Bunny Pesto Cristos Recipes

MINI STRAWBERRY PRINCESS CAKES

Steps:

• For the princess cakes: Place an oven rack in the middle position. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a quarter-sheet pan and line with parchment paper. Set aside.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together the flours, salt, baking powder and baking soda.
• In a separate large bowl, use an electric or stand mixer to beat the butter with the granulated sugar until light and fluffy, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the egg, vanilla and almond extract and beat well. Add a third of the dry ingredients to the butter mixture and mix until just combined. Add a third of the buttermilk. Repeat with another third of each, and then the final third, mixing until just combined.
• Spread the batter out evenly in the quarter-sheet pan and bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Begin checking for doneness at 18 minutes.
• Let the cake cool fully in the pan (the cake can be made in advance and frozen).
• For the whipped cream: In a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the heavy cream, powdered sugar and salt. Beat to stiff peaks. Spoon the whipped cream into a large pastry bag fitted with a large round tip. Refrigerate until ready to use.
• Use a 2-inch biscuit cutter to cut the cake into 15 circles. Spread the top of each cake circle with a thin layer of jam. Top each with a small mound of whipped cream.
• Freeze the cakes for 1 hour while you prepare the marzipan.
• For the marzipan: Separate the marzipan into a 12-ounce ball and two 3-ounce balls.
• Knead purple food coloring into the 12-ounce ball until the desired color is reached. Wrap in plastic to keep from drying out.
• Knead dusty rose food coloring into a 3-ounce ball until the desired color is reached. Wrap in plastic. Knead the cypress or moss food coloring into the final 3-ounce ball until the desired color is reached. Again, wrap in plastic until ready to use.
• In a small mixing bowl, mix together the strawberry jam and 1 tablespoon
• water until thoroughly combined. Set aside.
• Roll the purple marzipan out to 1/8-inch thick, dusting with powdered sugar as necessary to prevent sticking. Cut out fifteen 4-inch circles, stacking them with a piece of parchment paper between each one to keep from sticking. Wrap in plastic while you make the roses and leaves.
• To make the pink roses: Pinch off a small piece of dusty rose marzipan and make little flat snakes. Then coil them to form a rose. Repeat to make 15 roses.
• To make the leaves: Pinch off a small piece of green marzipan and form into an oval leaf. Repeat to make 30 leaves. Adhere two leaves to each rose using the thinned jam as glue.
• To assemble the cakes: Remove the cakes from the freezer. Using a pastry brush, lightly brush each purple circle with the thinned jam. Place the circle, jam-side-down, over a cake to cover and gently press all around until the cake is completely covered. Set aside and repeat with the remaining circles until all the cakes are covered. Top each cake with a rose.
• Serve immediately or refrigerate for up to a day or two until serving. Enjoy!

SPICY RED PESTO PASTA

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Prepare the pesto: In a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of the oil over medium-high. Add the sun-dried tomatoes, walnuts, tomato paste, garlic and red-pepper flakes. Season with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper and cook, stirring, until mixture is toasted and fragrant, about 5 minutes. Transfer the mixture to a bowl to let cool for a few minutes.
• Add the roasted red peppers and Parmesan to a food processor. Top with the cooled tomato mixture and the remaining 2/3 cup olive oil, and pulse the mixture until you form a paste. (It makes 2 cups.)
• Season the boiling water generously with salt, then add the pasta and cook until al dente. Reserve 1 1/2 cups pasta water, then drain the pasta.
• Return the pasta to the pot, along with about 1 1/2 cups of the red pesto and 1 cup of the pasta water, and stir vigorously until the sauce is glossy and the pasta is evenly coated. Stir in additional pesto or pasta water to taste. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
• Divide among bowls, sprinkle with Parmesan and top with torn basil. Shave some fresh lemon zest on top, if using. Serve immediately.

PESTO SAUSAGE BISCUIT BITES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
• Press each biscuit into a 4-inch circle on a lightly floured surface. Spread 1/2 teaspoon pesto over top of each biscuit. Place 1 sausage link on the edge of each biscuit and roll dough around sausage. Cut each roll into 4 pieces and place on a baking sheet; sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.
• Bake in the preheated oven until biscuits are golden brown and sausage is cooked, 8 to 10 minutes.