homemade, garlic-packed salsa with tortilla chips, crunchy peanut butter cookies, and, the pick of the bunch, praline grahams.

          These unique sweets are the creation of a volunteer named Jean who has been sharing her amazing baked goods with her fellow seniors for many years. This is a woman who loves to cook, who savors the sweet things in life (both culinary and otherwise), and knows the difference a small treat can make in someone's day. Jean's Praline Grahams are easy to make and offer a satisfying crunch in twenty minutes or less. And when these babies are on the Thursday table at the senior center, my adventures in underemployment become a little bit sweeter.



Praline Grahams

1 stick Butter
1/2 cup Brown Sugar
1/2 tsp. Vanilla
9 Graham Crackers (or 1 package)
1/2 cup Pecans

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Break up graham crackers into quarters and spread in a single layer on a small baking sheet (I use a heavy 10x15 in. cookie sheet). Chop pecans into fine pieces. Place butter and brown sugar in a small saucepan on stove. Stir over medium heat until butter is melted and sugar is dissolved. Simmer 1 additional minute, or until mixture is foamy. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla. Immediately pour mixture over separated graham crackers and sprinkle with pecans. Bake for 6 to 8 minutes. Let cool completely. (Patience is a virtue, and will keep you from burning your mouth. I mean, I'm just guessing. I can't speak from experience...) Break apart into single grahams.