Prepare a jelly roll pan or sheet pan with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.

Place the first 5 ingredients in a 4 qt sauce pot, place on medium high heat.  Add the thermometer and stir frequently until the sugar starts to liquify.

As sugar starts to liquify, stir constantly working carefully around the stem of the thermometer.

Cook the mixture to 235 Degrees F.  Remove the thermometer, making sure not to burn you or drip the hot caramel from the end.  Add the baking soda and stir.  The caramel will rise rapidly.  The stirring will help keep it managed and mix well the caramel.

Stir until the caramel starts to get stiff.  Using a service spoon or a tablespoon from your dinner set, reach to the bottom of the pot, scoop some of the pecans and caramel and place that onto the prepared sheet pan.

Scoop and place pralines until the pan is gone.  You might have some caramel left over.  Hide it from everyone until they are gone then put that on ice cream and don't ever tell anyone.  It is your secret.

The pralines should be cool to the touch and set in about 10 minute.  If everyone has been good, they can have 1.  One.