Pecan Tassies

A guy from work brought in some Pecan Tassies his wife made and I absolutely loved them. I found this recipe online at http://www.cdkitchen.com/recipes/recs/32/Pecan_Tassies351.shtml and attempted to make them. I didn't even try them because they looked too crisp, but the dough was good and everyone loved them so I guess they couldn't have been that bad. When he gives me his wife's recipe, I will make them again and post the better one.

Ingredients:

3 ounces cream cheese -- softened
8 tablespoons butter -- softened
1 cup flour
3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 pinch salt
1 large egg
2/3 cup pecans -- chopped
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Directions:

Preheat oven to 350F degrees. In small bowl, with mixer at high speed, beat cream cheese with 7 tablespoons butter until creamy. Reduce speed to low; add flour and beat until well mixed.

With floured hands, divide dough into 24 equal pieces (dough will be very soft). With floured fingertips, gently press dough pieces evenly onto bottoms and up sides of twenty-four 1 3/4" by 3/4" ungreased miniature muffin-pan cups.

In medium bowl, with wire whisk or fork, mix brown sugar, vanilla, salt, egg, and remaining 1 tablespoon margarine or butter until filling is blended. Place half of pecans in pastry-lined cups.

Spoon filling by heaping teaspoons into each pastry cup; sprinkle tops with remaining pecans.

Bake 30 minutes or until filling is set and edges of crust are golden. With tip of knife, gently loosen tassies from muffin-pan cups and place on wire rack to cool completely. Store tassies in tightly covered container up to 1 week.