PASTRY: 3 oz. cream cheese, 1/2 cup butter or margarine, 1 cup all-purpose flour.
Soften cream cheese and butter together. Mix well. Stir in flour and mix well. Chill. Roll out and cut into size of mini muffin pans. Place in each muffin pan. (This pastry is also great for regular pie crust).
FILLING: 1 egg, 3/4 cup brown sugar, 1 tsp. butter or margarine (melted), 1 tsp. vanilla, dash of salt. Blend sugar, butter, egg, vanilla and salt together.
Sprinkle bottom of pastry cups with 2/3 cup pecans. Add a teaspoon of filling to each pastry (I hold my finger over the bottom of a funnel, add the filling and then fill the pastries - it's easier to control the amount).
Bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes. Remove immediately from pans - filling will be VERY hot. Makes 2 dozen pastries.
Other fillings for the shells can include: chicken salad, tuna salad, shrimp paste or any pie filling or pudding.
