CUB GRUB

Edible Treats for Birds
(NOT for people)

Capital Area Council

Use your old Christmas tree or your backyard shrubs as a bird feeder. Decorate them by making Orange Slice Ornaments and Cookie Cutter Bird treats.  This not only makes a festive feeder, but also provides shelter for small birds like sparrows and juncos.

This activity can be a 1 week or 2 week Den Meeting.  This would depend on the size of the den.

Orange Slice Ornaments

Materials: Oranges, paring knife, cutting boards, yarn, raffia or ribbon, and pencils.

Give each Cub Scout his own orange and experiment slicing his orange, along with knife safety instructions.  When it’s time to deck the tree or shrub, tie each slice to a branch.

Cookie Cutter Bird Treats

Materials: Mixing bowls, measuring cups, measuring spoons, mixers-electric or manual, rolling pin, drinking straws, and ribbon.

Ingredients

1 Cup unsalted butter, softened

3 eggs, beaten,

3 l/2 cups all-purpose flour, sifted

1 teaspoon baking soda,

1 1/2 teaspoons cream of tartar

1/2 teaspoon salt, mixed birdseed

Directions:

ü  Cream the butter, then beat in the eggs.

ü  Sift together the flour, baking soda, cream of tartar, and salt.

ü  Gradually add the dry ingredients to the butter and egg mixture. 

ü  When well mixed, cover and chill. 

ü  Flour surface of cabinet top and roll out the dough to about a 1/4 in thickness.

ü  Cut out shapes with the cookie cutters;

ü  At the top of each cookie, make a hole with a drinking straw. 

ü  Press in a coating of the birdseed. 

ü  Preheat oven to 350 and bake for about 12 minutes.

ü  When cookies are cool, insert a length of ribbon through each and tie.

Since the cookie dough will need to chill, make dough first and chill.  Then try the Orange Slice Ornaments while waiting for the dough.

Snowy Trail Mix

Sam Houston Area Council

Ingredients –

3 cups pretzel sticks

1 ½ cup corn cereal

¾ cup pecan halves

½ cup cashews

½ cup dried cranberries

12 oz white chocolate

Directions –

1.       In large bowl, mix together the pretzel sticks, corn cereal, pecans, cashews, and dried cranberries.

2.       Melt the white chocolate according to the package directions and slowly pour it over the mix, stirring gently.

3.       Scoop the mix onto waxed paper to cool, about 20 minutes,

4.       Then break it in to bite sized pieces.

5.       Makes about 10 cups.

Apple – Raspberry Spiced Cider

Alice, Golden Empire Council

A sweet nonalcoholic alternative, this splendid spiced cider blends refreshing raspberry and apple in a pretty punch that's sure to bring some holiday cheer to your Christmas party. Serve with additional cinnamon sticks for stirring, if desired.  

Ingredients:

2 quarts apple cider

1 can (12 oz) thawed raspberry cocktail concentrate

1-2 whole cinnamon sticks, broken in half

2 cups frozen raspberries

Instructions:

ü  In a saucepan, stir together apple cider, raspberry cocktail concentrate and cinnamon sticks.

ü  Bring to a boil over medium heat,
Then lower the heat to low and let simmer for about 10 minutes.

ü  Stir in raspberries and

ü  Serve directly from the saucepan or transfer to a Crock-Pot to keep warm.

ü  Servings: 8 to 10

African Groundnut Stew

Alice, Golden Empire Council

Peanuts, called groundnuts in Africa, are used in a lot of African cooking But be careful of allergies!
Lots of ingredients, but a simple vegetarian dish!  

Ingredients:

1 Tbsp. olive oil

1 Large onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

1-2 fresh hot chilies, chopped

1 Tbsp. grated fresh ginger root

1 Tbsp. light brown sugar

1 tsp. Cumin

1-1/2 lbs. (750 g) butternut or other winter squash,

1-1/4 cups (300 mL) hot water

1 tsp. (5 mL) salt

1/4 tsp. (1 mL) black pepper

1/4 cup (50 mL) peanut butter

1 can (19 oz./540 mL) chickpeas, drained and rinsed

1/2 cup (125 mL) chopped roasted peanuts 1/4 cup

(50 mL) chopped fresh parsley or cilantro 

Instructions:

ü  Peel and seed the squash.  Then cut it into 1-inch (2-cm) chunks. (You will have about 4 cups when prepared)

ü  In a large saucepan or Dutch oven, heat oil over medium heat.

ü  Add onion and cook, stirring, until softened, about 5 minutes.

ü  Add the garlic, chilies, ginger, brown sugar and cumin and stir to mix.

