Preparation Time: 1 - 2 hours       Cooking Time: 30 minutes or less        Serves: 12

 Ingredients:

I spent the weekend playing Martha Stewart and consequently, I am no longer allowing myself to eat anything but celery and carrots for the next two weeks so that my cholesterol level decreases some, and the tightish feeling around where my waistline should be goes away. It was all worth it though. Butter tarts are delicious.

The history of the butter tart is disputed as are the variations on the recipe. Similar to the American Pecan Pie, as well as Quebec's Tarte au Sucre and the Ecclefechan tart recipe known in Scotland, the butter tart has been claimed as the Canadian Recipe, which dates back to the early 1800s. Purists say no raisins or nuts belong in a true butter tart, but I never follow instructions, so mine contain pecans and bourbon.

Yields 24 little tarts or 12 big ones.

Pate Brisee (Short crust pastry)

2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp salt
2 tbsp white sugar
1 cup unsalted butter, chilled and cut into slices or cubes
1/4 to 1/2 cup ice water

Begin your pastry by combining the flour, salt and sugar. Then add butter and mix (either with a processor or by hand) until its coarse and crumbly.

It should look a little finer than this.