2 egg whites
1 cup sugar
1 dash salt
4 cup pecan halves
1/2 cup butter (1 stick), melted
Beat egg whites until stiff peaks form. Fold in sugar and salt, then fold in pecans. Pour butter into 9x12 baking pan and spread in nut mixture. Bake 350 degrees, stirring every 10 minutes. Set on wire rack to cool completely and store in an airtight container.
I brought this to Christmas this past year, and it was a huge hit. I made it again to bring to a work potluck, and since I made it a day early I seriously had to keep myself from eating it all.
If you are unfamiliar with beating egg whites here are some tips. To separate from yolks either use the shell or your fingers; I prefer fingers. This is easiest to do when they are cold, but they whip better when room temperature. Use a metal or glass bowl, and make sure there is absolutely no fat (including the yolk) mixed in. This will prevent them from whipping. To be sure, I separate the egg into a small bowl and if yolk-free pour it in the mixing bowl before going on to the next egg. For the stiff peaks, use an electric beater, and you can go on high until you start to see trails in the foam, then slow down. A stiff peak is when you dip the beater straight in and out, and the tip doesn't curl over. Don't overbeat past this point, or you will get a gloppy mess.
