Tomato-pesto Cheese Mold

Total Time: 15 mins Preparation Time: 15 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 12
• 4 garlic cloves
• 3 cups fresh basil, firmly packed
• 1 cup parmesan cheese, freshly grated
• 1 cup olive oil
• 1 cup sunflower seeds (shelled kernels)
• 2 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, room temperature
• 2 cups butter, room temperature (4 sticks)
• 1/2 cup sun-dried tomato, drained
• cooking spray

Recipe

• 1 for pesto.
• 2 with processor running, drop garlic through feed tube and mince finely.
• 3 add remaining ingredients and process until smooth, about 1 minute.
• 4 transfer to small bowl, cover and refrigerate until ready to use.
• 5 for mold.
• 6 mix cream cheese and butter in processor or large bowl of electric mixer, stopping occasionally to scrape down sides of bowl, until well blended.
• 7 spread 1/3 of cheese mixture in bottom of 7-cup mold that has been sprayed with cooking spray.
• 8 layer tomatoes over cheese.
• 9 cover with 1/3 of cheese mixture, spreading evenly.
• 10 spread with pesto.
• 11 add remaining cheese mixture, spreading evenly.
• 12 refrigerate at least 2 hours or overnight (preferable).
• 13 unmold onto platter and serve at room temperature.