Bird Seed Cornbread Cakessuet Food

BIRD SEED CORNBREAD CAKES/SUET

Steps:

• 1. In a large bowl - mix all ingredients well. I use Jiffy Cornbread mix, which is $.49/bx where I live - I don't use the egg or milk, like the box directions read...for the birds. Just add a little water, until the batter is moist. The crisco is used if you don't have any beef fats you might have saved, and melted it for this.
• 2. I cook this in a 8" iron fry pan, but you can in the oven in a cake pan if you want. I just don't put the oven on for this, if I don't have to. Cook on the stove with lid, very low heat, for about 25 minutes, or until done - like you would a cake.
• 3. Let the pan cool completely. Put it in the garage or frig to get cold fast to handle. If you can lift the cake out whole, great..but using Crisco, it doesn't set hard, like an actual suet cake.
• 4. Press firm in suet molds, if you saved one or two, or any mold to fit in suet cages outside. I also cut the bottom of a soda ltr bottle to use as a mold (see photo).
• 5. Put in freezer or refrig to get more solid, then put outside for the birds. This receipe should make about 3-4 suet-sized cakes.
• 6. Any left-overs, crumble in the tray feeder.

BIRD BREAD (BIRD FOOD)

Steps:

• Slowly melt peanut butter, grease or fat over low heat.
• Add cornmeal or stale cereal crumbs.
• Slowly add enough warm water to make a stiff dough.
• Add birdseed and raisins, nut meats or chopped peanuts.
• Pack mixture into small foil pans or a large flat pan.
• Refrigerate overnight.
• Cut into pieces for tying onto tree branches.

WHOLESOME BIRDIE BREAD FOR PARROTS

Steps:

• Pre-Heat oven to 400.
• Place muffin mix, oatmeal, and baking powder in large bowl and set aside.
• Wash whole eggs thoroughly and place in blender (shells and all.) Add baby food, applesauce, and wheat germ, and puree.
• Pour blended puree into your bowl of dry ingredients and stir with a large spoon. Stir in Tahini, cheese, grated carrots, and broccoli (if you have a fussy bird, you can puree these items in the blender in step 3.).
• Spread mixture in a lightly greased 9 x 13" pan and sprinkle the seed (or pellets) over the top.
• Bake for approximately 30-40 minutes. (Time may vary.) Let cool and cut into squares that are the size of a daily portion for your bird and freeze accordingly.
• Defrost daily portions in the microwave before feeding. Depending on your bird, either crumble the birdie bread into their bowl (especially smaller birds) or give them talon size chunks (bigger birds).
• Don't be afraid to experiment with the ingredients. The recipe is very forgiving. Instead of baby food, I sometimes substitute frozen mixed vegetables, a can of pumpkin, mashed bananas, or mashed sweet potatoes.
• Instead of oatmeal, I often use cooked brown rice, baby rice cereal, or wholegrain Cheerios. Other things I've experimented with include chopped nuts, raisins, cooked lentils, chopped kale, pureed chickpeas, or pasta.
• Tahini (sesame seed paste) is preferable to peanut butter, if you can find it. It's very high in protein and calcium.

BIRD SUET CAKES

Steps:

• Melt lard and peanut butter, in microwave oven about 3 minutes, stirring each minute; then add in all other ingredients and mix together.
• Scrape into flat pan (9-13), cool in refrigerator until hard.
• Cut to desired size and wrap in plastic wrap or foil.
• Refrigerate until ready to use.
• Place in small mesh bag (old produce bags work) and hang where birds can reach.
• Watch that other critters cannot get to it.