Holiday Nut Tart

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. In medium bowl, with fork, stir flour, sugar, and salt. With pastry blender or two knives used scissor-fashion, cut in shortening until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add 3 to 4 tablespoons cold water, 1 tablespoon at a time, mixing lightly with fork after each addition, until dough is just moist enough to hold together.

On lightly floured surface, with floured rolling pin, roll dough to a 14-inch round. Press dough onto bottom and up side of 11" by 1" round tart pan with removable bottom. Fold overhang in and press against side of tart pan to form a rim 1/8 inch above edge of pan.

Line tart shell with foil and fill with pie weights, dried beans, or uncooked rice. Bake tart shell 15 minutes; remove foil with weights and bake 8 to 10 minutes longer until golden. (If crust puffs up during baking, gently press it to tart pan with back of spoon.)

Meanwhile, in medium bowl, with wire whisk, mix brown sugar, corn syrup, margarine or butter, vanilla extract, and eggs until smooth. Stir in nuts.

Pour mixture into tart shell. Bake tart 25 to 30 minutes until set and tart is a deep golden brown. Cool tart in pan on wire rack. When cool, carefully remove side from pan. Serve with whipped cream if you like.