Butter an 8-inch square pan with 2 teaspoons of softened butter to prevent sticking. Set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the sifted powdered sugar with nonfat dry milk powder. Stir thoroughly until well mixed.

In a medium saucepan, melt ½ cup of butter, granulated sugar, and corn syrup over medium heat. Stir until boiling, about 5 minutes.

Gradually add the dry mixture to the warm syrup while stirring constantly until fully blended. Stir in vanilla extract.

Allow mixture to cool for about 10 minutes, then shape into four strips, rolling each into a log. Wrap in waxed paper and freeze for at least 1 hour.

Melt caramels with milk in a melting pot over low heat, stirring regularly until smooth, about 5-10 minutes.

Take each log from the freezer and dip in the melted caramel, ensuring full coverage.

Roll each coated log in chopped pecans, ensuring they are completely covered. Wrap logs again in waxed paper.

Store wrapped logs in an airtight container at room temperature for at least 30 minutes before slicing. Can be stored for up to two weeks or frozen for three months.