Pastry:

1 c. plain flour
3 oz. cream cheese (at room temperature)
1 stick butter (at room temperature)

Mix together cream cheese and butter, then add flour. Chill at least 1 hour. Pinch off 1-inch balls (about the size of a quarter) and place in tiny ungreased 1 3/4-inch muffin cups. Press dough onto bottom and sides of cups.

Makes about 3 dozen miniature shells.

Filling:

3/4 c. light brown sugar
1 tbsp. soft butter
1 egg
dash of salt
1/8 tsp. vanilla
2/3 c. coarsely broken pecans

Beat together egg, sugar, butter, vanilla and salt just until smooth (do not use electric mixer). Divide half the pecans among pastry lined cups. Add mixture and top with remaining pecans.

Bake in slow oven (325°F) for 25 minutes or until filling is set. Remove from pans.

Variation:

Bake shells without filling and fill cooled shells with chicken salad, strawberry passion salad, blueberry delight filling, etc. (This is a good idea if you want to prepare shells a day or 2 in advance and store in a Tupperware container, then fill with desired filling the day you need them.)