Most Requested Holiday Treats!

I wanted to share with you today my family’s favorite holiday treats!

The treat that I make, that gets the most requests, would have to be the Pecan & Pumpkin Tassies.

These small bite sized treats were RAVED over the first time I made them for a family gathering… and they have been asked for ever since. They come together rather quickly, and disappear even faster. Whenever I create these for a get-together, I always have to be sure to make at least one extra batch to make up for the dozen or so my husband and children will sneak before we head out the door!

Yummy Yummy…. I don’t even like pumpkin… but these are wonderful!

Ingredients

CRUST:

·         1/2 cup butter, softened

·         1 package (3 ounces) cream cheese, softened

·         1 cup all-purpose flour

FILLING:

·         3/4 cup packed brown sugar, divided

·         1/4 cup canned pumpkin

·         4 teaspoons plus 1 tablespoon butter, melted, divided

·         1 egg yolk

·         1 tablespoon half-and-half cream

·         1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

·         1/4 teaspoon rum extract

·         1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon

·         1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg

·         1/2 cup chopped pecans

Directions

•       In a small bowl, cream butter and cream cheese. Beat in flour. Shape into 24 balls. With floured fingers, press onto the bottom and up the sides of greased miniature muffin cups.
•       Bake at 325° for 8-10 minutes or until edges are lightly browned.
•       Meanwhile, in a bowl, combine 1/2 cup brown sugar, pumpkin, 4 teaspoons butter, egg yolk, cream, extracts, cinnamon and nutmeg. Spoon into warm cups. Combine the pecans and remaining brown sugar and butter; sprinkle over filling.
•       Bake 23-27 minutes longer or until set and edges are golden brown. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks. Yield: 2 dozen. 

Also, my grandmothers Sweet Potato Casserole!  This would have to be her most requested dish (second would be her peach cobbler!)

(See above) 

Before I could take a picture of the casserole, this is all that was left!

POTATO FILLING

2  Large cans of Yams (strain and mash real good)

2 Eggs

1/3 Cup Milk

½ Cup Sugar

½ Cup Melted Butter

1 tsp vanilla

• Mix it all together well and place in your baking pan.

 TOPPING

2/3 Cup Melted Butter

½ Cup Brown Sugar

1 Cup Flour

1 Cup Pecans

• Mix the butter and brown sugar together first. 
• Add in the flour, you add more flour as needed until it is no longer tacky, but crumbly in consistency.
• Mix in the pecans.
• Sprinkle the topping onto the yam mixture.
• Bake at 350 for 25 minutes

So…. My question for todays rambling… what is your favorite holiday treat!?