Tiny Tim Pecan Tarts

For the crust...
4 cups flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups shortening
ice water

For the filling...
3 eggs
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup dark corn syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla
3 Tablespoons flour
1/2 cup chopped pecans

For the finish...
whipped cream

1. Prepare the crust. 
   1. In a large bowl, mix flour and salt.  
   2. Use pastry blender to cut in 1 cup shortening until mix resembles Bisquick...in other words until it seems as if the shortening has just about disappeard.  Now mix in the 1/2 cup shortening until it makes very, very small lumps...now as fine as before but definitely not any big lumps.  
   3. Use a fork to push all this mix to the side of the bowl.  Pour in a little ice water. Use the fork to pull the flour into the water and toss it, adding a little more at a time, until the water is all used up and that bit of dough clumps together.  Set that clump aside and keep repeating until all the flour is mixed into dough.  
   4. Roll out half at a time to a rectangle, 14x10, on a lightly floured surface. Cut out 12 rounds with a 3" cutter.  Fit each round into a tiny muffin cup, pressing firmly against bottom and side.  Re-roll trimmings and cut out to make 36 shells in all.
2. Beat eggs slightly in a medium size bowl.  Stir in sugar, salt, corn syrup, and vanilla, then flour and pecans.  Spoon or pour about 1 tablespoonful into each shell.
3. Bake at 375 degrees for 20 minutes, or until pastry is golden and filling is set.  Cool in pans on wire racks 10 minutes, then remove carefully. Cool completely.

Serve topped with whipped cream.
Store in a cool, dry place.

Notes from a baker's daughter: My pie crust never comes out as good as Mom's, so I phone it in and use the store-bought stuff.

Russian Teacakes

These light and sweet mouthfuls have always been a staple of the Pineo holiday cookie collection.

1 cup butter
1/2 cup powdered sugar
2 1/4 cup flour
1/4 tsp salt
3/4 cup chopped walnuts
1 tsp vanilla
powdered sugar for finishing

1. Mix butter, vanilla, and half cup sugar.
2. Work in flour, salt, and nuts until dough holds together. 
3. Shape into 1" balls. Place 1" apart on uncreased sheet. (Balls will stay the same size.)
4. Bake 10-12 minutes or until set but not brown.
5. While warm, roll in powdered sugar. Cool, and then roll in powdered sugar again.

Christmas Beef Wellington

This is a favorite for the Pineo family, served every Christmas, and select Thanksgivings, when we discovered that we preferred it to turkey.  I guess that's because we are turkeys ourselves. 

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• General
  • 4 pounds beef fillet steak, trimmed
  • salt, to taste
  • pepper, to taste
  • 1 egg
• Butter Pastry
  • 3 3/4 cups sifted flour
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup butter, cold
  • 2 tablespoons shortening
  • 3/4 cup water

• Duxelles
  • 1 pound mushroom, finely chopped
  • 1/4 cup green onion, chopped
  • 1/2 cup butter
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon marjoram
  • 2 teaspoons flour
  • dash pepper
  • 1/4 cup beef broth
  • 2 tablespoons parsley, chopped
  • 1/2 cup ham, finely chopped

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Duxelles: Sauté the mushrooms and onion in butter in a frying pan until liquid evaporates.  Stir in salt, marjoram, flour, pepper, and broth. Cook, stirring constantly, until mixture comes to a boil and thickens.  Remove from heat and stir in parsley and ham. Cool.

Butter Pastry: Combine the flour and salt in a bowl and cut in the butter and the shortening until particles are fine.  Add water, 1 Tbs. at a time, to make a stiff dough.  Cover and chill. 
Beef: Place beef on rack in a shallow baking pan and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast at 425 degrees for 30 minutes. Let stand until cool. 

Roll butter pastry on a floured surface to rectangle about 3" longer than roast and 12 to 13 inches wide. Press Duxelles into pastry, leaving an inch uncovered on all edges. Place beef on pastry.  Moisten pastry edges and enclose beef, pressing edges together firmly. Trim off excess pastry from ends so single layer covers ends of roast. Place roll, seam side down, in a shallow baking pan.  Cut decorations from pastry trimmings and place on top. Brush pastry with egg beaten with 1 Tbs. water. 

Bake at 400 degrees for 30-35 minutes or until browned. Let stand for 15-20 minutes before slicing.

Notes: The crust and duxelles may be prepared the day before.  May use a food processor for both the crust and duxelles.  When searing the beef initially, bake it on a wire rack that can fit into a pan to allow any juices to drain off.  The second time it goes into the oven, bake it on a cookie sheet or a shallow pan.  Use a wide sturdy spatula to lift it onto the serving tray.