Here's the recipe I use 1/2 cup shortening ( crisco) 1/3 cup brown sugar 1 egg 1/2 cup molasses ( I like dark...but light works) 1/4 cup cold coffee 2 1/2 cups AP flour 1/2 tsp salt 1/2 tsp ground ginger 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon Cream shortening and sugar, add eggs and liquids and mix. Sift 1 cup of the flour with the salt and spices (or stir together) and add that to the shortening/ sugar egg mix....and add as much of the remaining flour as needed to make a stiff dough capable of being rolled out. Chill, roll and cut out and bake on parchment at 375 about 8 to 10 minutes. Notice there is no leavening....and there is crisco instead of butter. The cookies bake up very crisp....good for dunking....and great for gingerbread men....and small houses. This is not a tender "melt in your mouth cookie"...but delicious! You may also want to add more spices, if you like a spicy gingerbread man!...don't take me wrong here! LOL! Linda C

How about fondant? You can buy it by Wilton premade in white and color it yourself or you can the box that is already colored w/various colors. They have a earth tone box which is tan, black, brown I think. It is very easy to color with the coloring gels and a breeze to work and shape. You can also flavor it if you are really going to eat it. Cheap, easy,available and edible.

I've had this saved for quite a while, it came from a friend who is a mad crafter. She swears it is the sturdiest recipe she has ever used. Good Luck! Alexa Gingerbread Construction Dough (aka Oven Plywood) 12 cups pastry flour 2 tbsp ground ginger 2 tbsp ground cinnamon 2 tbs ground cloves 2 tsp ground nutmeg 1 tsp salt 2/3 cups lemon juice 2 eggs beaten 2 egg yolks beaten 1/2 cup butter 1 1/3 cups honey 3 1/3 sugar If using a small kitchenaid mixer you will want to divide this recipe up. It will be too big for the mixer. Sift flours together to blend, set aside Combine spices, set aside Combine lemon juice and eggs in another bowl, set aside. Melt butter, honey and sugar over medium heat. Stir until butter and honey are melted and then add sugar. Continue to combine- the sugar does not need to dissolve. Remove from heat. While butter/honey mixture is still warm, place in mixer bowl, add lemon juice and egg mixture. Mix until well blended using paddle attachment. Slowly add the flour and spice mixtures. Dough will be sticky at first, and then becomes very stiff as you continue adding the flours. Knead the dough until it makes a smooth ball. Keep the finished dough at room temperature, cover with plastic wrap. The dough is very difficult to roll if it becomes too cool/cold. If the dough cools down, you can wrap it in plastic wrap and microwave for 15-20 seconds at a time. This re-heats the honey slightly and makes it easier to handle. Dust the rolling surface and rolling pin, roll to desired thickness. Cut pieces and bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes for 1/4â thick, 20-25 minutes for 3/8â thick. Check pieces- different sizes may need different settings.

Jo, I love that. The girls and I made one every year. Actually, we mostly made gingerbread "hovels". A pound of gingerbread and 3 pounds of frosting, which stood up just long enough for a picture and then we ate it. Shingles were always M&Ms, and those always got eaten first. Maybe Makayla and Bud will want to help me make one this year..... Good luck on the competition, I love that front porch! Annie