Tried and True-sday

Christmas just isn't the same without building Gingerbread houses. I decided to make this one of our activities while Brett was gone last week. I made one and the boys had fun making a whole production of theirs. Hyrum had a whole story behind it. We decided to build them with no candy this year, since I know we would just eat all the candy off. The great thing about real Gingerbread is that it tastes so good soft or hard. We've been munching on it every day since they were made. Noah especially loves to climb up to the counter and gnaw on the roofs and trees(great teether). . . they don't look like much anymore. This will be my last recipe of the year, so enjoy and happy cooking:

Williams-Sonoma Gingerbread

Mix together and set aside:

5 cups all purpose flour

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1 Tbsp. ground ginger

4 tsp. ground cinnamon

3/4 tsp. ground cloves

1 tsp. freshly grated nutmeg

1 tsp. allspice

1 1/2 tsp salt

beat on medium speed for 4 minutes:

2 sticks softened butter

then add and beat for another 2 minutes:

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup granulated sugar

Add and beat gradually:

1 cup molasses

1 egg

Combine the dry mixture into the wet mixture gradually, mixing in between. Turn the dough out onto a floured surface. Form the dough into 2 smooth mounds. Shape each into disks and wrap separately with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours or up to 2 days. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Let dough stand on counter for about 10 minutes. Then roll (one disk at a time) out to about 1/4 inch thick. Use cookie cutters or just a knife to make your desired shapes then place on baking sheet with parchment paper. Bake for 8-10 minutes.

Tip: The dough will rise a bit in the oven, so if you want the shapes to stay exactly the same than you should roll the dough out on the baking sheet and then cut the shapes out without removing the excess dough. When it comes out of the oven you can re-cut out the pieces with a knife and take them out for a perfect shape.

Kid friendly frosting(it doesn't stick well, but they can decorate with it and eat it without worry):

Lots of powdered sugar

milk (Tbsp. at a time until you get frosting consistency)

Royal Icing (this is really like glue):

3 egg whites, room temp

1/2 tsp. cream of tarter

1 lb. powdered sugar

Combine and beat at high speed for about 7-10 minutes. Keep covered with a damp cloth because it dries really fast.