Kathie Lee Gifford's Pecan Tarts

if you want a surefire hit... these take a little more time to make - in mini muffin tins...but you canNOT stop eating them and they disappear at any party in a flash! This Is A Labor of Love to make individual mini tarts [make it much faster by making a pan's worth and cutting into squares like brownies]- but everyone asks for the recipe NOW... a pretty easy way to spread more joy in the world... EVERYONE loves them - even if they don't like nuts... OR pecan pie!

• Ready In: 1 hr 5 mins
• Serves: 24

Ingredients

• 1⁄2 cup butter, softened
• 3  ounces cream cheese, softened
• 1  cup flour
• 1  egg, beaten
• 1  tablespoon  oil or 1  tablespoon  melted butter
• 1  teaspoon vanilla
• 3⁄4 cup brown sugar, packed
• 1⁄4 teaspoon salt
• 1⁄2 cup  chopped pecans

Directions

1. FOR THE CRUST:
2. Cream together the softened butter and cream cheese.
3. Add the flour and beat well.
4. Mold into mini muffin tins, muffin cups, or any little container [these are BEST when they are bite-sized].
5. Refrigerate in pans overnight.
6. FOR THE FILLING:
7. Beat egg well and add oil, vanilla, brown sugar, salt and pecans.
8. To assemble: Put a small ball of crust mixture into each hole of a mini muffin tin and, with a wet spoon, press into the bottom and sides. Repeat.
9. Then fill each shell to 2/3 full with pecan mixture.
10. Bake at 350º for 25 minutes.
11. Let cool.
12. Note: when I feel too lazy to make little tarts, I have made this as a pie - pressing the crust into a 9 X 5 loaf pan or a 9 inch square pan -- and poured the filling in -- and it satisfies the craving.