RECIPE: Gingerbread House Decorating

Have a decorating contest and split family/friends into small groups at Thanksgiving or around Christmas and have a contest for most unique, most traditional or host a party. Buy ready-made houses and lots of items to decorate with… everyone will be busy for hours.

ICING:

• 3 3/4 cups powdered sugar (1 box )
• 3 Tablespoons Meringue powder
• 4-6 Tablespoons cold water

DECORATIONS:

• 14×10 Cake Boards from Michael?s
• Houses (Vons or Linens-n-Things)
• Paper plates (to put candy on)
• Bowls with wet paper towels to hold icing bags
• Icing bags & tips
• Clear containers for all candy
• Tablecloths (disposable)
• Hammer (to crush cough drops)
• Icing: White, Red, Green (buy extra in tubes if needed) (meringue powder
• Chocolate Chips (Christmas colors)
• M&Ms (Christmas colors)
• Andes Mints (for presents)
• Necco Candy (roof)
• Nilla Wafers (roof)
• Chex (roof)
• Mini-wheat (roof)
• Triscuits / Wheat Thins (roof)
• Pretzels – both curved & straight (fence, wood stack)
• Candy Canes-small (fence)
• Peppermints (decor)
• Marshmallows- large & small (snowman, chimney)
• Vanilla Wafer cookies (steps, chimney, shutters, door)
• Graham Crackers (door, shutters)
• Cones (Christmas tree)
• Coconut (snow)
• Powder Sugar (snow)
• Nerds
• Jelly Beans (path)
• Jelly Pops Characters (1 for each person)
• Gum (fruit striped)
• Cough Drops – blue (pond)
• Rock Candy
• Red hots
• Gingerbread people