Pecan Tassies

½ cup margarine; softened
1 3-ounce package cream cheese; softened
1 cup all-purpose flour
¾ cups brown sugar; firmly packed
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
¾ cups Pecan Valley Pecan Pieces

1. Preheat oven to 325ºF.
2. Combine margarine and softened cream cheese, mixing until well blended. Add flour; mix well. Chill.
3. In another bowl, combine brown sugar, egg and vanilla; mix well. Stir in nuts. Divide chilled dough into 24 balls; press into miniature muffin pans.
4. Fill each cup ¾ full of brown sugar mixture.
5. Bake in preheated oven for 25 to 30 minutes, or until lightly browned. Cool 5 minutes; remove from pan. Sprinkle with powdered sugar if desired.

Makes 2 dozen

Note: It is best not to use an electric mixer when combining the filling. Also, keep the dough balls from getting too warm as you work or you can’t easily make the little tart shells in the miniature muffin pan