scrumptious and easy mini pecan tarts!

tomorrow is my favorite holiday! yay! i mostly like it because it has a simple purpose: to get together, give thanks, appreciate each other AND stuff yourself with delicious food! tom and i are blessed-- not only is it our first thanksgiving together, but even though we live a great distance from our hometown, we have family here to celebrate with! we are going to the family j's house. we are not just free-loading, however:

we are in charge of bringing my dad's famous dressing (so good!), sweet potatoes (i found a recipe that involves brown sugar, pecans and cinnamon) and a dessert.

i decided to make mini pecan tarts for our dessert contribution (also something learned from my pops). they are leeeetle tiny pies of pure goodness. and, they are relatively easy and totally delicious, so i'd encourage you to try them out if you need an easy dessert tomorrow or during the holiday season.

recipe:

Mini Pecan Tarts
from: Deanna's dad

servings: makes 24 mini tarts
prep time: about 20 minutes
bake time: 20-25 minutes
preheat your oven to: 350 degrees

ingredients:

shells:
1/2 cup margarine or butter, slightly softened
3 oz. cream cheese, softened
1 cup flour

filling:
2 Tbsp. butter, melted
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 cup pecans, finely chopped
(i bought a bag of nuts pre-chopped, it saved me a load of time!)

directions:

1. cream shell ingredients together. press into mini pie tins. mine are the little cupcake pans that make little pies about 1 sq. in. in size.

2. mix filling ingredients. pour into shells. i just use a spoon to dish it in the shells.

3. bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes.

4. remove from pan after cooling for 3 minutes.

5. indulge and enjoy!

i will post a pic of my finished product soon! that is, if we don't eat them all in the next 2 hours or so.