Pecan Tassies (Pampered Chef)

Tart Shells
1/2 c. butter, softened
3 ounces cream cheese, softened
1 c. flour

Filling
2 T butter or margarine, melted
3/4 c. packed brown sugar
1 egg
1 t. vanilla
1 c. pecan halves, finely chopped

Beat butter and cream cheese until well-blended.  Add flour, mix until soft dough forms.
Press into mini-muffin tins with mini-tart shaper.

Mix filling ingredients together and fill each tart shell.  (Do not overfill.)
Bake 20-25 min at 350.

Chocolate Cookies (with mint)

1 3/4 c. plus 2 T. flour
1 t. baking powder
1 t. baking soda
1/4 t. salt
3/4 c. dark brown sugar
1/2 c. white sugar
1/3 c. butter flavored Crisco
1/3 c. plus 2 T. butter (room temp)
1 egg
1/4 c. cocoa
1 t. vanilla
1/2 c. chopped pecans or walnuts
1/2 c. white chocolate chips
3/4 c. semi-sweet chocolate chips
4-6 crushed candy canes

Combine flour, baking powder and soda, and salt.  Set aside.
Mix sugars, butter, and Crisco in large bowl until smooth.
Add egg, cocoa, and vanilla--mix well.
Add dry ingredients.
Fold in nuts, chocolate chips, and candy canes.
Bake 11-13 min (on airbake) or 8 min (regular cookie sheet) at 350.

Linzer Cookies

1 c. sliced almonds
2 c. flour
1/2 t. cinnamon
1/4 t. salt
1 c. butter--room temp
2/3 c. sugar
1 t. almond extract
2 egg yolks
zest of lemon
3 T.  powdered sugar
1 jar seedless raspberry jam
sliced almonds for topping

Toast almonds at 350 for 10 minutes.  Remove almonds and cool.
Process almonds and 1/4 c. of the sugar in food processor.

Mix flour, cinnamon, and salt in a bowl and set aside.
Beat butter and remaining sugar together.  Add egg yolks, almond extract, and lemon zest.
Slowly mix in almond/sugar mixture and flour mixture until dough forms.

Roll into 1/2 inch balls and make thumbprint in each ball.  Bake for 7 minutes at 350.
Remove from oven and cool completely.  Fill thumbprints with raspberry jam.
Top with 3 sliced almonds and sprinkle with powdered sugar.

Strawberry Pie

Ingredients:
1 c sugar
3 tbsp corn starch
1/4 tsp salt
2 tsp lemon juice
1/2 c water

Directions:
1) Bake and cool crust
2) Mash 1 cup strawberries in heavy saucepan
3) Add sugar, salt, and 1/4 c water
4) Heat to boiling and blend corn starch with other 1/4 c water.
5) Take off heat and add corn starch water. Put back on the heat until clear and thickened.
6) Remove from heat and cool and add remaining berries and add to crust.

Krem Tip: put the rest of the berries directly in the pie crust and pour sauce over top

Crepes

1/2 c. flour
1/4 t. salt
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 c. milk
1 T. cold water
1 t. melted butter

Sift flour and salt together into a bowl; mix all remaining ingredients and add slowly to dry ingredients, beating until smooth. Let stand at room temperature for 15 minutes before cooking in skillet or crepe pan.

Pie Crust...

...from the White Cookbook

For One Pie Shell:
1 1/4 c. sifted flour
1/2 t. salt
1/3 c. shortening (chilled)
1/4 c. ice water

For Two Pie Shells:
2 c. sifted flour
1 t. salt
2/3 c. shortening (chilled)
4-6 T. ice water

Mix flour, salt, and shortening together with pastry cutter or food processor. Add ice water one T at a time and mix gently with a fork until pastry just holds together.

Pecan Pie

Ingredients:
3 eggs
1 c dark corn syrup
1/2 c sugar
1/4 c melted butter
1 tsp vanilla
pecan halves (enough to cover bottom of pie tin)

Directions:
1) Preheat oven to 350.
2) In medium bowl with wire whisk or fork, beat eggs well.
3) Beat in corn syrup, sugar, butter, and vanilla until well blended.
4) Lay pecans on bottom of pie tin and pour mixture on top. Bake 1 hour.

Krem trick: More pecans is never a bad thing. Cover the bottom of the pan with 1 1/2 layers, and then chop up some more and throw those in too.