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Baloo's Bugle

December 2006 Cub Scout Roundtable Issue

Volume 13, Issue 5
January 2007 Theme

Theme: Poles Apart
Webelos: Fitness & Scientist
Tiger Cub
Activities

CUB GRUB AND FUN FOODS

Penguin Snack
Heart of America Council

  • 1 slice of bread per child,
  • Spread cream cheese over top.
  • Use 1/2 black olives for eyes (or raisins),
  • Wedge of carrot for beak,
  • Chopped black olives for wings.

CINNAMON “POLE APARTS”
Great Salt Lake Council

Ingredients:

  • 3 (10 oz.) cans biscuits
  • 2 1/2 c. brown sugar
  • 1 stick butter or margarine
  • 1 tbsp. cinnamon
  • Nuts optional

Directions

  1. Cut biscuits into fourths and roll into balls.
  2. Combine 1 1/2 cups brown sugar and cinnamon.
  3. Coat balls in the sugar mixture and drop into a Bundt pan that has been coated with non-stick cooking spray.
  4. Melt butter or margarine, stir in the remaining brown sugar until dissolved.
  5. Pour over the biscuits.
  6. Bake at 350° for 35-40 minutes.
  7. Dump out onto a large serving dish.
  8. For individual “Pole Aparts”, each scout could use a tiny aluminum loaf pan.

OREO PENGUIN SNACK
Great Salt Lake Council

Ingredients:

  • Oreo cookies
  • Chocolate Kisses
  • Candy corn

Directions:

  1. Divide the Oreo into two pieces.
  2. Break or cut (with serrated knife) the half that does not have the icing on it.
  3. Unwrap candy Kiss and push the flat part into the frosting at the top of the Oreo cookie.
  4. Take the two halves of the other part of the cookie and place on icing with curved sides facing the center. Use two pieces of candy corn to make the feet.
  5. Eyes can be added by taking a little bit of frosting from the cookie, with a toothpick.

POLAR BEAR POPS
Great Salt Lake Council

Ingredients:

  • 4 firm, ripe bananas
  • 8 wooden craft sticks
  • Peanuts
  • 2 cups white chocolate chips
  • 1-1/2 Tbsp. vegetable shortening
  • Wafer candies
  • Cherries
  • Assorted small candies

Directions:

  1. Cut each banana in half.
  2. Insert a craft stick at the bottom,
  3. Position two peanut halves at the top to look like ears and place on a wire rack.
  4. Melt chocolate and shortening on top of a double boiler.
  5. Pour mixture over the banana as it sits on the rack until it is well-covered.

To make a bear face:

  1. Place a wafer on the banana for the snout area, attaching it by adding a tiny amount of the chocolate mixture.
  2. Use a piece of cherry for the mouth, attaching it with the chocolate mixture.
  3. Add a circle candy for the nose and two small candies for the eyes.
  4. Place on a tray lined with wax paper and freeze for an hour.

POLAR ICE CAP DRINK
Great Salt Lake Council

Ingredients:

  • Blue Kool-aid (prepared as directed)
  • Lemon-lime soda
  • Vanilla ice cream

Directions:

  1. Put the Kool-aid and the soda in the refrigerator until they are cold.
  2. Fill a clear plastic cup almost halfway with the blue Kool-aid.
  3. Add the soda almost to the top of the glass.
  4. Carefully drop in a scoop of vanilla ice cream. 
  5. Enjoy your "North Pole" drink with a straw!

Icy Blue Igloo
Heart of America Council

Ingredients:

  • 3 packages of Jell-O Berry Blue Gelatin Dessert (4-serving size)
  • 2 . cups boiling water
  • 1 . cups cold water
  • 2 cups ice cubes
  • 2 cups whipped topping

Directions:

1. Dissolve 2 packages of blue jell-o in 2 cups boiling water.

2. Add cold water. Pour into 13-inch x 9-inch pan.

3. Chill until set, about 3 hours.

4. Cut gelatin into 1/2 inch cubes. Set aside.

5. Line a 6-cup bowl with plastic wrap. Set aside.

6. Dissolve remaining package of blue jell-o in 3/4 cup boiling water.

7. Add ice cubes. Stir until slightly thickened, about 3 to 5 minutes. Remove any unmelted ice.

8. Whisk in 1 cup whipped topping. Stir in 2/3 of the gelatin cubes

9. Pour mixture into prepared bowl.

10. Chill until set, about 3 hours.

11. Unmold onto serving plate, flat side down. The round part should be on top.

12. Remove plastic wrap and frost surface with remaining whipped topping and decorate with remaining jell-o cubes so that it looks like blocks in the “ice” of the whipped topping.

There you have your “igloo.”

