Sunflower Pie Food

PEEPS® FLOWER CAKE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F (325°F for dark or nonstick pan). Grease bottom only of 13 x 9-inch pan with shortening or cooking spray. Make and bake cake mix as directed on box for 13 x 9-inch pan. Cool 10 minutes. Run knife around side of pan to loosen cake; remove from pan to cooling rack. Cool completely, about 1 hour. For easier handling, refrigerate or freeze 30 minutes to 1 hour or until firm.
• Use serrated knife to cut 8-inch circle from cake; cut 2 leaves and stem from remaining cake.
• On large foil-covered cookie sheet or wax paper-lined tray (21 x 14 inches), assemble cake parts into a flower, placing stem and leaves near bottom of circle.
• In small bowl, mix 1 container frosting and yellow food color. In another small bowl, mix 1 cup frosting from second container and green food color. Spread thin layer of yellow frosting on circle to seal in crumbs. Spread thin layer of green frosting on leaves and stem. Refrigerate or freeze 30 minutes to 1 hour.
• Spread remaining yellow frosting on circle. Spread remaining green frosting to cover leaves and stem.
• Using photo as a guide, leave 4 strips of PEEPS® chicks intact, and wrap around base of circle, with heads faced outward and bottoms pointed up. Continue around base of circle, except for area where leaves and stem attach. If necessary, place additional chicks to fill any gaps.
• Separate remaining PEEPS® chicks, and place them individually around top outer edge of circle, leaving 5-inch diameter open, with chicks facing center of circle.
• Sprinkle center of flower with yellow and orange sugars and brown candy sprinkles. Sprinkle leaves with green nonpareils and green sugar.

SUNFLOWER ROASTED VEGETABLE PITHIVIER

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F with a rack in the middle position.
• Place the butternut squash on a rimmed baking sheet, toss with the olive oil and spread out into a single layer. Season with salt and pepper. Place the red and yellow pepper halves cut-side down on another rimmed baking sheet.
• Place both baking sheets on the middle rack and roast until the squash has softened and browned and the peppers have charred, about 25 minutes. Set the vegetables aside. When the peppers are cool enough to handle, peel off the skin and discard. Slice the peppers into 1/2-inch strips, season lightly with salt and pepper and set aside.
• Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the onions and mushrooms and cook until soft and browned and any liquid is evaporated, 8 to 10 minutes. Add the sage and thyme, season with salt and pepper and mix thoroughly. Set the mushroom mixture aside to cool.
• Bring 3 cups water to a boil in a small saucepan. Place the spinach in a colander in the sink and pour the boiling water over the leaves to wilt them. Shake the colander to drain the water, then lay the spinach on paper towels and pat dry, removing as much of the remaining water as possible. Set the spinach aside.
• To make the base for the pithivier, lay 1 sheet of the puff pastry on a lightly floured piece of parchment paper set on a baking sheet. Using an upside-down bowl with a 10-inch-wide rim as a guide, cut out a 10-inch circle from the pastry using a sharp knife. Gather the scraps and set aside for another use (see Cook's Note).
• Spread the cooled mushroom mixture over the puff pastry base, leaving a 1/2-inch border all around. Arrange the cooled butternut squash cubes on top of the mushroom mixture. Sprinkle the goat cheese over the squash, then top with the reserved spinach and roasted pepper strips. Wet your hands and gently mold the filling into a dome shape, then set aside.
• To make the puff pastry top, lay another sheet of puff pastry on a lightly floured piece of parchment paper. Using an upside-down bowl with a 12-inch-wide rim as a guide, cut out a 12-inch circle from the pastry using a sharp knife. Gather the scraps and add to the existing scraps.
• Whisk together the egg yolk and water in a small bowl. Brush the egg wash around the border of the 10-inch pithivier base. Gently lay the 12-inch circle over the base so that it completely covers the filling. Press down all around the edges of the pithivier to seal the filling inside, making sure to press out any air bubbles as you go. Don't worry if the base is no longer a perfect circle. You will trim it later. Egg wash the entire top of the pithivier and set aside.
• Cut the remaining sheet of puff pastry in half lengthwise so that you have two pieces, each approximately 6 by 15 inches. Set 1 piece aside. Firmly roll a lattice roller lengthwise down the other piece. Repeat until the entire piece has been cut with the lattice.
• Use your fingers to gently pull the lattice apart, starting from the middle of the lattice and working your way out. As you work, use a sharp knife to open up any sections where the cutter did not go all the way through the lattice. Gently drape the lattice over the pithivier, then use your hands to smooth it into shape, ensuring that the entire top is covered.
• Place the 10-inch-wide bowl used earlier over the pithivier and use a sharp knife to trim the base into a neat 10-inch circle. Add any dough scraps to the existing scraps. Use the back of the knife to make 1/2-inch-deep vertical indentations around the base. Evenly egg wash the entire surface of the pithivier, being careful not to let the egg wash pool in the lattice as that will create uneven browning.
• Stir together the turmeric and 2 tablespoons water in a small bowl until completely combined. Lay the remaining 6-by-15-inch piece of pastry on a piece of lightly floured parchment paper and roll out the pastry as thinly as possible. (That will help ensure that the petals do not puff up and distort in the oven.) Using a small pastry brush, brush the top of the sheet with the turmeric mixture. Don't worry if the mixture seems to go on a bit unevenly. The variegated shades of yellow will look lovely once you begin to make the flowers.
• Using a 1 1/2-inch and 1-inch petal cutter, cut petals from the sheet of pastry. The number of petals you cut depends on how many flowers you want to make (and what size you'd like them to be). To create the 4 large flowers and 6 small flowers shown in the picture, you will need to cut sixty-six 1-inch petals and forty-four 1 1/2-inch petals.
• To assemble a flower, dab a small amount of egg wash on the lattice. Place 6 petals in a circle, ensuring that the top of the petals meet in the center. Place another dab of egg wash in the center of the flower and add a second layer of 5 petals, offsetting each slightly from the one below it. Place another dab of egg wash in the center and attach a mushroom cap (see Cook's Note). Press firmly to adhere the cap to the petals. Transfer the finished pithivier to the freezer for at least 2 hours and preferably overnight.
• When you are ready to bake the pithivier, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F with a rack in the lower-middle position.
• Bake the pithivier until golden brown, 55 to 60 minutes. Allow to cool for about 15 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature. Leftovers can be stored, tightly wrapped, in the refrigerator for up to 48 hours.

SUNFLOWER PIE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
• In a large bowl beat together eggs, brown sugar, corn syrups.
• granulated sugar, melted butter, vanilla and salt.
• Place pie shell on cookie sheet.
• Spread sunflower seeds evenly in bottown of pie shell.
• Pour in liquids.
• Bake at 350 degrees for 50-60 minutes until center is almost set, should jiggle slightly.
• Cool on wire rack.

SUNFLOWER FRITO PIE

Steps:

• Brown the ground beef in a large frying pan until browned.
• Add chopped onions and cook until softened, about 5 minutes.
• Add taco seasoning packet and 1/2 cup water, simmer for 5 minutes.
• Add green chiles (if using), black olives, salsa, refried beans, Velveeta cheese and cilantro (if using).
• Simmer, and stir often until cheese is melted.
• Ladle about 1/2-1 cup of beef mixture into the middle of a pasta or soup bowl.
• Surround the meat mixture with the Frito Scoops to form the sunflower petals, with the ends just touching the meat mixture, to hold "petals" in place.
• Garnish with sour cream and green onions, if desired.