Gingerbread houses and a tutorial

Last weekend we did our annual gingerbread house making day. It's become a tradition with the grandkids and I hope we continue for many years as I love it! and I think they do to. We actually make mini-gingerbread houses out of graham crackers. I prepare the houses before the kiddos come, and then they decorate. So I thought I'd share how I make the houses. Step 1 - I melt about 1 cup of granulated sugar in a heavy duty frying pan. Stir gently till completely melted over medium high heat - will be dark brown and liquid. Turn down to low heat. Step 2 - take 1 square of graham cracker and dip in the melted sugar and immediately adhere to another square as in picture. NOTE: be careful with dripping sugar as it is very, very hot - I have a scar on the top of my hand where some dripped last year. You only have to hold the peices for a second or two and the sugar cools, and they are set.Step 3 - repeat with another square and place as in picture below.

Step 4 - Dip the two open ends of the structure above, in the sugar, and attach to another square to form the base of the house as shown below. Step 5 - Using a serrated knife, cut one of the squares of graham cracker on the diagnal to form two triangles.Step 6 - Dip the bottoms of the triangles in the sugar and attach them as shown below.Step 7 - Dip one side of the triangles (by picking up the entire base you've made so far, and attach a square of cracker to one side of the roof. Then dip again as show below and attach a square to that side.Step 8 - here are the finished little houses. I hope that was clear enough directions for you to do them. So here's a picture of the table as we were starting - there are tubs of frosting, plastic knives and a ton of candy. Here are Paisley, Jenee, and Prince with their finished creations!Kamili, Heidi and Makai with their little houses! And Gramma with her six little kiddos at the end of a gingerbread house making day!! What fun!! Can't wait till next year when Zamarah and Zavian will get to do one - maybe :)