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

• 3 eggs
• 3/4 cup buttermilk
• 3/4 cup vegetable oil
• 1 1/2 cups white sugar
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 2 cups shredded carrots
• 1 cup flaked coconut
• 1 cup chopped walnuts
• 1 (8 ounce) can crushed pineapple with juice
• 1 cup raisins

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour an 8x12 inch pan.
2. In a medium bowl, sift together flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon. Set aside.
3. In a large bowl, combine eggs, buttermilk, oil, sugar and vanilla. Mix well. Add flour mixture and mix well.
4. In a medium bowl, combine shredded carrots, coconut, walnuts, pineapple and raisins.
5. Using a large wooden spoon or a very heavy whisk, add carrot mixture to batter and fold in well.
6. Pour into prepared 8x12 inch pan, and bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 1 hour. Check with toothpick.
7. Allow to cool for at least 20 minutes before serving.

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.