Making gingerbread men and women has been a tradition in my family since my children were young. Since then, my grandchildren have joined in, adding the smarties and other decorations to each cookie. Sometimes more candies disappear into th emouths of my helpers than are put on the cookies! Regardless, it's a fun time to spend together as we celebrate the Christmas season as a family.

Gingerbread Cutouts

• 1 cup butter
• 1 ^1/2 tsp. baking soda
• 1 cup sugar
• ^1/2 tsp. salt
• 1 egg
• 2 tsp. ginger
• 1 cup dark molasses
• 1 tsp. cinnamon
• 2 Tbsp. vinegar
• 1 tsp. cloves
• 5 cups sifted flour

Cream butter; add sugar gradually. Beat in egg, molasses and vinegar. Blend in sifted dry ingredients. Chill. Roll ^1/8 to ^1/4 inch thick on floured surface; cut into desired shapes. Place on greased cookie sheets. Bake at 375F for 5 to 15 minutes depending on size and thickness of cookie. (Makes approximately 35 - 40 gingerbread people.)

Decorative Frosting

• 2 egg whites
• 2 ^1/2 cups confectioner's sugar
• ^1/4 cup light corn syrup
• food colouring

Beat egg whites until they hold a soft peak. Add sugar gradually and beat until sugar is dissolved and frosting stands in peaks. Add corn syrup and beat one minute. Divide frosting into small portions. Colour each amount as desired with food colouring. Add a few drops of water if a thinner frosting is needed. Keep well covered when not in use.

Instructions for Making Gingerbread Box

Make cardboard patterns using the following dimensions.

Sides - 8 x 2 ^1/4 inches
Ends - 6 x 2 ^1/4 inches
Bottom - 8 x 5 ^3/4 inches
Top - 8 ^1/2 x 6 ^1/4 inches

Use Gingerbread Cutouts recipe. Place cardboard patterns on dough; cut around patterns with a sharp knife. Cut 2 sides, 2 ends, 1 bottom and 1 top. Place on greased cookie sheets. Bake as directed in recipe. Trim edges that are not straight while cookies are hot; work carefully. Cool on cookie sheets.

Syrup

• 1 ^1/2 cup sugar
• ^1/2 cup water
• ^1/4 cup light corn syrup

Combine all ingredients in a saucepan. Cover; bring to a boil; boil 5 minutes. Remove cover. Cook to 300F or hard crack stage. Switch to a warm heat setting to keep syrup boiling hot while putting parts of Gingerbread Box together. Work as quickly as possible. If mixture gets too thick add a small amount of light corn syrup, bring to boiling point.

Join the sides and ends to bottom of box by applying syrup to the edges; hold in place a few minutes until syrup sets. Decorate edges of box with Decorative Frosting. Decorate cover of box as desired. Fill box with miniature cookies or small Gingerbread Cutout cookies. Place cover on box.

DECEMBER 2006 SENIOR LIVING MAGAZINE VANCOUVER ISLAND