Pecan Pie Bites

It's a busy Thanksgiving cooking day here.  Pumpkin pie, chocolate chip cookies, and pecan tarts.  I love these tarts.  It's like a wee little pecan pie.  I got this recipe from my mom, who probably got it from Southern Living magazine sometime in the 1970s.  This is a great recipe for parties and potlucks.  The tarts look impressive but are really easy to make.  You will need two mini muffin pans.

Pecan Tarts

3 oz. cream cheese, softened

1/2 cup margarine, softened plus 1 tablespoon

1 cup sifted flour

1 egg

3/4 cup brown sugar

1/8 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon vanilla

2/3 cup finely chopped pecans

Blend cream cheese and 1/2 cup margarine.  Mix in flour.  Cover bowl with plastic wrap and chill about one hour.

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

Remove dough from refrigerator and form into 24 balls (approximately 1-inch each).  Place in ungreased mini muffin tins.  Press dough up the sides to form little cups.  Make sure you get up to the edge so the filling doesn’t cook out and cause the tarts to stick.

I didn't get my dough up quite high enough.  I had a little sticking around the edges, too!

For filling:

Beat egg; add brown sugar and beat until well blended.  Add 1 tablespoon margarine, salt, and vanilla.  Mix well.  Stir in pecans.

Fill shells 3/4 full.  Bake at 325 for 25 minutes.  Let cool in pans.  Enjoy!