Each year at The Grove Park Inn in Asheville, North Carolina, the National Gingerbread Competition is held and all the entries are displayed throughout the holiday season. I’ve seen this display several times, but took my kids for the first time this year. My son was underwhelmed, and the baby was, well, a baby. But, I enjoyed seeing the  houses in all their glory. Here are some of my favorites:

All the little houses. Some bigger than others. These were the “losers,” but it’s hard to imagine some of these didn’t even place.

Like this amazing phonograph and standing toy soldier.

I mean, take a closer look. This guy is amazing. Look at his cherry little cheeks.

How about this adorable red house. I love the swirly details on the sides of the house.

Or this adorable tree house.

I think I like this one most of all. There were so many amazing houses, but this is so very sweet. In person the flowers look just right, like a beautiful spring day. (See close ups of this piece over at the official Grove Park photography site.)

This is the Grand Prize winner. All the winners were behind glass so they were hard to photograph. You can see a close up here, with multiple views — it’s even better than seeing it in person! It truly was amazing.

Related:

• The Grove Park Inn official Web site 
• Official photos of the winners of the gingerbread competition

This photo was taken just over a week ago in North Carolina. It was the tree outside my hotel window. I just love being able to see the small, drops of water on the thinned out branches. Makes me think of winter.

I mentioned in a post two weeks ago that I was busy making Rice Krispie treats for my son’s school’s bake sale. I finished them and was very proud of the final outcome. I doubled the recipe and cut them into little rectangles, stuck in a Popsicle stick and then dipped them in chocolate. So cute.

Here comes the chocolate. School color, no less. I just melted a bag of red candy melts to come up with this smooth, melted goodness.

One by one, they each got dipped half-way and set on wax paper.

See how bright the red looks.

I let them dry like this for about 20 minutes. The chocolate was dry to the touch.

Next were the cute little bags with twist ties. Each treat got his own baggie.

Aren’t they cute?  At this point I’m thinking they are worth $2.00 each. I lower my standards and think $1.00. Yes, $1.00 each, but I am not pricing them. The bake sale ladies are pricing the goods. I’ll have to wait until I get to the fall festival to see how much they ask.

It’s afternoon and I’m at the bake sale and head over to see how much my beauties are selling for. 25 cents! Twenty-five rotten cents. I can’t believe it. Not only that, they are, I think, the cheapest treat on the entire bake sale table!

I’m **crushed.**

Brownies, plain brownies are going for over $1.00. Little pretzel sticks dipped in chocolate are more. I don’t even think anything else is 50 cents.

** sigh **

Onward I go.

They are still super cute and people are buying and eating them. Kids were choosing them (because of the lollipop sticks) so all was good in my life again.

But next time, next time I’m adding some pizazz. Something fun. Something that will get the kids to run over, kicking and screaming, begging for my super cute Rice Krispie treats. I’m adding …

Disney stickers!

Who can resist Nemo?

Or Donald?

Yeah, that’s what I’ll do. I’ll add stickers and make them irresistible.

I think I’ll have to get some Princess and Lightening McQueen stickers to seal the deal.

This batch with the stickers are the ones that I saved for my son’s birthday party to use as the goodie bag item. After my astonishment about the sticker price (ha!) at the bake sale, I found these stickers lying around and decided to add them at the last minute. They really spice the treats up and push them over the top.

Here are some tips in making these treats:

• Make a double batch of Rice Krispie treats — two bags of marshmallows, six cups of cereal
• Cut them into small squares. I even trimmed them once they were cut so that the top was flat.
• Put stick in them after they are hard (I’d use some chocolate on the end so the sticks won’t fall out. Mine came out once you started eating them.
• Melt the candy melts in the microwave in intervals of 30 seconds. Don’t over microwave. Dip the treat into the bowl of chocolate. I had to use a spoon to get some of the chocolate onto the treats.
• Set them down on the wax paper to harden.
• Wrap in small candy/cellophane bags.
• Sprinkles would be cute.
• Don’t forget to add the stickers!