Layered Sun Dried Tomato And Basil Pesto Dip Food

SUN-DRIED TOMATO PESTO DIP

Steps:

• Chop garlic in processor. Add basil, ¼ cup pine nuts, oil, and lemon juice. Process until well blended. Add 1/3 cup cream cheese and ¼ cup Parmesan cheese. Pulse until blended. Transfer to medium bowl.
• Coarsely chop tomatoes in processor. Add tomato paste and process until mixture is almost smooth. Add 1/3 cup cream cheese and blend well.
• Beat 2 cups cream cheese and butter in large bowl until fluffy. Season with salt and pepper.
• Spray 6-cup soufflé dish with nonstick spray. Line with plastic wrap, extending plastic wrap over sides.
• Spread ¾ cup cream cheese-butter mixture evenly over bottom of prepared dish. Top with ½ of tomato mixture, then 1/2 cup cream cheese-butter mixture, then ½ of pesto mixture.
• Repeat layering with ½ cup cream cheese-butter mixture, remaining tomato mixture, ½ cup cream cheese-butter mixture, remaining pesto. Top with remaining cream cheese-butter mixture.
• Cover and Chill overnight.
• (Can be made 3 days ahead. Keep refrigerated).
• Invert on to platter. Peel off plastic. Garnish with basil and pine nuts. Serve with baguette slices or crackers.

SUN-DRIED TOMATO DIP

Steps:

• Puree the tomatoes, cream cheese, sour cream, mayonnaise, red pepper sauce, salt and pepper in a food processor fitted with a metal blade. Add the scallions and pulse twice. Serve at room temperature.

SUN-DRIED TOMATO BASIL PESTO

Steps:

• Combine basil, sun-dried tomatoes, Parmesan cheese, lemon juice, garlic, and salt in the bowl of a food processor; pulse until blended. Pour olive oil in slowly, with the processor running, until a paste forms. Blend to desired texture.

LAYERED SUN-DRIED TOMATO AND ARTICHOKE SPREAD

Steps:

• Cut cream cheese horizontally into 3 slices. (See Tip.) Place 1 slice on large sheet of plastic wrap; top with tomatoes and second cream cheese slice.
• Combine artichokes and pesto; spoon over second cream cheese layer.
• Top with remaining cream cheese slice, nuts and parsley; press nuts and parsley lightly into cream cheese to secure. Wrap with plastic wrap. Refrigerate 1 hour.

DIP FOR THE STARS

Steps:

• In a food processor, combine the butter, feta cheese, cream cheese, garlic, shallot, vermouth, and white pepper. Process until smooth.
• Oil a medium bowl, or gelatin mold, and line with plastic wrap for easy removal. Layer the dip into the mold as follows: Sun-dried tomatoes, pine nuts, pesto, cheese mixture. Repeat. Pat down into the mold, and refrigerate for at least one hour.
• Turn the dip out onto a serving plate, and remove plastic wrap. Serve with crackers.

LAYERED PESTO CHEESE SPREAD

Steps:

• Line a 3-cup bowl with plastic wrap; set aside. , In a small bowl, beat cream cheese and butter until smooth. In another bowl, combine pesto and Parmesan cheese. Layer half of the cream cheese mixture, pesto mixture and sun-dried tomatoes in prepared bowl. Repeat layers. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour., Unmold onto a serving plate. Serve with crackers.

SUN-DRIED TOMATO AND PESTO TORTA

Steps:

• Finely chop garlic in processor. Add basil, 1/4 cup pine nuts, oil and lemon juice. Process until well blended. Add 1/3 cup cream cheese and 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese. Using on/off turns, process just until blended. Transfer pesto to medium bowl.
• Coarsely chop tomatoes in processor. Add tomato paste and process until mixture is almost smooth. Add 1/3 cup cream cheese and blend well.
• Using electric mixer, beat 2 cups cream cheese and butter in large bowl until fluffy. Season with salt and pepper.
• Spray 6-cup soufflé dish with nonstick spray. Line with plastic wrap, extending plastic over sides. Spread 3/4 cup cream cheese-butter mixture evenly over bottom of prepared dish. Top with half of tomato mixture, then 1/2 cup cream cheese-butter mixture, then half of pesto mixture. Repeat layering with 1/2 cup cream cheese-butter mixture, remaining tomato mixture, 1/2 cup cream cheese-butter mixture and remaining pesto. Top with remaining cream cheese-butter mixture. Cover and chill overnight. (Can be made 3 days ahead. Keep refrigerated.)
• Invert torta onto platter. Peel off plastic. Garnish with basil sprigs and toasted pine nuts. Serve with baguette slices.