Ingredients

• Lollipop sticks (You can find these at craft stores)
• Marshmallows
• 1 packet red jello
• 1 packet blue jello

Instructions

1. Place each packet of jello (dry, colored sugar) into a small shallow bowl.
2. Wet the individual marshmallows by either dipping them VERY quickly into a bowl of water and letting the excess water drain off on a paper towel, or by misting them very lightly with a small water bottle.
3. Roll the marshmallows until coated.
4. Alternatively, you can also add the packet of jello to a large plastic bag, drop a few (not too many) in and shake away until they are all coated.
5. Add the colored marshmallows by color - Red -White-Blue to the lollipop sticks and serve.

Ingredients

• 8 cups miniature marshmallows
• 1/2 cup butter, cubed
• 12 cups crisp rice cereal
• 2-1/2 cups shortening
• 3 cups confectioners' sugar
• 3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3 jars (7 ounces each) marshmallow creme
• Red and blue paste food coloring

Instructions

1. In a Dutch oven, combine marshmallows and cubed butter. Cook and stir over medium-low heat until melted. Remove from the heat; stir in cereal. Press 4 cups into a greased 9-in. round pan. Form remaining mixture into a 5-in. diameter x 6-1/2-in. tall cylinder; place on waxed paper to cool.
2. For frosting, in a large bowl, beat softened butter until fluffy; beat in confectioners’ sugar and vanilla until smooth. Beat in marshmallow creme until light and fluffy.
3. Unmold cereal mixture from 9-in. pan and place on a cake plate. Place 3 cups frosting in a small bowl; beat in red food coloring until smooth. Frost top and sides of 9-in. cake with 1 cup red frosting.
4. • Place 1 cup white frosting in a small bowl; beat in blue food coloring until smooth. Frost bottom 2-1/4 in. of the cylinder with blue frosting. Place cylinder on cake. Frost the rest of the cylinder with red frosting.
5. Cut a small hole in the corner of pastry or plastic bag; insert #48 basketweave tip. Using white frosting, pipe stripes on sides of hat. With a #7 round tip, pipe trim.
6. Using a 1-1/2 in. star cookie cutter, press a row of stars onto hatband. Fill in stars with white frosting using the #7 tip. Yield: 24 servings.

Ingredients

• 6 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 1 cup milk
• 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter (Not margarine)
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
• Grated zest of 1 lemon
• 1/4 cup warm water
• 2 packages active dry yeast
• 1 whole egg plus 2 egg yolks
• 3 1/3 cups all-purpose unbleached flour, plus more for kneading
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup dried sour cherries
• 1/2 cup chopped pistachios
• Melted unsalted butter for greasing and brushing
• 1 egg yolk mixed with 1 tablespoon milk, for glazing
• For the icing:
• 1 cup confectioners' sugar
• 1 to 2 teaspoons milk, heated

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
2. Combine 5 tablespoons of the sugar, the milk, butter, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and lemon zest in a small saucepan over medium heat. Stir until the milk is hot and the butter is melted. Remove from the heat and pour into a large bowl. Let cool to room temperature. Meanwhile, combine the warm water with the remaining 1 tablespoon sugar in a small bowl. Sprinkle the yeast over the water and let stand until frothy, about 10 minutes. Whisk the whole egg, the egg yolks, and the yeast into the cooled milk.
3. In another bowl, stir together the 3 1/3 cups flour and the salt. Add the yeast mixture, stirring until a sticky dough forms. Stir in the sour cherries and pistachios. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured board or countertop and knead until smooth and elastic, 10 to 15 minutes. If the dough is too sticky, sprinkle with a little more flour.
4. Transfer to a lightly buttered bowl and brush the surface with a little melted butter. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm, draft-free place until doubled in bulk, about 2 hours. Punch down and knead briefly. Re-cover and let rise a second time, about 30 minutes. Punch the dough down again and knead briefly. Divide into quarters and divide each quarter into 4 equal pieces. Roll each piece of dough into a smooth ball and place in a lightly buttered 9-by-13-inch pan. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and let rise a final time until doubled, about 30 minutes.
5. Brush the buns with the egg glaze. Bake until golden brown and the buns sound hollow when rapped on the bottom, 20 to 25 minutes. Let cool completely on a wire rack.
6. To make the icing, combine the confectioners' sugar and 1 teaspoon warm milk in a bowl. Stir until smooth, adding another 1 teaspoon milk if needed to achieve a smooth consistency. Spoon into a lock-top sandwich bag, seal, and snip off the tip of one corner. Squeeze the icing from the bag, piping a cross over each cooled bun. Serve the buns at room temperature.

