We are introduced, at an early age, to the sweet wondernous of a cookie. From teething cookies to soothe the swollen aching gums of incoming incisors, onto animal crackers purchased in rectangular-shaped boxes bearing a string handle for easy toting by little fingers. Deciding which part of the animal should be eaten first-the trunk of the elephant or the tail of a lion-depended on how hungry one was. Savor each and every one or simply gobble them down as fast as possible.

My next cookie memory would be the ever famous, possibly all-time favorite, the chocolate chip cookie. There is nothing better than to bite into a round circle of baked dough sprinkled with gooey melt-in-your-mouth chocolate. A chocolate chip cookie can dry tears, heal broken hearts, mend scraped knees and elbows and solve sibling arguments. Most of the problems in the world could likely be solved by a properly baked, right out of the oven, chocolate chip cookie. The power of a cookie is underestimated.

I will attempt in the next 365 days to prepare and comment on a year’s worth of different cookies-one for each day. My goal is to share with others my extreme love of cookies-baking them and especially eating them! Feel free to send me your favorite recipe, your earliest cookie memories, or how cookies may have influenced your life. Cookies Rule!


Saturday, January 30, 2010

Cookie Recipe #28 - Pecan Tassies



Pecan Tassies are like consuming bite-size pecan pies - sweet, nutty center surrounded by a wall of cheesy dough. It's difficult to eat just one of these, so bake more than one batch!


Ingredients: 9 oz. cream cheese, softened, 1 1/2 cups (3 sticks)butter, softened, 3 cups all-purpose flour, dash of salt, 2 eggs, 1 1/2 cups brown sugar, 2 tablespoons soft butter, 1 1/3 cups chopped pecans.


Instructions: Blend softened cream cheese and butter together in medium mixing bowl. Stir in flour and mix thoroughly. Chill in refrigerator for one hour.


Preheat oven to 325 degrees. In bowl, beat together salt, eggs, brown sugar and butter; add pecans and mix well. Remove dough from refrigerator and shape into 1 inch balls. Place a ball in one cup of an ungreased MINI muffin pan. With finger, press in middle against sides to form a cavity for the filling. Repeat with all dough, then fill each pastry-lined cup with about a tablespoon of filling-do not overfill. Bake at 325 degrees 20-25 minutes or until filling is set.


Remove from oven and allow to cool for a minute. Gently scrape around each cup to loosen and lift carefully to cooling racks.


Makes about 4 dozen tassies.


Cookies Rule!!!

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