Gingerbread Heaven!

Looking for a super fun holiday activity to do with kids?  Try decorating gingerbread! Whether it be gingerbread men (or people) or houses, kids love to decorate these yummy treats.

All you need are baked gingerbread cookies or house parts. Go here for some recipes from Allrecipes.com), ingredients for the icing “glue” if you’re making a house, frosting and your favorite candies for decorating.  (See gingerbread house instructions below for house-making instructions.)

Find a large surface, preferably a table, and lay out your decorating stuff: bowls of frosting (use food coloring to make different colors), sprinkles, gold and silver balls, gumdrops, candy canes – any candy you like.  Non-sharp plastic knifes and spoons will help with decorating.

Make sure the cookies are fully cooled, put on some holiday tunes, invite the kids around the table, and watch them have a blast!  (Note: Adults are allowed to decorate, too – don’t be shy.)

If you’ve got your heart set on gingerbread houses but don’t have the stomach or the time for all that baking, go the easy route: buy ready-made house kits (available almost anywhere, from craft stores to grocery stores to Target), with the house walls and other parts already baked.  A few hours or the night before decorating, put the houses together according to directions.  Then decorate!

Kathleen Walker at this link

Texas Cooking Online at this link