Environmental Superhero Project for February

                                    

Yes, it's that time again  - time to make valentines for our backyard friends, the birds. This is our usual Environmental Superhero event for February, and - while messy - is always fun and satisfying. Here is the recipe we used this year:

What you need:

1 1⁄2 cups of oatmeal (instant is fine)
1 cup vegetable shortening or suet
1⁄2 cup soy nut butter
1 1⁄2 cups cream of wheat cereal, uncooked

1 1⁄2 cups corn meal
large bowl
mixing spoon
measuring cups
heart-shaped cookie cutter
plate or shallow pan for birdseed
any kind of string, ribbon, or yarn, cut into 12 inch lengths cookie sheet

sunflower or other bird seed

chopstick or pencil

What You Do:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Cook oatmeal according to package directions (microwave in large bowl). Add other ingredients in bowl, stirring first with spoon; you can use your hands when mixture gets too stiff.

3. Sprinkle some flour on your working surface and on your hands. Take a tennis-ball sized handful of dough and place it on the floured surface. Flatten the dough to about 1⁄2-inch thick. Cut out as many heart shapes as you can. You can dip the hearts into a dish of birdseed to coat them or press seeds into the heart to create a design.

4. Using a chopstick or pencil, make a hole through each heart (for where the string will go).

5. Place hearts on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake 15-20 minutes, until lightly brown. Cool on pan. 6. When completely cool, tie strings through holes. Hang outdoors from trees or shrubs.

7. See who comes to eat them!