| 1 | Preparation time: 30 minutes cooking time: 25 minutes Heat oven to 350 degrees. |
| 2 | Have ready 2 miniature muffin tins with cups that measure about 2 inches across and 7/8 inch deep. |
| 3 | For crust, beat butter with cream cheese until smooth. |
| 4 | Add flour and mix until a dough forms. |
| 5 | Divide into 24 balls. |
| 6 | 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. |
| 7 | For filling, whisk egg in a medium bowl. |
| 8 | Add sugar, butter and salt and mix well. |
| 9 | Spoon about ?teaspoon chopped pecans into each crust. |
| 10 | Add filling so it comes almost to the top of the cups, making sure it doesn"t spill over. |
| 11 | Sprinkle remaining pecans over the top. |
| 12 | Bake 15 minutes. |
| 13 | Reduce oven to 250 degrees and continue to bake until crust is light brown at the edges, 10 minutes. |
| 14 | Cool. |
| 15 | When muffin tin is cool enough to handle, loosen cups from the sides of the tin and carefully transfer to a wire rack. |
| 16 | Cool to room temperature. |
| 17 | This second place winner is by frances marcinkiewicz of countryside, illinois |
