OK, these mini tarts are a bit of a pain in the patootie to make. But well worth the effort. But, and isn’t there always a “but”, the tarts could be a lot more onerous to prepare if it weren’t for this crust recipe. Allow me to elucidate.

Most mini tart recipes require you to prepare a dough, roll it out, cut out all the crusts with a round cookie cutter, and then gently pat them into the tart pans. Without breaking the crusts! (Good luck with that!) Believe me, I’ve been there and done that, and it ain’t – no – fun!

But with this recipe, you make the dough, portion it out with a small ice cream scoop, plop the balls into the pan, and then shape the crusts with your fingers. Ta da. Applause please!!

Plus, and this is important – YOU CAN MAKE THE CRUSTS AHEAD OF TIME AND FREEZE THEM UNTIL YOU ARE READY TO BAKE THEM OFF. And this easy to make tart crust recipe can be used not only for savory tarts like this one, but also for your favorite sweet tarts as well. So, I deem this a sweetheart sweet tart crust recipe. Clever, right?!

Having now touted the virtues of the crust part of this recipe ad nauseum, let me tell you about the filling. It’s YUM! And easy to prepare.

So, if you are hosting a party, be it an outdoor picnic, a fancy New Year’s Eve cocktail party, or anything in between, these savory tarts are a perfect addition to any appetizer table. And while I’m at it, I strongly believe an appetizer or appetizers, are always a perfect way to start a gathering where food is being served.

People come hungry and thirsty to get-togethers when they know food is involved. And most of us, if we are being honest with ourselves, fervently hope that the food will be more exciting than a simple and healthy dinner at home. Healthy meals at home are a necessity. We all need to look after our own and our family’s health. But meals out should be special.

So, when planning your menu for guests, don’t try to make everything a healthy option. Some healthy options – yes. But I can tell you from years of feeding people, that a bare salad is never going to be as popular as a salad drizzled with a yummy dressing and containing ingredients such as bacon, cheese, or glazed nuts. People going to a friend’s home for a meal, or a restaurant usually give themselves permission to “cheat” a little on what they put in their mouth or imbibe. It may not be the right or healthy thing to do. But I feel, subliminally, we all, especially cooks, want that little bit of pampering that comes from someone else doing the cooking. I know I sure do. I love to eat other people’s food. And I love it when appetizers are provided to go along with my martini or whatever the before meal beverage happens to be.

And since I dismissed healthy eating when dining out in my comments above, I’d like to offer a good reason to always offer your guests an appetizer or two from a health perspective. Especially if an adult beverage is being offered.

It is always a good idea to eat a little something before and while you are drinking alcohol. If your stomach is empty when you start drinking, the alcohol will enter your bloodstream faster. Thus, you may feel the effects of your drinks quickly, making it harder to manage your drinking.

So, there you are. My thoughts on staying reasonably healthy, but still having a life!

And as always, peace and love to all.    

For the Mini Tart Crust:

8 oz. (1 lg. pkg.) low-fat (Neufchatel) cream cheese, room temp.

1½ c. (3 sticks) unsalted butter, room temp. (yes, 3 sticks!)

¼ tsp. kosher salt

3¼ c. unbleached all-purpose flour, fluffed

Blend room temperature cream cheese and room temperature butter together. Add the salt and flour and mix well.

Chill for about 30 minutes.

Using a small (#60) chrome handle ice cream scoop, plop balls of dough into ungreased mini tart pans. Then using your fingers, press the balls evenly onto the bottom and up the sides. (Don’t make the sides higher than the pan.)

Use immediately or freeze until needed. If frozen, bring to room temperature before adding the filling.

For the Tart Filling:  

3 T. extra virgin olive oil

½ c. finely diced white onion

4½ c. finely chopped cremini mushrooms

½ tsp. kosher salt

freshly ground black pepper

2 T. unsalted butter

3 garlic cloves, finely minced

2 tsp. finely chopped fresh thyme

2¼ c. finely grated Gruyere cheese 

Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan. Add the onion and cook over low heat until very soft and beginning to brown. And the mushrooms, salt, and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally until the mushrooms release their liquid and the pan is dry.

Add the butter and garlic to the pan. Cook for about a minute or until the garlic becomes fragrant. Add thyme, cook for a minute, and remove from heat.

Sprinkle the cheese over the crusts and then evenly spread the mushroom mixture overall. Don’t overfill.

Bake the tarts in a pre-heated 325-degree oven for about 25 minutes or until the crusts are a lovely light golden brown.

Remove from the oven and place pans on a rack. Easiest to remove tarts from pans using a small offset spatula when they have been allowed to cool slightly.  

Serve warm or at room temperature.