My Favorite Finds #9

My family always tries to put out bird seed and suet throughout the year for our feathered friends. The birds love our pond and stop often to drink and bathe. During the winter months, we try to do a little extra for the birds by putting out special treats for them. Below, you will find a couple of recipes that we enjoy making and putting out for the birds! It's a fun family project and it helps teach your children to enjoy and respect nature.

*This first recipe is a classic project and is easy enough for a younger child to do.

Seed Cones

Ingredients:
pine cones
peanut butter
birdseed (your choice)
ribbon, string or wire

Directions:
Place birdseed in a bowl or pour out on newspaper or waxed paper. Spread peanut butter all over the pine cones and roll them in the birdseed. Tie a piece of ribbon, string or wire to the top of each cone and hang them on tree branches. The birds will pick them clean!

*My daughter made this for one of her classes in high school. The birds devoured it and it was all gone within a couple of days!


Bird Pudding

Ingredients:
1 cup melted lard or beef suet (we used the drained fat we had saved from when we cooked hamburger)
1 cup peanut butter
2 cups quick oats
2 cups yellow cornmeal
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/3 cup sugar (optional)

Directions:
Melt lard and peanut butter together in a pan over low heat. Take off heat, and add remaining ingredients. Spread on a cookie sheet, and allow to cool in the refrigerator until the mixture is just hard enough to cut into pieces. Store in freezer bags and use as needed. Place the pieces into a suet holder or place into a plastic or clay flower pot saucer. (We placed the cookie sheet on the front porch during the winter and it cooled real fast! It actually froze, but it worked just as well.)

Recipes courtesy of: http://www.birdwatchersdigest.com/site/how_to/recipe_index.aspx