Christmas Village Houses Recipe

Ingredients

• 19 whole graham crackers
• 1 can (16 ounces) vanilla frosting
• Life Savers, M&M's and Cake Mate snowflake decors

Directions

• Using a serrated knife, cut 10 graham crackers in half, forming 20 squares; set remaining whole crackers aside. Diagonally cut four squares in half, forming eight triangles. Fill a pastry or plastic bag two-thirds full with frosting; cut a small hole in a corner of the bag. Insert a round #4 pastry tip if desired.
• For each roof (make four), pipe a strip of frosting on the short edges of two triangles. Pipe a strip of frosting on three sides of two graham cracker squares. Join the frosted edges of the triangles and squares to form roof. Let stand until set (about 1 hour). Frost roof and decorate with candies as desired.
• For each short house (make two), pipe frosting on two opposite edges of four graham cracker squares; press frosted edges together to form house.
• For each tall house (make two), pipe frosting on two opposite long edges of four reserved whole crackers; press frosted edges together to form house. Let stand until set.
• For doors, cut the remaining whole cracker into two 2-1/2-in. x 1-1/8-in. rectangles (discard remaining pieces or save for another use). With frosting, attach large rectangles on the front of tall houses and small rectangles on short house. Pipe frosting around outer edge of each door.
• Attach roofs to houses with a thin strip of frosting. Pipe eaves and doorknobs, using a star #24 pastry tip if desired. Pipe windows on sides of houses and above doors. For wreaths, pipe frosting into a circle; attach snowflake decors. Let stand until set. Yield: 4 houses (2 tall and 2 short).
  
  Editor's Note: This recipe was tested with Nabisco graham crackers.

Christmas Village Houses published in Quick Cooking November/December 2001, p10