ü  Cook for a minute or two, then add the squash and toss to coat everything evenly.

ü  Add 1 cup (250 mL) of the hot water, the salt and pepper and bring the mixture to a boil.

ü  Meanwhile, stir the remaining 1/4 cup (50 mL) of hot water into the peanut butter,

ü  Then add to the squash mixture in the pot.

ü  Mix well, cover and lower the heat to low.

ü  Let cook for 15 to 20 minutes or until the squash is nearly tender.

ü  Add chickpeas and roasted peanuts to the stew and continue cooking for another 10 minutes.

ü  Stir parsley or cilantro in just before taking it off the heat. Serve immediately.

Brownies in a Jar – Great Christmas Gift!

Alice, Golden Empire Council

These Christmas brownies make a gift that tastes and looks great. You can add a nice touch by printing the recipe and including it with the brownies so that the recipient can craft their own batch.

Ingredients:

1 quart canning jar and lid

Measuring cups and spoons

Printer to print a card and recipe

Measuring spoons

Printer

1/3 cup cocoa powder

2/3 cup sugar

1/2 cup chocolate chips

1/2 cup vanilla chips

2/3 cup brown sugar, packed

1 cup all-purpose flour

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

3/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup chopped pecans

Instructions:

ü  Layer ingredients in order given in a quart glass jar.

ü  Place lid and ring on securely.

ü  You can add a circle of holiday fabric underneath the ring to add some color to the jar.

ü  Try experimenting with multiple ingredient layers to get a different look. 

ü  You can replace both the chocolate and vanilla chips with one cup of M&M baking chips

DOUGHNUT SNOWMEN

Trapper Trails

Ingredients:

Powdered doughnuts

mini doughnuts

doughnut holes

Haviland thin mints

miniature Reese’s cups

pretzel sticks

black and orange gel frosting

Fruit Rollups

Directions

ü  Stack doughnuts large to small to make snowman.

ü  You can use pretzel sticks to hold them together.

ü  Use gel frosting to make face and buttons.

ü  The mint with Reese’s cup placed upside down on top makes the hat and

ü  Cut Fruit Rollups to make a scarf around snowman’s neck.

Marshmallow Dreidels

Alice, Golden Empire Council

Ingredients:

Marshmallows,

thin pretzel sticks,

Hershey’s kisses,

frosting or melted chocolate,

Optional melted chocolate and toasted coconut to dip the marshmallow in.

Directions:

ü  Make a hole in the center of the marshmallow and poke the pretzel stick through – make sure a little bit of the pretzel goes through the other side.

ü  Unwrap a Hershey’s kiss and bore a small hole in the center of the flat side so it will fit the pretzel.

ü  Fit the top of the dreidel to the kiss – you might have to add a thin layer of melted chocolate or frosting to make them stick together.

ü  You can decorate the marshmallow by coating it in frosting or melted chocolate and sprinkles.

ü  You can actually play with your dreidel, if you paint the letters on the sides with frosting or food coloring. – But  they could also be a fun snack!

Easy Mexican Bunuelos

Alice, Golden Empire Council

There must be hundreds of recipes for bunuelos – but these are easy ones the boys can make during a den meeting for their snack.

# 1:       Use canned biscuits, cut them in half, then drop into hot oil and cook till both sides are golden.

# 2:       You can also cut small flour tortillas into quarters, drop them into hot oil and cook till slightly golden.

# 3:       Now toss your bunuelos in a paper bag or plastic sealable bag filled part way with cinnamon sugar.  Another option is to just drizzle them with maple syrup or honey.

# 4:       Eat and enjoy!

Yule Log Cake

Alice, Golden Empire Council

The traditional Buche de Noel or Yule Log cake, is made by baking a cake in a jelly roll pan, frosting it, then carefully rolling it up into a “log.”  Usually, a wedge is cut from one end and used to make a “knot” on one side, and the whole thing is frosted.  Sometimes, meringue mushrooms are added.  You can find recipes for this cake everywhere – but here are two easier versions the boys could help make.

Version #1 -

1)         Make a regular cake mix, but bake in a loaf pan.  

2)         Remove from pan, let cool thoroughly,

3)         Then use a knife to round the top edges so you have a log shape. 

4)         Cut one end at an angle to create a wedge shape – this can be added to one side to make the “knot” where a “branch” would have been. 

5)         Now frost your cake and decorate with small plastic animals, such as squirrels, or add artificial leaves or berries along the bottom.

Version #2 -

The second version is made like a cheese log –

1)         Purchase a log or trim cheese to a log shape

2)         Then “frost” with cream cheese and add decorations. 

3)         Serve with crackers for a great snack.