Pull Apart Deviled Egg Wreath Recipes

CRUDITES WREATH

Steps:

• Make the dip: Heat the olive oil in a small saute pan over medium-high heat. Add the shallots and 1/2 teaspoon of salt and cook, stirring frequently, until translucent and soft, about 5 minutes. Add 1/4 cup of water and the balsamic vinegar, reduce the heat to medium and cook, stirring occasionally, until the shallots are soft and caramelized, 12 to 15 minutes; let cool slightly.
• Combine the shallots, yogurt, milk, chives, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper in a medium bowl and stir until well blended. Cover and chill for 30 minutes before serving. The dip will keep, refrigerated, overnight if you want to make ahead of time.
• While the dip chills, bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat and season generously with salt. Fill a large bowl with ice and cold water. Set aside.
• Carefully place the broccoli or broccolini into the boiling water, and cook just until the florets turn bright green and are crisp-tender, about 1 minute. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the broccoli to the ice-water bath to stop the cooking and to preserve the bright green color. Once cool, transfer the broccoli to a paper towel-lined plate to dry.
• Place the green beans in the boiling water and cook just until the beans turn bright green, about 1 minute. Use a slotted spoon or tongs to transfer the green beans to the ice-water bath to stop the cooking and to preserve the bright green color. Once cool, transfer the green beans to a paper towel-lined plate to dry.
• Add the Romanesco cauliflower to the boiling water and cook just until the cauliflower turns bright green and is crisp-tender, about 3 minutes. Transfer the cauliflower to the ice-water bath to cool, then to a paper towel-lined plate to dry.
• Heat a medium saute pan over medium-high heat. When the pan is hot, add the olive oil, shishito peppers and 1/4 teaspoon salt and cook, tossing, until they begin to blister in spots, about 2 minutes. (Do not overcook the peppers or they will lose their color and become too soft.) Remove the peppers from the pan and set aside to cool.
• On a round platter 18 inches in diameter, arrange the broccoli, green beans, cauliflower and shishito peppers into a large ring with a hole in the center to create a ¿wreath¿ shape, making sure to alternate the vegetables throughout. Add three clusters of cherry tomatoes (three tomatoes per cluster) to create accent "ornaments." Serve with the onion dip.

CHILORIO

Steps:

• Put the pork, onion and 1 tablespoon salt in a large Dutch oven or stockpot and add enough water to cover by 2 inches. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat to a simmer. Cover and cook until the meat is tender and falling apart when pierced with a fork, 1 to 1 1/2 hours depending on your cut of meat. Transfer the meat to a bowl and reserve 2 cups of the cooking broth. Discard the remaining broth and onions, rinse the pot and return it to the stove.
• Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, combine the chiles and enough water to cover by about 1 inch. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, pressing on the chiles to submerge them. Remove from the heat, cover and let stand until the chiles are fully softened and pulpy, 15 to 20 minutes.
• Using a slotted spoon, transfer the chiles to a blender; discard the soaking water. Add the tomato, vinegar, oregano, cumin, garlic and 2 cups reserved broth. Puree until completely smooth.
• Return the cooked pork to the reserved pot and pour the salsa over the meat. Mix until the meat is completely covered. Bring to a simmer over medium heat. Season with 1 teaspoon salt and cook, stirring often to encourage the meat to fall apart into shreds, until the sauce thickens and the meat absorbs most of the sauce, about 20 minutes. Adjust the seasoning to taste.
• Serve the chilorio with flour tortillas or breakfast potatoes for a hearty brunch.

