Pecan Valley Pecans

• ¾ cups Butter Flavor Crisco
• 1¼ cups light brown sugar; firmly packed
• 1 egg
• ⅓ cup milk
• 1½ teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• ½ teaspoon maple flavoring
• 3 cups quick cook oats
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon sea salt
• ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 cup Pecan Valley Pecan Pieces
• Maple Frosting
• 30 Pecan Valley Pecan Halves

1. Preheat oven to 375ºF.
2. Grease baking sheets with Butter-Flavor Crisco.
3. In a large mixing bowl, combine Crisco, light brown sugar, egg, milk, vanilla and maple flavoring in a large bowl. Beat at medium speed of electric mixer until well blended.
4. In another bowl, combine oats, flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon. Mix into creamed mixture at low speed just until blended.
5. Stir in nuts.
6. Drop by rounded tablespoons of dough 2 inch apart on prepared cookie sheets.
7. Bake in a preheated oven for 10 to 12 minutes or until lightly browned.
8. Cool 2 minutes on baking sheet.
9. Remove to kitchen counter.
10. Frost top with frosting mixture and garnish with a pecan half.

• 1 can vanilla cake frosting
• Maple flavoring to taste

1. Mix vanilla frosting with maple flavoring to your desired taste.

• 2 cups semisweet chocolate chips; divided
• 2 tablespoons instant coffee powder
• 2 teaspoons boiling water
• 1 cup all purpose flour
• ¾ teaspoons baking soda
• ½ teaspoon sea salt
• ½ cup unsalted butter; softened
• ½ cup granulated sugar
• ½ cup brown sugar; firmly packed
• 1 egg
• ½ cup Pecan Valley Pecan Pieces

1. Preheat oven to 350ºF.
2. Melt ½ cup chocolate chips over hot water or in microwave. Stir until smooth; cool to room temperature.
3. In small cup, dissolve coffee in boiling water; set aide.
4. Combine flour, soda and salt; set aside.
5. In large bowl, combine butter, sugars and coffee; beat until creamy.
6. Add egg and melted chocolate; mix well.
7. Gradually add flour mixture.
8. Stir in remaining 1½ cups chocolate chips and pecans.
9. Drop by rounded tablespoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheets.
10. Bake in a preheated oven for 10 to 12 minutes.
11. Let stand 2 to 3 minutes before removing from cookie sheets; cool completely.

Yield: about 24 3-inch cookies.

1. Preheat oven to 325ºF.
2. Lightly grease two 17-inch-by-14 inch cookies sheets.
3. In a large bowl of electric mixer, beat butter, sugars, egg and vanilla at medium-high speed until fluffy.
4. Reduce mixer speed to low, add flour and oatmeal, increase mixer speed gradually and beat just until blended.
5. Stir in raisins and nuts.
6. Drop heaping tablespoonfuls of dough 2½ inches apart onto prepared sheets.
7. Bake 1 sheet at a time in a preheated oven for 17 minutes or until edges of cookies are lightly browned and tops look dry.
8. Cool on sheet on wire rack 5 minutes. Remove to rack to cool completely.

1. Coat 2 mini muffin tins (1¾ inches in diameter, with 12 molds each) with nonstick cooking spray; set aside.
2. Place flour and salt in bowl of food processor fitted with metal blade. Add butter and cream cheese; process for several seconds, pulsing machine on and off, until mixture resembles rolled oats
3. Place mixture on lightly floured work surface; gather together a small amount to form into ball. To ensure even blending of fat and flour, smear ball of dough onto work surface with heel of hand.
4. Repeat technique with remaining mixture.
5. Gather dough into single mass and flatten into disk. Wrap in plastic wrap; refrigerate at least 30 minutes.
6. When ready to bake, preheat oven to 350ºF.
7. Divide dough into 24 pieces. Place each piece into muffin mold, pressing dough firmly onto bottom and sides to form tart shells.
8. In a small mixing bowl, mix nuts, sugar, chocolate and eggs together.
9. Divide mixture among prepared tart shells.
10. Bake tarts in a preheated oven for 20 to 25 minutes until crusts are golden.
11. Remove from oven. Let cool 5 minutes, then un-mold.
12. Tarts can be made 1 day ahead and can be served warm or cool. Keep in airtight container at room temperature.
13. When ready to serve, whip cream until soft peaks form. Gradually beat in brown sugar. Stir in rum. Whip until firm peaks form. Transfer to serving bowl.
14. Arrange tarts on serving plate along with bowl of whipped cream.

Yield: 24 tarts.