Hello Gabi - I have wanted to reply, but hadn't had a moment to get the picture uploaded! My son and I attend a Community Ed "class" which sponsors gingergbread house making! This is his third year. His houses have lasted many months...of course we don't eat them, but he loves to look at them. They have the houses already put together for us, individual bowls of icing, and then a buffet line of candies and each child goes through the line and chooses what they want to use to decorate their house and "property"! They can go back for seconds too! Each child also has a tube of NECCO wafers. I think the key is to have everything all lined out ahead of time. We did buy a kit of cookie cutters for each piece of a house that also work well and have done our own, but going to the class is a lot easier and not as expensive (i.e. left over candy that we all don't need to eat!). My son's house this year...not quite as fancy as yours, but fun still the same! [Merry Christmas! Wendy

If eating a little dust was bad for us, we'd all be dead by now. I'd let them eat it, and what they will find is it will be hard and stale and no fun. I'd be most worried about letting them eat something that is almost pure sugar. But I know it will make them sad to throw it out, so maybe do offer making some decorated gingerbread cookies as a fun alternative. I wonder if there are some other creative ways of "re-cycling" gingergread houses out there, for those of us who don't have chickens, lol! Grind it all up and turn it into "fairy dust?"

This is my recipe and I make them often during the winter. I use Kosher gelatin which I buy from a company in New York in bulk. VERY $$$ but for my business it has to be certified Kosher or I can't sell it. Butter, for greasing & confectioners' sugar, for coating 2 tablespoons gelatin 1/2 cup cold water 2 cups granulated sugar 3/4 cup boiling water 1/8 teaspoon salt 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract 1. Butter an 8x8-inch square baking dish. Line with waxed paper, then butter waxed paper, and lightly coat with confectioners' sugar. 2. Disolve gelatin in cold water, in the bowl of a stand mixer, using whisk attachment. 3. In a large saucepan, over medium high heat, whisk together granulated sugar, boiling water and salt; bring to a boil, whisking frequently. Stop whisking, and cook for 15-20 minutes, or until a thermometer reads 236 degrees F. 4. Pour syrup slowly over gelatin. Add vanilla extract, and beat on medium speed, for 20 minutes, or until thick and cool. 5. Butter a spatula, and scrape marshmallow cream into prepared dish; smooth the surface. Freeze overnight, then remove waxed paper from dish, lifting out marshmallow. Peel waxed paper off, then cut into squares, on a cutting board, using a buttered-sharp knife. Lightly dust marshmallows with additional confectioners' sugar. 6. Makes 36 mallows (This depends on how big you cut them) I've used other flavors and dipped them in chocolate 24 hours after they've set even when they've been covered with sugar. As they dry u the sugar absorbs and creates a kind of skin. The chocolate sticks fine to that.

Molasses and Sorghum - What is the difference? The sorghum plant, which is a type of grass, was introduced into the United States from Africa in the early part of the 17th century. Sorghum syrup is a natural sweetener made by processing the juice that is extracted from the sorghum plant. Special milling equipment extracts the juice from the crushed stalks, and evaporating pans with heating units steam off the excess water leaving syrup. Sorghum syrup is produced primarily in the United States and is used as a substitute for sugar. It tends to have a thinner consistency and a slightly more sour taste than does molasses. Sorghum contains vitamins and minerals and is a good source of phosphorus, magnesium, thiamin and omega 6 fatty acids. Molasses was also introduced to the United States during the 17th century when traders started transporting it from the Caribbean to New England where much of it was made into rum. Molasses was the most popular sweetener until the late 19th century because it was more affordable than sugar. Molasses is the by-product of processing sugar cane into sugar. The sugar cane plant is stripped of its leaves and the juice is extracted from the cane by crushing or mashing. The juice is boiled to concentrate it, which produces crystallization of the sugar. The result of the first boiling and removal of the sugar crystals is called "first molasses" (mild) and is the sweetest tasting. "Second molasses" (dark) is created from a second boiling and removal of sugar crystals. "Blackstrap" is the result of a third boiling of the syrup. The darker molasses is considered bittersweet. Sulfured molasses is made from young sugar cane - sulfur dioxide is added as a preservative. Unsulfured molasses is made from mature sugar cane which does not require a preservative. Molasses contains significant amounts of vitamins and minerals and is a good source of calcium, magnesiumSor, potassium and iron. Sorghum and molasses may be stored on the shelf for up to 2 years. Once they are opened, they can be stored up to a year, if properly stored in the refrigerator to retard mold growth. If mold growth does appear, the syrups should be discarded. If the syrups crystallize, it does not cause any harm and the syrups can be liquefied by placing them in a larger container of hot water until melted. Sorghum and molasses are old-fashioned sweeteners - many people have grown up using them. Molasses is the sweetener generally preferred for cooking and baking, while sorghum is popular as a syrup. I did not know the difference, but I looked this up online. I always liked sorghum molasses better as it seems more mild. Sue