Creating a Gingerbread House

I get excited when this time of year rolls around because of the celebrations, remembering  traditions I grew up with  but most of all creating  memories with those around us.  I get excited over making Christmas cookies and candies.  I look forward to remembering that Christ's birth is the reason for the season.  I look for ways to bring joy and happiness to others.  To me it truly is the season for paying it forward and looking for ways to encourage others.
I
In my foods classes these next few weeks, we will be doing activities that hopefully will give  students some memorable experiences that they may be able to share with their own families and friends.  One of the big experiences that I introduce to my students is making Gingerbread houses.  In past years we have made them out of graham crackers, purchased kits and even made them from "scratch".  It is an activity that also enables kids to learn how to work as teams,develop problem-solving skills, be organized as well as develop their creativity. Wow, who knew learning could be so fun.
This year  my Culinary Arts students  made their own Gingerbread houses from scratch.  This week they will put "glue" them together with Royal Icing and decorate them.  The  theme is "Home Sweet Home".  They have to design a house that looks like what they live in now or hope to live in in the future.  They must work in teams AND everything other than the platform has to be edible.  Of course all houses are entered into our Gingerbread house contest and the first three houses  will receive prizes.  Each year I build my Gingerbread house so as to show them how to do it and the problems I have in constructing them.
Making The Dough 
The dough recipe I used included  the usual ingredients of molasses, ginger, cloves, nutmeg,shortening and flour.  It was easy to work with and when I would refrigerate it to use another day, all I needed to do was place it in microwave for 10-15 seconds which would warm it up just enough to make it pliable.

I rolled the dough out onto a parchment-lined baking sheet and then placed all my pattern pieces on the dough strategically so there would be very little wasted space.

I baked the gingerbread pieces in a 350 degree oven for approximately 25-35 minutes or until the pieces were firm in the middle (if you accidentally take them out and they're not quite firm just don't cover them so that they dry out and firm up.

Putting The House Together

The "glue" is royal icing.  Here I have colored the icing so that it matches the gingerbread pieces but it isn't necessary if you decide to cover the house with a different color.  Make sure you put icing on both surfaces you plan to stick together.  It will help it adhere better.  Next give the walls some type of brace until they dry.  I used cans I had in the cupboard.

Its important you don't rush and begin decorating immediately, otherwise if it isn't totally dry, it will keep trying to collapse and you will have a big mess.

And now I am putting together my barn.

The symbols represent our brand.

Here I am in the process of creating a John Deere tractor.

The Final Project

After changing the house color three times, having to prop up a collapsing roof and not baking enough pieces for the barn, it is finally done.   

What I've Learned in The Process of Making a Gingerbread House.

• Start with a simple design.  You can find many different plans on the internet.  It is better to start with a simple design and add to it through decoration.  
• Take it slow.  Over the years I've watched students construct the houjustse and then try to decorate it before it was dry.  Suddenly the house collapses and student wants to give up.
• If you mess up on the color, detail or just don't like something, scrap it off or take it off!  Sand it down, re do it and it will look as if you didn't have a problem in the first place!
• Is it realistic to make everything edible?  Of course you can!  Tree trunks can be made from waffle cones.  Arms for the snowman? Uncooked spaghetti!  

Gingerbread House Dough

Courtesy of Food.com

Ingredients

2 cups corn syrup

1 1/2 cups firmly packed brown sugar

1 1/4 cups margarine

9 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

Directions

In a medium microwave-safe bowl, heat corn syrup, brown sugar and margarine until margarine has melted and sugar has dissolved completely. Stir until smooth.  Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine flour and salt. Add syrup-sugar-margarine mixture. Mix well. Wrap the dough in plastic and let it rest at least 30 minutes at room temperature. Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Roll out the dough 1/4-inch thick onto a sheet of parchment cut to fit your baking pan. Lightly flour the cardboard patterns and place them on the rolled-out dough, leaving a 1-inch space between pieces. Try to fit as many as you can without crowding. Remove and reserve excess dough. Reroll dough scraps for the remainder of the pieces. Grab the opposite edges of the parchment paper and transfer to the baking sheet. Bake 12 to 15 minutes or until pieces are firm and lightly browned around the edges. Cool completely before removing from pans.

