Nada's Nut Cups

Pastry

8 tablespoons (1 stick) butter, softened

8 tablespoons (1 stick) margarine, softened

8 ounces cream cheese, softened

2 cups flour

Filling

2 whole eggs

2 tablespoons vanilla extract

1½

cups dark brown sugar, firmly packed

4 tablespoons melted butter or margarine

1¼

cups walnuts or pecans, chopped

Confectioner's sugar for garnish

For the pastry: With a pastry blender or large fork, blend together butter, margarine and cream cheese. Add flour and blend until dough starts to hold together. Form into a ball, wrap and refrigerate at least 30 minutes or overnight.

When ready to bake, heat oven to 350 degrees.

For the filling: Beat eggs slightly; add brown sugar, vanilla and butter. Stir in nuts.

To assemble: Divide dough into about 30 balls. In a tartlet or mini muffin pan, press a ball of dough evenly into bottom and sides of each cup. Add nut filling to just below top edge. Bake 20 minutes or until pastry is golden brown.

After cooled, set nut cups on paper towels to absorb some of the butter. Place each one in small cupcake paper on serving plate; sift confectioner's sugar over the top.

Makes 30 to 36.