1992 2nd Place: Pecan Tassies Recipe

  
      Yield: 24 Servings
 
 CRUST ============================
    1/2 c  Butter,softened
      3 oz Cream cheese,softened
      1 c  Unsifted all-purpose flour
 FILLING ==========================
      1    Egg
    3/4 c  light brown sugar,Packed
      1 T  Butter,melted
      1 pn salt
    3/4 c  pecans,Chopped

Preparation time: 30 minutes Cooking time: 25 minutes

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Have ready 2 miniature muffin tins with
cups that measure about 2 inches across and 7/8 inch deep.

2. For crust, beat butter with cream cheese until smooth. Add flour and
mix until a dough forms. Divide into 24 balls. With your fingers, press
each ball into an ungreased muffin cup, taking care to make a smooth,
even layer over the bottom and up the sides.

3. For filling, whisk egg in a medium bowl. Add sugar, butter and salt
and mix well.

4. Spoon about 1/2 teaspoon chopped pecans into each crust. Add filling
so it comes almost to the top of the cups, making sure it doesn't spill
over. Sprinkle remaining pecans over the top.

5. Bake 15 minutes. Reduce oven to 250 degrees and continue to bake
until crust is light brown at the edges, 10 minutes. Cool. When muffin
tin is cool enough to handle, loosen cups from the sides of the tin and
carefully transfer to a wire rack. Cool to room temperature.

1992 3rd Place: Chocolate Mint Sticks
 
      Yield: 36 Servings
 
 BROWNIE ==========================
      1 c  Butter,softened
      2 c  Granulated sugar
      4    Eggs
      2 t  Vanilla
      4 oz Unsweetened chocolate
           Melted
      1 c  Unsifted all-purpose flour
    3/4 c  pecans (or walnuts),Chopped
 FILLING ==========================
      2 c  Confectioners' sugar
      4 T  Butter (or margarine)
           Softened
      2 T  Milk
    1/2 t  Peppermint extract
      1 dr green food,up to 2
           Coloring,if desired
 GLAZE ============================
      2 oz Sweetened chocolate
      2 T  Butter (or margarine)

Preparation time: 25 minutes Cooking time: 30 minutes

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 13-by-9-inch baking pan.

2. With an electric mixer, cream the butter, granulated sugar, eggs and
vanilla until light, 2 minutes. Add the chocolate and mix well. Stop
the mixer and fold in the flour then the nuts.

3. Transfer batter to prepared pan. Bake just until a toothpick
inserted in the center comes out clean, 30 minutes. Cool completely.

4. For the filling, mix all ingredients until smooth. Spread in an even
layer over the cooled brownies.

5. For the glaze, melt chocolate with butter; mix well. Pour over
filling and gently tilt pan so glaze covers the entire surface.
Refrigerate until glaze is set; cut into squares or sticks.