PULL-APART DEVILED EGGS

Steps:

• Bring a large stockpot of water to a boil over high heat and prepare a large bowl of ice water. Gently lower the eggs into the boiling water with a slotted spoon and cook for 12 minutes. Drain the eggs with the slotted spoon and transfer to the ice water to cool completely, about 5 minutes.
• Peel the eggs and halve each lengthwise. Remove the yolks from 36 of the egg white halves and transfer the yolks to a food processor. Add the pimentos, Cheddar, half of the cream cheese, 1/2 cup of the mayonnaise, a pinch of salt and a couple dashes of hot sauce. Process until the mixture is smooth and light. Season to taste with additional salt and hot sauce if desired. Transfer the pimento cheese filling to a large resealable plastic bag and refrigerate while you make the second filling.
• Remove the yolks from the remaining 12 egg white halves and transfer to the cleaned food processor. Add the parsley, lemon zest, scallions, a pinch of salt, the remaining cream cheese and remaining 1/4 cup mayonnaise. Process until the mixture is smooth and light. Season with additional salt if desired. Transfer the herb filling to a second large resealable plastic bag and refrigerate while you arrange the egg whites.
• Lay a large wooden cutting board (at least 22 inches by 16 inches) in front of you with one of the shorter sides facing toward you. Place 1 egg white (pointed-side up) on the bottom of the board. Arrange 2 egg whites (pointed-side down) directly above the first with the points nestling the point of the first egg, so that there is very little space between the eggs. Continue arranging the eggs in this manner to form 8 rows, working upward and alternating eggs pointed up and pointed down to form the carrot, adding 1 egg to each row (36 egg white halves total).
• Arrange the remaining 12 egg white halves in 3 separate lines at the top of the carrot (4 egg white halves per line). The lines should be slightly angled, so they resemble carrot tops.
• Cut a 1/2-inch-wide opening in one corner of the bag with the pimento cheese filling. Fill the 36 egg white halves that make up the carrot with a dollop of the filling, then squeeze any remaining filling on top of the egg whites. Use a small offset spatula to gently spread the filling so that the eggs are mostly covered.
• Cut a 1/2-inch-wide opening in one corner of the bag with the herb filling. Fill the 12 egg white halves that make up the carrot tops with a dollop of the filling, then squeeze any remaining filling on top of the egg whites. Use a small offset spatula to gently spread the filling so that the eggs are mostly covered.
• Use the tip of the offset spatula to make 4 curved lines in the pimento cheese filling (to mimic the creases found on real carrots). Sprinkle the inside of the lines with paprika. Serve immediately.

PULL-APART CUPCAKE WREATH

Steps:

• For the marble cupcakes: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line 2 cupcake pans with white liners.
• Evenly separate the vanilla cake batter into 3 bowls. Dye one bowl Christmas red, one bowl green and one bowl white. Using a 1-ounce ice cream scoop or tablespoon, put one scoop of each color into the lined cupcake pans, filling two-thirds of the way. Swirl the colors together with a wooden skewer or the back of a spoon. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 18 to 20 minutes. Allow to cool completely before assembling the wreath.
• For the decorations: While the cupcakes are baking and cooling, dye your buttercream frosting a Christmas green and put it into a pastry bag with a large star tip at the end.
• For the snowflakes: Dust a clean surface with cornstarch. Roll the white fondant out so it is 1/8-to-1/4-inch thick. Use your snowflake cookie cutter to cut out snowflake shapes.
• For the fondant bow and streamers: Dust a clean surface with cornstarch. Roll the red fondant out so it is 1/4-inch thick. Cut one strip that is approximately 2 inches wide and 10 inches long and one that is 1-inch wide and 5 inches long. Fold the 10-inch-long strip in half to find the center. Add a little bit of water as glue to the center of the strip and fold each end into the middle. Pinch the center together. Take the shorter strip and wrap it over the center (securing with a little bit of water) and close on the backside of the bow.
• Roll the leftover red fondant out so it is 1/4-inch thick and cut 2 strips - each should be 2-by-5 inches. Cut the top of each strip into a triangle and cut the bottom of each strip so that it resembles ribbon tails.
• To assemble: Once the cupcakes have cooled completely, assemble them into a wreath shape on whatever board or platter you plan to use for service. Make sure to leave a blank circle in the center. Once you like the placement, attach each cupcake to the board with a dot of buttercream.
• Pipe a large buttercream rosette on top of each cupcake with the green buttercream, making sure to fill in all the gaps. Add your fondant bow, snowflakes and assorted holiday sprinkles to complete your wreath.