This has Better Homes and Gardens (BHG) written all over it. I went to see their kitchens in Iowa---I kid you not. On my late-summer visit to Iowa corn country, we tucked in a visit to the BHG test kitchens. It was a bit surreal, especially considering BHG has been part of my reality since I was 6 years old... when I frequently clipped out pictures, words and recipes to paste into homemade [3 ring binder] cookbooks.

A fun tribute to this iconic brand, their very own pecan tassies. I like to think of them as 'pecan pie bites.'

I have a renewed interest in Christmas Cookies this year (trust me: teenage sons don't mind). Some years I am rather ambitious about making Christmas cookies, pulling out all the stops, and piling trays high with colorful and varied cookies. I attend cookies swaps and drink eggnog, flash my coveted frosted cookies and make friends, neighbors and colleagues a bit happier.

Instead of making all my same old cookies, this year I have been on a hunt to find new Christmas cookie inspiration. I even started a Christmas Cookie Pinterest Board. I still have to make my faves: peppermint bark, snowball and frosted cookies. But I will be adding candy cane cookies (recipe coming) and these [insanely easy to make] pecan tassies---compliments of Better Homes and Gardens.

Pecan Tassies

1/2 cup butter, softened 3 oz. cream cheese, softened 1 cup flour 1 egg 3/4 cup brown sugar 1 T butter, melted 2/3 cup chopped pecans

Preheat oven to 325. Grab bowl and mash together with a fork: butter, cream cheese, then flour. Grab mini muffin pan and drop a small spoon (approx. Tablespoon) into each, then press lightly with thumb to fill bottom (I dusted my thumb with flour---it went quick). In another bowl quickly stir with a fork: egg, sugar, butter, pecans. Dump spoonful on each and bake until browned, about 25 minutes. (No need to grease muffin tin).