After making what I call “pirate portrait pies” for my son’s fourth birthday party, I got inspired by the endless possibilities of the pizza canvas. I determined the pizza wreath bagel a fun, festive snack for the whole family and holiday guests.
This pesto recipe makes a beautiful bright green pesto that looks great on the bagel wreath. I made a few adjustments to the recipe to make it more kid-friendly such as using parmesan cheese instead of Percorino, one small garlic clove instead of two and no pepper.
Homemade Pesto
- 2 cups packed fresh basil leaves
- 1 small clove garlic
- 1/4 cup pine nuts
- 2/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- Kosher salt to taste
- 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
Add oil first, followed by remaining ingredients except salt, to Vita-Mix or blender. Blend until smooth then season with salt. For pesto pasta, mix a few tablespoons of pesto with whole wheat spaghetti or angel hair pasta and serve.
Pizza Bagel Wreaths
I like Thomas’ Whole Wheat Bagel Thins as they crisp more than thicker bagels and are easier for little mouths to manage. Paint the bagel with pesto, decorate with your favorite red sauce and shredded mozzarella. Bake at 350 Fahrenheit for 10 to 12 minutes. To up the presentation ante, you can also create a mega-wreath for the table by placing a few bagels on a round platter and dressing with basil for wreath “leaves.”
Tip for leftovers: I freeze remaining pesto in these Beaba storage containers. Each compartment is enough pesto for about three servings or pesto pasta. Make pasta, drain, and pop in one frozen pesto button. Stir over a low flame until pesto melts and evenly coats pasta. Serve and enjoy!
Keep reading for more holiday recipes
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Tracy Gary is a homemade and real food enthusiast and the mother of two foodie tots. She is the founder of Intuition Nutrition, a whole food and healthy lifestyle education program.