Royal Icing

Courtesy of Alton Brown

Ingredients
6 egg whites
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
4 cups confectioners' sugar

Directions

In large bowl of stand mixer combine the egg whites and vanilla and beat until frothy. Add confectioners' sugar gradually and mix on low speed until sugar is incorporated and mixture is shiny. Turn speed up to high and beat until mixture forms stiff, glossy peaks. This should take approximately 5 to 7 minutes. Add food coloring, if desired. For immediate use, transfer icing to pastry bag or heavy duty storage bag and pipe as desired. If using storage bag, clip corner. Store in airtight container in refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Enjoy!

This week I am taking a break from soup recipes and want to share some great family recipes we have made over the years to make Thanksgiving special.  They are easy and quick and ANYONE (even my husband, Eric whose specialty is cracking open a can of tomato soup) can make these dishes.  My first recipe is Caramel Pie.

The basic ingredients are ready-made graham cracker pie crust (Can use others such as an OREO if you want, sweetened condensed milk, Cool whip and some type of garnish.

First thing you are going to do is put the can of sweetened condensed milk (you can use one, but I like to cook up two!) in a pot of water.

Cover the cans with water and bring to a boil.  Turn the heat down and allow to simmer.

The cans will simmer for three hours.  Make sure the cans are covered with water all three hours to ensure even cooking.  I cover the pan with a lid because it prevents the water from evaporating too fast.

Once your can(s) have cooked for three hours, take them out of the water and allow to sit for a couple minutes before you open them.  That way the insides of the can will not spit out as much when the can is opened.

Pour it into the graham cracker pie crust.

Spread Cool whip over the pie and place in freezer until ready to use.  You can garnish it with everything including caramel, pecans,toffee bits and even Oreo cookies!

ENJOY!

Caramel Pie

Ingredients
1 can sweetened condensed milk

1 small container whipped topping
1 graham cracker or chocolate crumb crust (8 or 9 inch)

Optional Garnish: Chopped pecans, Caramel, Toffee bits

Directions

Place can, unopened in to a pot of water.  Make sure the can is covered with water.  Simmer the can for three hours, making sure to keep it covered with water.  Open can and pour into pie crust Cool in freezer. Frost it with whipped cream; and sprinkle with pecans, toffee bits or whatever you want to garnish with. Serve.

Soups On!

Was it cold this week or what?  I'm from Montana and it sure felt like deja vu!  We knew how to dress for the weather and when it got cold outside a hot bowl of soup sounded just right!  I love soup and a hearty bread to go along with it.  These next couple of weeks I want to post some of my favorite soup recipes along with some holiday recipes I've started to make.  I've started to build my annual Gingerbread house early this year and take pictures of the process so those will be posted also.  

My first soup recipe is one I've posted before and think its a great one to start the season off with.  It is healthy, easy to make and seems to hit the spot!

Spicy  Sausage Tortellini Soup

Ingredients

1 tablespoon olive oil

1/2 cup minced onions ( about 1/2 small onion)

1 tablespoon minced garlic

1 pkg diced kielbasa ( I like Hillshire Farms Polska Kielbasa)

1 large can V-8 juice (4 cups)

2 cups chicken broth

1 (14 ounce) crushed tomatoes (w/ liquid)

1 tablespoon Basil

1 (9 ounce) packages fresh tortellini

10 ounces fresh spinach

1/4 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese (optional)

Directions

In a pot, heat olive oil and sauté onion and garlic until onions are translucent, about 2-3 minutes. Add sausage and cook another 1-2 minutes.  Add V -8 juice, broth and tomatoes, turn heat up to high, and bring to a boil.  Add the tortellini and simmer another 15 minutes.

When tortellini is almost done, add spinach and taste, adjusting seasonings with salt and pepper.  Serve and garnish each serving with a sprinkling of parmesan.

Working With Kids Takes Time

It's been a busy week and I am tired, but it is a good kind of tired because of the privilege I've had working with kids that are eager to learn.  Working with kids takes time.  I have a story to share...
I went back to school after my  kids had started school.  I loved cooking, sewing and doing all the family kind of stuff and figured becoming a teacher would be an ideal job when having a family.  I had a vision- I would go to school with my kids and leave work after the kids got off and spend time with them.  Perfect way to balance work and family, right?  WRONG!  At the end of my junior year I was in an education class and we had a guest speaker that was doing her student teaching.  As she was talking, all of a sudden I heard her say, "...at midnight preparing a bulletin board."

What!?  Midnight!?  Something is wrong with this picture!?

