Star Spangled Banner Recipes

STAR-SPANGLED BANNER BARS

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°. Grease bottom and sides of jelly roll pan, 15 1/2x10 1/2x1 inch, with shortening. Mix granulated sugar, butter, vanilla and eggs in medium bowl with spoon. Stir in flour and baking powder until dough forms. Reserve 1/4 cup dough; cover and refrigerate. Pat remaining dough evenly in pan, using floured hands.
• To make flag design, mark a 6x5-inch outline in upper left corner of pan, using toothpick, for "star" area. Spread blackberry jam over 6x5- inch area. Starting 1/4 inch from top of "flag" (long side of pan), mark stripes by pressing 1/2-inch-wide and 1/4-inch-deep groove into dough with end of wooden spoon or finger. Make 7 more grooves, each about 3/4 inch apart. Place strawberry jam in resealable plastic food-storage bag; cut off tip. Squeeze jam into grooves.
• Pat reserved dough to 1/8-inch thickness on lightly floured surface. Cut with small star-shaped cutter. Place stars on blackberry jam.
• Bake 18 to 22 minutes or until golden brown. Cool completely, about 1 hour. Sprinkle with powdered sugar. For bars, cut into 8 rows by 7 rows.

STAR-SPANGLED CUPCAKES

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F (325°F for dark or nonstick pans). Place baking cup in each of 24 regular-size muffin cups. Make and bake cake mix as directed on box for 24 cupcakes. Cool in pans 10 minutes; remove from pans to cooling rack. Cool completely, about 30 minutes.
• Use the star tip that comes on the Betty Crocker™ Cupcake Icing can to frost each cupcake. If desired, smooth top with offset spatula.
• Arrange 8 blue gems in upper left area of cupcake to create field of stars. Starting at top, place 3 red gems in a row, second row 4 red gems, third row 7 red gems and bottom row 5 red gems to create stripes. Repeat with remaining cupcakes.

STAR-SPANGLED PARFAITS

Steps:

• Place strawberries and blueberries in separate bowls. Drizzle each with 2 teaspoons vinaigrette; toss to coat. In a small bowl, mix yogurt and mint., Spoon strawberries into 4 parfait glasses. Layer each with yogurt mixture and blueberries. If desired, top with coconut.

STAR-SPANGLED FLAG CAKE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350ºF.
• Reserve 3 Tbsp. of each flavor of dry gelatin mix. Add 1/2 cup boiling water to remaining cherry gelatin mix in medium bowl; stir 2 min. until completely dissolved. Repeat in separate bowl with remaining boiling water and berry blue gelatin mix. Pour each flavor gelatin into separate 9x5-inch loaf pan. Refrigerate 3 hours or until firm.
• Meanwhile, spray 2 (13x9-inch) pans with cooking spray; cover bottoms with waxed paper. Spray with additional cooking spray. Prepare cake batter as directed on package; spread 2 cups batter onto bottom of one prepared pan. Measure 2 cups of the remaining batter into medium bowl; stir in reserved dry cherry gelatin mix until blended. Spread onto bottom of remaining prepared pan. Place both pans in oven.
• Bake 15 to 17 min. or until tops of cake layers are lightly browned and cakes begin to pull away from sides of pans. Cool 15 min.; remove cakes from pans to wire racks. Discard waxed paper. Cool cakes completely.
• Meanwhile, spray 8x4-inch loaf pan with cooking spray; line with waxed paper. Spray with additional cooking spray. Stir reserved dry berry blue gelatin mix into remaining cake batter; pour into prepared loaf pan. Bake 25 to 28 min. or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 15 min.; remove from pan to wire rack. Discard waxed paper. Cool cake completely.
• Assembly
• Dip bottoms of gelatin-filled pans in warm water about 15 sec.; cut gelatin into small stars. Reserve trimmings for snacking or another use. Spoon frosting into medium bowl; whisk in COOL WHIP until blended. Cut each 13x9-inch cake layer lengthwise in half. Cut rounded top off loaf cake; reserve top for snacking or another use. Cut remaining loaf cake lengthwise in half.
• Reserve 1-1/3 cups frosting for icing final assembled cake. Place 1 red cake layer on platter; spread with some of the remaining frosting. Cover with 1 white cake layer; frost. Arrange blue cake strips, end-to-end, down 1 long side of frosted white cake layer, trimming as necessary to fit top of cake. Frost inside edges of blue cake strips. Cut remaining red and white cake layers lengthwise in half; place 1 red cake piece next to blue cake strips. Frost. Top with 1 white cake piece. Reserve remaining cake pieces for snacking or another use. Frost top and sides of cake with reserved frosting. Decorate with sprinkles and JIGGLERS stars.

STAR-SPANGLED SHORTCAKE

Steps:

• Combine flour, 3/4 cup sugar, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl. Add butter; use a pastry cutter or two knives to incorporate butter until mixture resembles coarse meal.
• Blend 2 cups heavy cream into flour mixture using a fork. Turn out onto a clean work surface; press away from you with the heel of your hand just to combine dough. Add 1 tablespoon cream if the dough is too dry to combine.
• Prepare egg wash: Place egg and 2 tablespoons cream in a small bowl, and whisk to combine. Set aside.
• Press dough into a 7-by-10-inch rectangle, 1 inch thick. Use a 3 1/2-inch star cutter to cut out six biscuits. Press three of the stars to flatten slightly. Form into a ring on a parchment-lined baking sheet, alternating flattened stars with unflattened stars, using egg wash to join them along common edge. Gather remaining dough; cut out four more stars for additional servings, if desired. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Refrigerate for 1 hour. Remove dough from refrigerator. Brush top of star ring and individual stars with egg wash, and sprinkle with 2 tablespoons sugar.
• Bake for 5 minutes, then reduce heat to 350 degrees; continue baking until golden brown, about 25 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.
• Combine raspberries, blueberries, strawberries, red currants (if using), and remaining 1/4 cup sugar in a large bowl, and toss to combine. Allow berries to macerate for at least 30 minutes, until very juicy. Whip remaining 1 1/2 cups cream to soft peaks.
• Use a serrated knife to cut star ring in half crosswise. Cut the four extra stars as well. Use two large offset spatulas to carefully lift the top half of the ring, and set aside, leaving the spatulas in place. Set aside tops of stars as well. Transfer bottom of ring to a serving platter. Transfer bottoms of stars to plates, if desired. Spoon macerated berries, juices, and whipped cream over star ring and additional stars. Place the tops on the star ring and stars using the spatulas, and dust with confectioners' sugar, if using. Serve immediately.