If you follow my blog regularly, I apologize for being MIA this past week and a half. I didn’t anticipate being away this long, but my busiest time of year became busier times four. January and February are months that require me to work a lot of extra hours, plus a few Saturdays. Just when I thought it couldn’t be busier, four of our favorite people moved in for a few weeks. Deb, one of my best girlfriends, just sold her home and is moving back to the East Coast at the end of the month. I’m choosing to be in denial and am pretending we’re having a very long slumber party. Our normally quiet house has been full of laughter and activity. We have had a great time and are savoring our moments together. They are really going to be missed when they’re gone.

This was a big surprise for our friends, and I think they’re still in shock. In the midst of the holiday season, Deb’s husband received a fabulous job offer. Then, their house sold on the first day.  They decided to stay with us for a bit to have a little more time to say goodbye to everyone.  I wasn’t sure how the boy would do living in a house with all girls. No matter what he tries to tell you, he’s loving it too!

Before our roommates moved in, I baked up these gingerbread snowflake cookies for some of my co-workers using my favorite gingerbread recipe. I’ve been really blessed to work with such great people, and am not sure I could endure the testing season without their support.

These snowflake cookies aren’t your traditional snowflake colors, but neither is our winter weather in California right now. It’s summer in January. The kids have been spending the afternoons in shorts and tank tops, running barefoot in the front yard. I think the California sunshine will only make it harder to get these girls on a plane back East.

Wishing you a warm, sunny weekend!

Best Gingerbread Recipe Ever!

1 cup butter, softened
1 cup brown sugar
1-1/3 cups molasses
4 eggs
8 cups all-purpose flour, divided
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground allspice
1 teaspoon ground cloves
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger

Directions 1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2.  In a large bowl, cream together the butter and brown sugar until smooth. Stir in the molasses and eggs. Combine 1 1/2 cups of the flour, baking soda, salt, allspice, cloves, cinnamon, and ginger; beat into the molasses mixture. Gradually stir in the remaining flour by hand to form a stiff dough. Divide dough into 2 pieces.
3.  On a lightly floured surface, roll out dough to 1/8 inch thickness. Cut into desired shapes. Place pieces 1 inch apart onto parchment-lined cookie sheets. Refrigerate for 15 minutes. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes in the preheated oven. Cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.