It takes a gingerbread village..

When I was little one of my favorite things to do during the holidays was make a gingerbread house.  Each December my Grandma Halstead would mail us a package.  It would include sausages and cheeses for my parents and 3 little gingerbread house kits for my sister, brother and me.  Sitting around the kitchen table trying to outdo the other's design and munching on candy we would have never of eaten otherwise is one of my best memories.  It has always been important to me to carry on those traditions with my girls.  But once I started buying more than one kit my little memory was turning into quite a holiday expense.

Last year we started a tradition of making our own houses from scratch and buying the candy we liked so we could continue as before.  Many of my friends have decided I am completely crazy for doing this, but if you have more than 2 kids I think you're crazy not to.  It's pretty simple so I thought I would share what I've learned.  Keep in mind you'll probably want to plan on this taking 2 days, especially if you're making more than 2 houses.  But the total cost of 4 houses was about $15, and we went crazy with the candy!

Step 1:  Make the dough

I used this recipe:

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/gingerbread-cookies-101-recipe/index.html

I doubled the recipe and got 3 full sizes houses and 1 smaller version.  If you do double, make 2 batches, don't just add twice as much into your mixing bowl.  I learned the hard way that it will not fit even in a 6 quart Kitchenaid mixer.  If you do not have a stand mixer.  Mix the wet ingredients with a hand mixer and then incorporate the dry with a wooden spoon and then just knead in the rest.

Divide the dough evenly into the number of houses you wish to make.  Form into disks, wrap in plastic and let chill in the refrigerator for at least 3 hours.

Step 2: Cutting the dough and baking

While the dough is chilling you can decide the shape of your house.  I have always just done a normal rectangular house.  This year my dimensions were 4 X 4 X 6.  Just cut 1 template for the front and back, 1 for the sides, and 1 for each side of the roof.  That way you know that each will be exactly the same size.  Label the templates because after awhile the roof template will start looking a lot like the side template.

Sprinkle your counter with flour and roll out one disk at a time.  Roll out the dough to about 1/4 inch thick.  Lay the template on the dough and cut out your shapes with a sharp small knife.  Run a thin metal offset spatula under the cut out and then move it to a parchment paper lined baking sheet.  Once it is on there you can cut out the door(s) and windows.  This year we even added crushed lifesaver hard candies to melt inside the cut out windows.  You will probably have to gather the scraps and roll out the dough 2 -3 times in order to get all the pieces cut for one house.  Refrigerate the dough if it gets too warm or you won't be able to move it.

Bake at 350 degrees for about 9 minutes.  If your pieces were a little thicker it may take a little longer.  Once baked let them cool for a few minutes on the baking sheet.  While they are still warm put the template back on top to trim the edges to match exactly.  Let cool completely on a rack.

If you have any dough left over you can make any extras, like chimneys, doors or gingerbread people.  Once completely cool you can start building your house or place in a ziplock bag to build the next day.

Step 3:  Building your house

Once your gingerbread walls are completely cool you can begin building your house.  You can put the sides together with caramel or royal icing.  I prefer icing.  Mix together:

1 pound of powdered sugar
3 pasteurized egg whites
1 tsp of vanilla

If it seems too thick add more egg, and too thin more powdered sugar.  If you have piping tips, add about half the icing to a piping bag to pipe onto the edges, if you don't you can use a knife.

For the base you can use a cake board or I just cut out the side of a shipping box and wrap in foil.  Ice the bottom and all the sides together.  If you need to, use a can to hold up the side until they dry.  Just don't forget to remove the can before you put on the roof (happened last year!)  Once the 4 walls dry a bit you can add the roof.  Let the house dry completely before you decorate.

Step 4: Decorate your house

If you are still with me you are obviously very serious about making your own gingerbread house.  Good for you.  The fun is about to begin.  I like to take my girls to the store and have them pick out the candy they would like.  Just about anything goes.  If you plan to eat the candy off the house, chocolate and small candies do not work so well though.

Cover the area you want to decorate with the remainder of your royal icing.  Don't forget you can also decorate the board around the house.  Let the little ones at it, and count your blessings.

What a difference 2 years can make

On December 17th, 2012 Brandon's MBA classes will officially end.  In our home you will find countdown calendars everywhere.  Our entire family has been waiting for this day for so long.

This picture was taken of our family Christmas 2010.  This was 3 days before we learned that Brandon was accepted into the Duke MBA program.  I was hoping I could find another picture where I took the time to put on my makeup and was not in my pajamas or all the girls were actually looking at the camera.  After a lengthy search I have realized that we haven't had a chance to take a better family picture in the last 2 years.

In December 2010 Caroline had just started her first year of elementary school.  She received  a violin for Christmas, and spent all her free time playing with her friends.  Summer was a sweet, yet shy little 1 year old.  She stayed home with me, still in diapers, and would crumble into a tiny pile of tears if you just gave her a stern look.  Bella was only a few months old.  I think she was sleeping through the night by this point, but not much beyond that.  Brandon and I were trying our best to manage work and home life. We thought we were prepared for one of us to go back to school.  We were nervous about what a MBA program would involve, but were so excited about what the future held for us.

If you have read my blog at all, you know that the last 2 years have not been easy for us.  Brandon has been swamped with school.  I have been up to my eyeballs in kid activities.  We have spent weekends and even weeks apart.  His classes have seem to fall on every one of the girls' birthdays, our anniversary, and countless soccer games.  But we have found a way to make it work and loved every minute that we could all be together as a family.

Today that little kindergartner of 2010 is a bright and talented little 7 year old.  She is loving 2nd grade.  She just finished her 3rd violin recital, played T-ball, tennis, soccer, and learned to swim.  Summer is halfway through her 2nd year of preschool, is such a good big sister, and still falls to pieces at the utter of the word no.  Bella is now a wild and crazy 2 year old.  She's running. and talking, and completely running the show.  It's hard to believe that in just 2 years my little babies have become wonderful little ladies.

With 1 month, 2 days and a few hours left of the MBA we have started to look beyond school, and are still excited about what the future holds. Whatever that may be!