Mel's Gingerbread

I usually double it. My mixer can take most of the dry ingredients, and then I knead in the last of it by hand.

Mix all the dry ingredients. Set aside.
5--5 1/2 c. flour
1 t. baking soda
1 t. salt
2 t. ginger
2 t. cinnamon
1 t. nutmeg
1 t. cloves

Cream together wet ingredients then add the dry ingredients.

1 c. shortening
1 c. sugar
1 1/4 c. molasses
2 eggs

I knead the last bit of flour in by hand out on the counter until it's in a nice big ball.
Keeps two weeks in the fridge wrapped in plastic.

Bake at 375*. For soft cookies, only cook about 5 minutes. (They'll puff a little...take them out even though they don't look fully done, they'll keep cooking on the sheet for a few minutes) For house pieces, I pretty much cook them to death....12 minutes or more.

Icing for cookies.... Just powdered sugar, milk, and lemon extract....keep it thick (like toothpaste)!

-Melanie Wilkes