Baklava

While working one night some of the other nurses and I began talking about the many uses of honey. As you may already know the Egyptians used it to treat wounds but you may not know that we still use it today for that same purpose, with amazing results. It's also used to treat seasonal allergies, to sweeten coffee or tea, and for many many other "sweet" treats. My friend Maricar had worked in Russia and reports to have learned this from one of the staff there. When at all possible I always try to use local ingredients. Honey is from Bullard Texas; pecans are from Big Sandy Texas, butter from Van Texas.

Ingredients

1 pack phyllo dough
4 cups pecans
2 teaspoons cinnamon
2 sticks butter
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup sugar
2 cups honey
2 teaspoons vanilla

Mix together pecans and cinnamon and set aside

Melt 1 stick of butter (used for brushing on dough)

Liberally butter a pan. Preheat oven to 350.
Brush butter on dough and place it butter side down in pan, add 1 unbuttered sheet then butter another and place it along with an additional sheet butter side down. You will repeat this until you have a total of 6 sheets of dough as your base. Place a layer of pecans then repeat the layering but only do two layers for a total of 4 sheets. Continue layering like this until you are out of nuts. Make the top layer just like the bottom layer and butter the top as well. Using a very sharp knife cut diagonally and bake in oven at 350 for 45 minutes until very dark golden brown. While it is cooking mix 1stick of butter, water, sugar, vanilla and honey in a sauce pan and bring to a full boil then reduce to low until ready to pour over baklava. When baklava is ready pour sauce over it until it is thoroughly saturated. Yes, it's very sticky and sweet! You may or may not use all of the sauce, it is a personal preference.