We had a gingerbread decorating party

It was very memory making.  Which is really what I was looking to create.  The gingerbread houses were really fun to create too.  Especially with my helper in the kitchen.  

I made a gingerbread house last year for the first time with great success.  So I decided I could tackle making 8 this year.  I used the Martha Stewart recipe for the dough, and used her template.  For the roof I cut out two rectangles 8.5x6 and 8.5x6.5.  (That gives you overhang on the sides and a little overlap at the roof.)  For the chimney I added a 1/4 inch on each of the long sides of two of the pieces - the ones with the sharp angles.  So two of the chimney pieces are 1/2 inch wider than Martha's.  There are little windows to cut out, which is the only part that makes you want to poke your eyeballs out.  And being that I was making 8, I decided that I needed an easier way to make them.  After racking my brain and coming up empty, I was wandering the house looking for inspiration, and found it in my children's out-all-over-the-floor legos.  They worked perfectly.



Assembly was only tricky because Martha's syrup did not work.  Right when it was supposed to turn into a syrup that hardens in seconds, it turned into a chrystally  powdery solic.  (Yes it is possible to be chrystally and powdery at the same time.)  Poop.  We tried it twice.  It was late at night, and I really needed the syrup to work.  Better Homes and Gardens to the rescue.  Theirs worked perfectly.  I actually kissed the book.

2 cup sugar
1 cup water
1/2 cup light-colored corn syrup
1 tsp. vinegar
1/2 tsp. salt

Combine all ingredients in a medium saucepan and cook over medium-high heat until mixture boils.  Cook until it gets to a light caramel color.  Then turn off heat immediately.  You know you cooked it enough when you drop syrup on a plate and in 30 seconds it has turned into hard candy.   You can dip the sides pieces like Martha and I did, but don't use a brush like Martha, you'll never be able to use it again, and a spoon works just great.

Spread the syrup glue on your pieces you are joining and then quickly put them together.  Repeat until your house is done.  Put the smaller roof piece on first, then the larger one on the other side overlapping at the roof line.



It was late at night when I finished assembling these beauties.  And they're not just gorgeous, but delicious too.  You don't have to stop at the candy when eating it.

Make the Royal Icing - Combine 2 large egg WHITES and 2 tsp. lemon juice.  Then beat in 3 cups powdered sugar.  Put it in a bag immediately, it hardens quickly when exposed to air.  Cut a tiny corner off to squeeze out your candy glue.

Cue entrance of 30 Reynolds and many pounds of candy.



Decorating was magical.  And there was much family togetherness goin' on.




The judge took her job very seriously.



I've been in the family long enough to know that the secret to a successful Reynolds party is good cheese.



It was very Christmasy.