Walking in a Winter Wonderland

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We have been blessed with a great deal of snow here in New England, with more coming on Saturday. Everything is frosted white. Boston was brought to a standstill yesterday, as the snow fell over an inch an hour for many hours. It took some people up to seven hours to get home from work. For me, it was a 33 mile 2 1/2 hour deal. But I had fun. I cranked my tunes, and smiled a great deal. I came home and lit candles and did a bit of yoga. I woke up to a winter wonderland.

Speaking of Yoga:

Your Daily Cool Things:






Designfruit:Japanese Photoshop Brushes

Your Daily Wonderful Design:





I am grooving on Ich&Kar represented over at Domestic

Your Daily Inspiring Words:

My definition of success is to live your life in a way that causes you to feel a ton of pleasure and very little pain - and because of your lifestyle, have the people around you feel a lot more pleasure than they do pain.
Anthony Robbins

Your Daily Wicked-Good Food:




Image by Me


Wilton Gingerbread Cookies


Tools:

* Large mixing bowl
* Electric hand mixer or Electric mixer
* Large spatula
* Rubber Spatula
* Gingerbread Girl Metal Cutter
* Gingerbread Boy Comfort Grip™ Cutter
* Christmas Tree Comfort Grip™ Cutter
* 14 x 20 in. Jumbo Aluminum Cookie Sheet
* 14-1/2 x 20 in. Non-Stick Cooling Grid

Ingredients:

* 5-5-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
* 1 teaspoon baking soda
* 1 teaspoon salt
* 2 teaspoons ginger
* 2 teaspoons cinnamon
* 1 teaspoon nutmeg
* 1 teaspoon cloves
* 1 cup shortening
* 1 cup sugar
* 1-1/4 cups unsulphured molasses
* 2 eggs, beaten

Preheat oven to 375° F. Thoroughly mix flour, soda, salt and spices. Melt shortening in large saucepan. Cool slightly. Add sugar, molasses and eggs; mix well. Add four cups dry ingredients and mix well.

Turn mixture onto lightly floured surface. Knead in remaining dry ingredients by hand. Add a little more flour, if necessary, to make a firm dough. Roll out on a lightly floured surface to a 1/4" thickness for cut-out cookies.

If you're not going to use your gingerbread right away, wrap dough in plastic and refrigerate. Refrigerated dough will keep for one week, but be sure to remove it 3 hours prior to rolling so it softens and is workable.

Dip cutters in flour and cut. Remove excess dough. Make features with pastry tips and small cutters.

For ribbon tie, cut two holes with a drinking straw side by side at neck. Bake 6-10 minutes or until lightly browned. Re-pierce hole if needed. Let cool on sheet for 2-3 minutes. Remove carefully with large spatula. Cool on wire rack. When cool, thread ribbon through neck and tie. Gingerbread easily absorbs humidity; store in a cool dry place.