Gingerbread Birdhouse Ornaments

Ingredients

• 2 teaspoons baking soda 
• 60 servings poached berries betty crocker®
• 1 cup brown sugar packed
• 6 cups flour all-purpose gold medal®
• 1 teaspoon ground allspice 
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 
• 1 teaspoon ground cloves 
• 2 teaspoons ground ginger 
• 4 tablespoons half and half 
• 60 servings chocolate icing green betty crocker®
• 1.5 cups blackstrap molasses 
• 4 cups powdered sugar 
• 8  pretzel sticks cut into 1-inch lengths
• 1 teaspoon salt 
• 0.3 cup shortening 
• 60 servings straw mushrooms 
• 1 teaspoon vanilla 
• 0.7 cup water 
• 60 servings yukon gold potatoes 

Equipment

• bowl
• baking sheet
• oven
• knife
• cookie cutter
• drinking straws

Directions

1. In large bowl, mix brown sugar, shortening, molasses and cold water until well blended. Stir in flour, baking soda, ginger, salt, allspice, cloves and cinnamon. Cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours.
2. Heat oven to 350°F. Lightly grease cookie sheet. On lightly floured surface, roll dough 1/2 inch thick. Using knife or 2 1/2-inch cookie cutters, cut dough into squares or circles for bases of birdhouses, and into hearts for roofs.
3. Place heart shape upside down on top of square or circle, just overlapping. Using end of drinking straw, make hole in center of birdhouse base for door and at top of roof for hanging.
4. Place about 1 1/2 inches apart on cookie sheet.
5. Bake about 15 minutes or until no indentation remains when touched. While warm, insert pretzel stick just below door hole for perch.
6. Remove from cookie sheet. Cool completely.
7. In medium bowl, mix 4 cups powdered sugar, the vanilla and enough half-and-half for desired spreading consistency. Tint with food color as desired. Frost tops of cookies (roofs) with frosting; sprinkle with powdered sugar. Decorate with decorating icing and sprinkles. Thread pieces of gold string through holes in tops of birdhouses; tie in knots to make hangers.