Hi Guys!
I was not planning to come online today as it is weekend, but my back feels like broken from decorating our gingerbread house, lol, so for now am resting it and thought, hey, I have not blog for a looooooong time, here is a chance hahahha
Whenever Winter is here, even when the air feels like Winter was coming already (and also you know how all the stores would right away cleaned up their Halloween goodies and up Christmas goodies displayed on the shelves even when Christmas was still like 2 months away), altho still in October, for sure it would be time for gingerbread house building :P
I know, I know, too soon, to many, but for us, white ground is equal to, hurry the F up, prepare your template and get busy because IT IS TIME! :P
Yep. Whenever Winter started, we are busy preparing for our local gingerbread house contest. A fun time for the families, even for the teens, young adults, and (talented) adults. One thing (among others) of how cool our small town is, that they know gingerbread building is a great family get together, to be creative, to build memory, so they throw annual contest for it, to show case and we are lucky they would give appreciation :P Pretty cool town we have for sure ;-)
This year would be our 5th year participating. I remember on our 3rd year, my oldest, who was 6 at that time, he entered as well. He was soooo eager and so excited. He built a gingerbread igloo. He did not win, but he was more upset since people doubted it was a gingerbread "house". People expected to see conventional house style. My fault. I should have remembered that. My 1st time entering, I made gingerbread ENCHANTED village, so the houses were in the form of mushroom, teapot, tree stump and whatnot. Did not win as judges also leaned more to conventional style. But I was so excited he was entering and being creative, that I forgot that our town prefer to see regular houses instead. Note, there was never a theme, so it was freestyle, hence, it was not happying when we thought outside the box, yet we were not supposed to apparently, if you get what I mean :P
Since last year though, sponsors and judges set new rules. More professional and coordinated. There was a theme set, specifications and whatnot. Things were superb. Same as this year, which we cannot be more excited about :D
The house smell wonderful for the past 2 weeks now, of spices and sugar. Just wonderful. We are still building and decorating ours, which I cannot wait to share here especially for 
The recipe of the gingerbread cookies I used is not just great for gingerbread houses, but also to be consumed, which in other words, my gingerbread-addict boy, a.k.a my youngest, always hovering around, begging for his portions, sniffing here and there and whatnot hahahahah
Each time a batch was made, I always have to leave out a portion of him to roll and cut into gingerbread men, if not, he won't stop bugging :P
So now that I am sitting down, why not share the recipe with you, right? Winter for others are just starting and to some are not even starting yet. Plenty of time still to start baking, building, and create some great memories with your loved ones :D It makes a great tradition for years to come ;-)
- 2 flax eggs
- 3 1/4 c flour
- 1/2 c molasses (divide)
- 1 tsp BSoda
- A pinch of salt
- 1 tsp each ginger powder, cinnamon powder, all spice powder
- 1/2 c palm sugar
- 8 tbsp vegetable shortening
Method
- Mix dry ingredients
- Cream shortening and brown sugar
- Beat in 1/4 c molasses and flax egg
- Add in dry mix a little at a time
- Beat in the other 1/4 c molasses
- Knead a little (Take some away, and color as you wish, to make leaves)
- Roll flat and cut as you like
- Bake on preheated 350 F for 10-11 mins (4-5 mins on convection oven)
- Cool on rack completely before decorating.
My babes used some of the sweets they got from Trick or Treat on Halloween as decoration. To attach the pieces and sweets to the gingerbread men, we used icing sugar mixed with a drop or two of water. Pretty strong for gingerbread men decorations (but not for gingerbread house building).
And here are their gingerbread men with a little description for each of them, as told by my babes :D
The Business Man
by a 9 year old boy - My gingerbread man is a cool businessman that can get along with others very easily. He has a family and his name is BOB
Mr. Gingerbread Man
by a 5 year old boy - My gingerbread man is a Mr. Gingerbread Man. Mr. Gingerbread Man is a teacher from my school and he looks like he is giving me a star, the lollipop, and everything is perfect. Merry Christmas to you Santa. Love, Eugene. But I am going to eat the gingerbread man because it is not Christmas, yet. Right, mommy? Can I?
That's all for now, folks. My bum is sore from sitting now, back to decorating I go. Thanks for reading, see you some other time again :P
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