VELMA'S PECAN PIE & TARTS

Combine in saucepan:

1 & 1/4 cups sugar
1/2 cup light corn syrup
1/4 cup butter

Place on medium/high heat, and stir and cook just until butter is melted.Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly, and add in three slightly beaten eggs and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Sprinkle 1 cup pecan halves or pieces on the bottom of the unbaked pastry shell--homemade or bought.
Bake in a preheated 375 degree F. oven for about 40 to 50 minutes, or until filling is set--no longer runny in center. In order to avoid having a crust that is too brown, cut a piece of foil with a round hole in the center of it, and place on pie while baking.

PECAN TARTS

Pastry:

3 cups all-purpose flour
2 sticks margarine--do not use reduced fat
1 & 1/4 cups powdered sugar
1 egg

Mix together with hands until thoroughly blended. Put in refrigerator and allow to chill until dough is easy to handle--no longer sticky. Pinch dough and roll into balls about the size of a small walnut. Press each ball into the sections of mini muffin pans--on bottom and up sides. Put about 1/2 teaspoon of medium/fine chopped pecans in bottom of each pastry. Pour about 1 tablespoon of syrup mixture, recipe above, over pecans, or as much as the pastry will hold. Bake in a 375 degree F. oven for 15 to 20 minutes, or until pastry is light brown, and the filling is set. Let cool in pans for about 5 minutes, and then put them on to wire racks to finish cooling. Store in tins or plastic containers with a tight fitting lid. This recipe makes four or five pans, or 48 to 60 tarts.
Enjoy