Good Old Fashioned Gingerbread Cake
*Ingredients:* 1 cup sugar 3/4 salad oil 1 cup molasses 2 teaspoons baking soda 1 cup boiling water 1 teaspoon ginger 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon 1/2 teaspoon cloves 2-1/2 cups sifted all purpose flour 2 well beaten eggs Topping for Gingerbread: 4 tablespoons melted butter 4 tablespoons flour 1 cup brown sugar 4 tablespoons cinnamon (or less if desired) 1 cup nuts (optional)	Directions: Combine ingredients in the order given, dissolving the soda in the hot water. Turn into a greased square or oblong pan and bake in a moderate oven, 350 degrees, about 40 minutes. Topping for Gingerbread Put it on top of the gingerbread batter before baking. This recipe is from old Cookbook Author Unknown

Hanukkah Gingerbread Box
Celebrate the Festival of Lights with this cute gingerbread box. This is a great gift for children to give to one another and can be filled with a dreidel or gold chocolate coins. Materials Needed: Gingerbread, frosting in white, blue and gold. Coins or other items to fill it with. Cardboard and scissors	Directions: First create a box model with the cardboard and use this as a stencil for the gingerbread dough before baking or use a cardboard box with cement frosting to adhere gingerbread cookies or graham crackers. Decorate the sides and tops, perhaps create a menorah with lights using prepackaged frosting. Fill with gold chocolate coins, candy or a dreidel and tie.

Gingerbread Drops

Ingredients:

1 cup shortening
1-1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1-1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1-1/2 teaspoons ground ginger
1-1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/3 cup molasses
2 eggs
1 tablespoon milk
3-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup raisins
1/2 cup chopped pecans or walnuts

Directions:

Beat shortening in a large mixing bowl with an electric mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds. Add brown sugar, baking soda, ginger, cinnamon, and cloves. Beat till well combined. Beat in molasses, eggs, and milk till combines. Beat in as much flour as you can with mixer. Stir in any remaining flour with a wooden spoon. Stir in raisins and nuts. Drop dough by rounded teaspoons onto an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake in a 375-degree oven about 8 minutes or until bottoms are lightly brown. Cool on wire racks.
Makes about 90 cookies

Gingerbread Baked in Jars

Ingredients:
2-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon (hold the spoon over the 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves / bowl and shake.
3/4 cup margarine, softened
3/4 cup water
1/2 cup molasses

Directions:
Preheat oven to 325-degrees (NO higher).
In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking soda,
baking powder, salt, ginger, cinnamon and cloves.
Stir in margarine, water and molasses until well blended. Divide batter among the 5 jars (they should be about 1/2 full). Place jars onto a cookie sheet or they'll tip over. Bake in preheated 325-degree oven for 35 minutes or until cake tester inserted in center comes out clean. Move the jars around in the oven while they're baking, so they'll bake evenly. Have your HOT lids ready. Take one jar at a time from the oven and place a lid on, then the ring. Tightly screw on lids. Allow jars to cool on your countertop. Once the jars are cool, decorate with round pieces of cloth. Unscrew the ring (the lid should be sealed by now) and place a few cotton balls or a wad of batting on top of the lid (makes it poof-y on top) then a piece of cloth (about 3" larger than the lid) on top and screw the ring back on. Decorate as desired.

Gingerbread Dough in a Blender
Ingredients: 1 stick margarine, cut in slices 1/2 cup boiling water 1/2 cup molasses 1/2 cup sugar 1 teaspoon ginger 1 teaspoon baking soda 1/4 teaspoon iodized salt 1-3/4 cup flour 1 egg vanilla ice cream	Directions: Heat oven to 350°F. Put butter, water, molasses, sugar and ginger in blender container. Blend until smooth. Add rest of ingredients (NOT ice cream) and blend until smooth. Pour into greased 9-inch pan and bake for 45 minutes

Quaker Oats Gingerbread Men

Ingredients:

1 cup butter or margarine; softened
1/2 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
1 egg
1/3 cup molasses
3 cup sifted all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon cinnamon
3/4 teaspoon ginger
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1-1/2 Cup Quaker Oats, uncooked -- (quick or old-fashioned)

Directions:

Beat butter until creamy; gradually add sugar, beating until fluffy. Add egg; beat until light and fluffy. Blend in molasses. Sift together flour, soda, salt and spices. Add to creamed mixture; blend well. Stir in oats. Chill dough at least 1 hour. Roll out on lightly floured board or canvas to 1/8-inch thickness. Cut with floured gingerbread man cutter. Place on greased cookie sheets. Bake in preheated moderate oven (350 degrees F.) 10 to 12 minutes; cool. Decorate with confectioners' sugar frosting, red cinnamon candies, semi-sweet chocolate pieces and raisins.

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