Pecan Tassies (little pecan tarts)

Ingredients

• 1/2 C butter, softened
• 3 ounces cream cheese, softened
• 1 C flour

Filling

• 1 large egg
• 1/2 C packed brown sugar
• 1 T butter, softened
• 1 tsp vanilla
• dash salt
• 2/3 C finely chopped pecans, divided

Directions

• In a small bowl, beat butter and cream cheese until smooth; gradually beat in flour.  Refrigerate, covered, 1 hour or until firm enough to roll.
• Preheat oven to 375 degree.  shape dough into 1-inch balls; press evenly onto bottoms and up sides of greased mini muffin cups.
• For filling, in a small bowl, mix egg, brown sugar, butter, vanilla, and salt until blended. Stir in 1/3 C pecans; spoon into pastries.  Sprinkle with remaining pecans.
• Bake20 to 25 minutes or until edges are golden and filling is puffed.  Cool in pans two minutes.  Remove to wire racks to cool.  Freeze option: Freeze cooled tassies, layered between waxed paper, in freezer containers.  To use, thaw in covered containers.