09/24/19

This was a favorite recipe during my time at UCLA Medical Center, Brentwood Annex. The most amazing thing about my job there was, although professionally we were all scientists and laboratory staffs, everyone was a great cook/baker too!
We made every excuse to have a potluck and everyone from the manager (at that time was Paul Colonna) down, would make something delicious! We share recipes freely and often have copies ready for when anyone asked. We even had recipes compiled into booklets that were handed out for free!

I was lucky to be there when the second edition came out in 2006. Even luckier because my work spouse, Loraine Yokote, lent me the original cookbook from 1993 so I could photocopy it. Yes, our photocopier has seen a lot of recipes go through it! 😊

I might just go through some favorite recipes from these cookbooks for my next few pages! This brings back happy memories and all the yummy food associated with it!

Today though, we will make Pam Wollenberg’s Mini Pecan Nut Cups! Pam and I shared a vanpool to and from work for a few years, so we have stories and memories galore. The vanpool stories alone is already a lifetime of memories, good and bad! She has since retired and moved all over the place (and I had moved to a new job in 2012), but we still keep in touch.

I adapted this recipe for the Thermomix. The original recipe below is how you can make it without. It is a super easy recipe either way!

Ingredients:

Crust:

1 stick butter

4 oz cream cheese

1 cup flour

Filling:

1 egg

1 teaspoon vanilla

3/4 cup pecans, whole pieces

1 tablespoon butter, softened

3/4 cup brown sugar, packed

1. Crust: Add all ingredients in the Thermomix bowl and set to 6 seconds speed 5. Transfer to a bowl, cover, and refrigerate the crust while preparing the filling.

2. Filling: clean out the bowl, then add all the ingredients, except the nuts, to the bowl and set to 10 seconds speed 5.

3. Add the nuts and set to 3 seconds speed 5, if using big pieces of nuts. If not, start at 1-2 seconds and check the size of the chopped nuts after.

*Filling should look like this, the nuts chopped into small pieces but not ground.*

4. Divide crust into 24 evenly sized balls and place in 24 mini muffin tins.

5. Press onto the bottom and sides of the pan, trying to keep the dough even in thickness.

6. Divide filling equally between the 24 crusts. Bake at 350F for 25-30 minutes.

This recipe is easy to make and tastes very good. I dare you to try and eat just one! 😋

Miniature muffin pans: #ad “As an Amazon Associate, I earn a small commission from qualifying purchases”