Tasty Tuesday - Gingerbread!

Look what we made! Cari, Cristi and I spent a good part of Saturday building and decorating gingerbread houses. Thanks to Cristi - letting us destroy her home - and her awesome cake decorating skills, they turned out AWESOME!

And with my leftover gingerbread, I made gingerbread men... which are MissBug's favorite-thing-on-earth right now.

Gingerbread Recipe
1 cup butter, margarine or shortening

1 cup brown sugar

1 cup molasses

5 cups flour

1-1/2 teaspoons cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon cloves

2 teaspoons baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/3 to 1/2 cup water

In a large mixing bowl beat butter until softened. Add sugar and beat until fluffy - at least three minutes. Add molasses and beat well. Combine dry ingredients and add to the batter a little at a time, mixing in each addition. You will have to use your hands to work in the last additions.

Divide dough into thirds and shape into balls. Cover with plastic wrap and chill for several hours.

If you're going to make a large house, there are helpful directions for the rest of the recipe here. Otherwise, just roll out to about 3/16 inch thickness and cut out cookies, just like sugar cookie dough.