Pecan Tassies ...p102

After popping one of these in my mouth, I immediately flashbacked to my sweet Aunt Lynn's, a Roseville kitchen, during the Christmas season....  It was in my mom's and her kitchen where mustard sandwiches were born and fanciful paperbag creations were fashioned.   The fifties really were Ozzie & Harriet, Leave it to Beaver. And yes, my grandmother really wore Harriet dresses every day! 

I must confess that these "tassies" I began over Christmas - one of the recipes I never tried before.  However, I only got the pastry mixed and pressed into the mini-muffin tins when - for one reason or another - the filling wasn't completed, the tins were wrapped in foil and stashed in the freezer for future use. 

So after my quick look back, welcome to the future:  finishing pecan tassies in what might be freezer-burned yukka! 

My daughter Trish said it best:  "Wow!  These taste like mini-cheesecakes!"  And they did.  They were a bit crumbly (maybe a result of freezer burn?), so the 2nd tray I allowed to sit in the frig overnight - they came out easier, and were even creamier.  I think these will be a regular on my Christmas trays!

Hardy Appetit!

PECAN TASSIES

Cheese Pastry:

3 oz cream cheese
1/2 c butter
1 c sifted flour

Let cream cheese and butter soften to room temp.  Blend.  Stir in flour.  Chill for 30 min.  Shape in 2 dozen balls, place in mini-muffin tins, ungreased.  Press dough against bottom and sides of cup.  Prick with fork.  (Here's where I froze them for almost two months!)

Pecan Filling:
1 egg
3/4 c brown sugar
1 T soft butter
1 tsp vanilla
dash of salt
2/3 c broken pecans

Blend together egg, sugar, butter, vanilla and salt until smooth.  Divide pecans among pastry lined cups.  Add egg mixture and top with remaining pecans.  Bake at 325 deg. for 25 min.