Over the years of teaching (I've been doing this for over 20 years now!) I've learned that being a good teacher takes time. Some people ask why so much time? We can buy already prepared lessons......Whats the deal?  Well making lessons real and individual to the class takes time.  Let me give an example.  

This week we are beginning the Baking Unit.  We always begin by learning the purpose of the baking ingredients, mixing them and baking them.  Sure I could use a set lesson where I just hand them a study guide, they look up the answers to the questions, then I show them a video demonstrating  examples of the recipes, give them a test to see what they learned, correct it and I'm done.  I've done my job, right? Or have I?  

I don't think so.  When the kids go home and try to replicate the recipe and something goes wrong and they have to throw it out and never try it again because of the failure, have they really learned the information I tried to teach them?  I said "No" so to help my kids start learning the ingredients I began with the  "Mystery Lab".

When the classes came in they were given a recipe to read and then ask any questions.  After that they began to cook the food.  It was a chocolate chip cookie but I had omitted the chocolate chips so we would be able to see only the cookie.

They had to use the technique of browning butter.  That's right "brown", not "burn"!  After the students were done, each group had to give me one cookie on a paper plate and label it with their kitchen number and class period.  I had cookies that were all different shapes and sizes

.

None of them looked the same.   I wondered if they had even used the same recipe!?!

That's how I introduced the baking unit and the reason why, baking is following a chemical formula.  

You need to use the right portions, right ingredients, right mixing technique and the right baking pan and temperature or your recipe will not be consistent. T at's WHY we follow directions.  That's WHY we read carefully and ask questions if we don't understand.  We also learn how to repair or fix something if we mess up....AND ALL OF US MESS UP....INCLUDING ME!

Yes, I could just follow a canned lesson plan but to help kids learn, in my classes they need to experience mess ups and experience them many different times and learn how to fix them.
 I love it.
 There is nothing better than to see a student run up to me and say, "Mrs. Dalke, what do you think!  Try a bite! :)  

Speaking of cookies, the holidays are coming and I thought I would share one of the best sugar cookies I've ever made (A Cook's Illustrated recipe!) AND show you how you can use some of that  Halloween candy that  might be leftover.

First, mix ingredients as directed on the recipe.  Mix the candy into the dough.  I had candy corn and gumdrops I added to mine.Wet your hands with water, and roll the scooped dough into a ball.

Dip each ball into  sugar, place on cookie sheet and flatten with the bottom of a glass.

Bake until they look ALMOST DONE and take out of oven.  Allow to sit for a couple of minutes and then remove from the pan.

 Last step? Take a bite and enjoy the sweet chewiness!  Enjoy!

CHEWY SUGAR COOKIES

Makes 2 dozen cookies

INGREDIENTS

2 1/4 cups (11 1/4 ounces) unbleached all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon table salt

1 1/2 cups (10 1/2 ounces)

2 ounces cream cheese, cut into 8 pieces

6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) unsalted butter, melted and still warm

1/3 cup vegetable oil

1 large egg

1 tablespoon milk

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

INSTRUCTIONS

 Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 350 degrees. Line 2 large rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper.Whisk flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt together in medium bowl. Add leftover candy and set aside.

 Place 1½ cups sugar and cream cheese in large bowl. Place remaining 1/3 cup sugar in shallow baking dish or pie plate and set aside. Pour warm butter over sugar and cream cheese and whisk to combine (some small lumps of cream cheese will remain but will smooth out later). Whisk in oil until incorporated. Add egg, milk, and vanilla; continue to whisk until smooth. Add flour mixture  and leftover candy and mix with rubber spatula until soft dough forms.

 Divide dough into 24 equal pieces, about 2 tablespoons each (or use #40 portion scoop). Using hands, roll dough into balls.

Working in batches, roll balls in reserved sugar to coat and evenly space on prepared baking sheet, 12 dough balls per sheet. Using bottom of drinking glass, flatten dough balls until 2 inches in diameter. Sprinkle tops evenly with 4 teaspoons of sugar remaining in shallow dish (2 teaspoons per tray), discarding any remaining sugar.

Bake, 1 tray at a time, until edges are set and just beginning to brown, 11 to 13 minutes, rotating tray after 7 minutes. Cool cookies on baking sheets 5 minutes. Using wide metal spatula, transfer cookies to wire rack and cool to room temperature.

Thanks to Cook's Illustrated for the sugar cookie recipe.