Ingredients

• 1 package (1/4 ounce) active dry yeast
• 1/4 cup warm water (110° to 115°)
• 3/4 cup warm milk (110° to 115°)
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 2 tablespoons shortening
• 1 egg, beaten
• 2 teaspoons celery seed
• 1 teaspoon rubbed sage
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 3 to 3-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• Melted butter

Instructions

1. In a bowl, dissolve yeast in water.
2. Add milk, sugar, shortening, egg, celery seed, sage, salt, nutmeg and 2 cups flour; beat until smooth. Add enough remaining flour to form a soft dough. Turn onto a floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic; about 6-8 minutes.
3. Place in a greased bowl, turning once to grease top. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 hour. Punch dough down; let rest 10 minutes.
4. Divide dough into 24 pieces. For each bunny, roll one piece of dough into a 20-in. rope. Cut rope into one 10-in. piece, one 5-in. piece, two 2-in. pieces and one 1-in. piece. Coil 10-in. piece for body; place on a greased baking sheet. Coil 5-in. piece for head; place next to body. Form ears from the 2-in. pieces and tail from the 1-in. piece; add to bunny. Pinch and seal pieces together. Repeat, placing bunnies 2 in. apart on the baking sheet. Cover and let rise until doubled, about 25 minutes.
5. Bake at 375° for 10-12 minutes or until lightly browned. Brush with melted butter. Cool on wire racks.

Ingredients

• 1 egg
• 2/3 cup milk
• 2 Tablespoons sugar
• 1 1/4 cup flour
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• Cooking oil

Instructions

1. In a deep skillet, heat about two cups of oil over medium-high heat until hot. Test the temperature by dropping a pinch of flour into the hot oil. If it sizzles right away without smoking, it's perfect.
2. Beat egg and milk. Mix all other ingredients in a separate bowl and slowly add to the egg mixture, beating until smooth.
3. Using a funnel, drop into hot oil working from center outwards in a web pattern. (You can use a gallon sized freezer bag instead of a funnel by pouring the batter into the bag, snipping off a small corner of it, and squeezing the batter into the oil.)
4. Cook for about 2-3 minutes, remove from the oil when golden brown and crispy.
5. Sprinkle with powdered sugar and serve.

Ingredients

• Use your own ingredients OR
• 16 slices firm white sandwich bread
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
• 1 1/4 cups (about 4 oz.) shredded Cheddar
• Your favorite tomato or other soup

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 200°F and line a large rimmed baking sheet with foil. Lightly mist a griddle or large skillet with cooking spray.
2. Use a 2-inch heart-shaped cookie cutter to cut three hearts from each slice of bread. Lightly brush both sides of bread with melted butter.
3. Place about 1 1/2 tsp. cheese in center of half of hearts. Use fingers to spread cheese and lightly pack it down, following shape of hearts.
4. Place remaining hearts on top of filling, lightly pressing down to form firm, well-shaped sandwiches.
5. Working in batches, cook sandwiches on griddle or in skillet over medium-high heat until lightly browned, 3 to 5 minutes per side. Use a small spatula to carefully flip sandwiches over. Place finished sandwiches on lined baking sheet and keep warm in oven until ready to serve.
6. Serve with hot soup and enjoy!

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cup instant orange beverage mix
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/3 cup instant tea
• 1/2 cup cinnamon
• 1/4 cup ground cloves, optional
• Dash salt

Instructions

1. Mix all dry ingredients together and store in a decorative airtight container. When ready to use, pour boiling water over 1-4 teaspoons of the dry Christmas Cheer drink mix. Stir to dissolve and serve to family and guests.
2. Delicious when served with fresh-from-the-oven cookies!