GINGERBREAD COOKIES

5 - 5 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
2 tsps ginger
2 tsps cinnamon
1 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp ground cloves
1 cup shortening (if making a house, do NOT use butter)
1 cup sugar
1 1/4 cups molasses
2 eggs

1.  Preheat oven to 375º.  Sift flour, soda, salt and spices together, mixing thoroughly.
2.  In a large bowl, mix shortening, sugar, molasses and eggs.
3.  Add 4 cups of the flour mixture to the molasses mixture and mix well.  Add half of the remaining flour mixture and mix well again.
4a.  If mixing by hand, turn dough out onto a floured board (dough will be sticky) and knead in remaining flour mixture.  Add more flour if necessary to make a firm dough.
4b.  If using a stand mixer, scrape sides of bowl and beater, add remaining flour mixture and mix well again.  Add more flour if necessary to make a firm dough.
5.  Divide dough into fourths.  On a floured surface,  roll out one fourth of the dough using a floured rolling pin, until about 1/4" thick.
6.  Cut with well-floured cookie cutters.  If making a house, use a pizza cutter to cut around pattern.
7.  Bake on parchment lined baking sheets, 6 - 10 minutes for small/medium cookies or 12 - 15 minutes for large cookies.

Makes 40 medium to large cookies.