Happy New Year! Tuesday Cuppa Tea, Pecan Tarts

And the best of New Years to you all! May 2013 be a year of peace, joy, beauty, health, prosperity and contentment for you.

I was out of town for Christmas, and deplugged for the time away. We were on a last minute killer deal Mexican Riviera cruise. I am always healthiest at sea, so... I did miss the blogs, but as I was recovering, it was nice to be quiet. So...our first Tuesday Cuppa Tea, although a bit late. We just returned yesterday afternoon, and I haven't even unpacked!

My teacup choice today was a Rosina, England cup and saucer with a pink to burgundy crocus pattern. They will soon be popping up here...the first flowers of the year in our gardens. The bone china cup has a different shape and fun loop handle. Quite fun! The teacup was made in the 1960s. So pretty! Will that be Earl Grey with one lump or two??? For more info at Antiques And Teacups, click on the photos.

We are having ham and roasted vegetables for New Year's dinner later today, and these yummy little pecan tarts. I didn't have pecan pie until I was 20, doing gradutae work and living in a dorm for the first year. The dorms had a cafeteria, and one day I decided to try a strange looking dessert I had never seen or had before...pecan pie. I was hooked!!! It has remained a favorite of mine. This is a great recipe I found years ago, and recently found again by accident on Myrecipes.com...identical to the one I've used for years.

Pecan Tarts

Ingredients

• 2 (3-ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
• 2/3 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• Pinch salt
• 1 cup chopped pecans
• 3 large eggs, beaten

• 1 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
• 3/4 cup light corn syrup
• 2 tablespoons butter, melted
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

Preparation

Beat cream cheese and 2/3 cup butter at medium speed with an electric mixer until blended. Add flour and salt; beat until combined. Divide dough in half. Flatten each half into a round disk about 1 inch thick. Wrap in heavy-duty plastic wrap; chill 1 hour.
Shape dough into 2-inch balls. Flatten balls, and place in 3-inch muffin cups, forming each into a shell. (Dough should form a lip above muffin cups.) Sprinkle pecans evenly in pastry cups.
Whisk together eggs and next 5 ingredients until blended. Carefully pour egg mixture evenly over pecans. (Pastries will be full.) Bake at 350° for 30 to 35 minutes or until set.

Enjoy!!!  Below is the list of some of the blogs I am joining, as well as the linky to link your tea related post. Have a wonderful day! Off to watch the Rose Parade!

Terri~  http://artfulaffirmations.blogspot.com/ 
Teacup Tuesday

Trisha~  http://sweetology101.blogspot.com/ 
Tea Party Tuesday

Sandi  ~  http://sandimyyellowdoor.blogspot.com

Teatime Tuesday

Kathy~  http://blissfulrhythm.blogspot.com/
Victoria - A Return to Loveliness

Martha~  http://www.marthasfavorites.com/ 

Tea On Tuesday
Miss Kathy ~http://thewritersreverie.blogspot.com/

Tuesday Tea       

Michelle ~ http://www.finchrest.com/

Tea On Tuesday

Betty ~ http://teacoziecottage.blogspot.ca/

Tea Tuesday

Phyllis ~ http://www.relevanttealeaf.blogspot.com/

Tea On Tuesday

Shawn ~ http://poetryinapotoftea.blogspot.com/

Poetry In A Pot Of Tea

Bernideen’s ~ http://bernideensteatimeblog.blogspot.com/

Friends Sharing Tea Wednesday

 Ivy And Elephants ~http://ivyandelephants.blogspot.com/

What’s It Wednesday                                           

Sandi  ~  http://sandimyyellowdoor.blogspot.com

Home On Wednesday

 A Tea Lover     ~http://the-teaist.blogspot.com/

Tea Talk Wednesday