4 large birthday Recipes

olive oil, fresh cajun or hot italian sausages (about 1 3/4 lb), chicken thighs with skin and bones (about 4 1/4 lb), excess fat trimmed, very large onions, chopped (about 5 cups), garlic cloves, chopped , plus 1 garlic clove, minced, tomatoes, chopped (about 1 1/2 cups), bay leaves, zucchini , halved crosswise, then quartered lengthwise (about 1 1/4 lb), red bell peppers , cut into 1-inch-wide strips, uncooked large shrimp, peeled, deveined, generous pinch plus 1/4 tsp saffron threads, arborio rice or medium-grain white rice (about 17 1/2 oz), salt, canned low-salt chicken broth, paprika, chopped fresh parsley

cake flour, baking powder, salt, shortening, white sugar, egg yolk, beaten, vanilla extract, milk

unsalted butter, at room temperature, sugar, extra-large eggs, at room temperature, sour cream, at room temperature, pure vanilla extract, lemon , zested, all-purpose flour, cornstarch, kosher salt, baking soda, unsalted butter, at room temperature, sugar , sifted, milk, pure vanilla extract, drops pink food coloring (rose petal shade ), pink and white candy , for decorating