Snow Balls
Heart of America Council

Ingredients:

  • 1 stick butter
  • 2 cups rolled oats
  • 1/2 cup peanut butter
  • 2 cups powdered sugar
  • Additional powdered sugar for rolling balls

Directions:

  1. Melt butter over medium heat;
  2. Add oats stirring constantly until oats are toasted, about 5 min.
  3. Remove from heat.
  4. Add peanut butter and sugar to make a stiff dough.
  5. Roll into balls and roll in powdered sugar.

Danish Pancakes
Heart of America Council

Ingredients:

  • 2 cups flour
  • 2 . cups milk
  • 8 eggs
  • 1 T. sugar
  • 1 t. salt
  • 1 T. oil

Directions:

  1. Mix all ingredients together.
  2. Melt 1 T. butter in a small skillet.
  3. Cover bottom of pan with batter.
  4. Brown on one side, turn pancake and brown on other side.
  5. Sprinkle each pancake with granulated sugar, top with jam, and roll up.
  6. Option: Fill pancake with fresh fruit and ice cream.

Quesadillas

Ingredients:

  • 12 tortillas
  • 1/4 lb. Jack cheese

Directions:

  1. Put slices of cheese on tortillas.
  2. Heat in toaster oven or broiler, or microwave until cheese is melted.
  3. Roll up or fold over and serve.

Tallarina
Heart of America Council

Ingredients:

  • 1 lb. ground beef
  • 1 chopped med. Onion
  • 2 cans tomato sauce
  • 1 can cheddar cheese soup
  • 1 can corn
  • 1 small jar stuffed olives
  • 1 (8 oz.) package noodles, cooked and drained
  • salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

  1. Brown together: ground beef, chopped Onion, tomato sauce
  2. Mix everything together in a casserole dish.
  3. Bake at 325 for 1 hour.

Maple Snow
Heart of America Council

I have done this at a friends house in Vermont with maple Syrup we have made from tapping the trees through boiling.  It is great!! CD

Ingredients:

  • 1 tray ice cubes, crushed or grated very fine to be like snow.
  • ½ ?? maple syrup (the book did not say – I guess it is cup but a bottle would be good J )

Directions:

  1. Heat maple syrup over low heat until it is warm. (about 2 minutes)
  2. Drop 1 Tablespoon or more of the syrup on top of snow ice.
  3. This makes a tasty treat when there is snow outside.

Breakfast Blanket
Heart of America Council

Ingredients:

  • 1 T. jam
  • 2-6 inch whole wheat flour tortillas
  • 1 cup fresh fruit such as peaches

Directions:

  1. Spread 1/2 tablespoon of jam on each tortilla.
  2. Sprinkle 1/2 cup fruit on each tortilla.
  3. Roll up to make bumpy blanket.
  4. Idea: Creamed cheese could be used in place of jam.

Viet Nam Spring Rolls
Heart of America Council

Ingredients:

  • Quartered rice paper (available in Asian stores already quartered)
  • 1 peeled cucumber
  • 8 boiled shelled and cut into bite size shrimp
  • 1/3 peeled daikon radish
  • 4 green scallion strips 3” long
  • 1/4 cup soy sauce

Directions:

  1. Cut cucumber and radish’s into 3” strips.
  2. Cut shrimp into bite sizes.
  3. Lay out on rice paper (cut in a triangle with point to the top). Spray with water in mister bottle.
  4. Wait 1 min. for paper to soften.
  5. Place 2 shrimp(chopped) on top of rice paper.
  6. Place 2 strips of cucumber, and 2 strips of radish, and scallion strip on top of shrimp.
  7. Fold sides inward and roll up from bottom.
  8. Serve with soy sauce.

Pretzel Spears

Ingredients:

  • 1 ounce Mozzarella cheese cut in 1/4 inch cubes.
  • 1 box thin pretzel sticks

Directions:

  1. Cube cheese and spear with pretzels.
  2. Build a design with the cheese and pretzels.

Boys could be divided into teams and work together to construct a tower or building.  After a set amount of time the contest could be over and the boys could eat their design.

Foil Cooking
Variations on the "Hamburger Foil Dinner
San Gabriel Valley, Verdugo Hills, Long Beach Area

A foil dinner may be a great choice for your winter time outdoor activity.  Boys can assemble and wrap their food, then place it on the coals and leave it alone for a while they do things (play games, go inside) to keep warm while it cooks.  CD

1. Just a touch of garlic salt makes a lot of difference. If you look at the labels in the stores, you will see that onion and garlic are part of almost everything! It doesn't take much to make it great. 

2. I like to use cabbage leaves to wrap it all in before I wrap in foil. A little catsup helps for some boys. I also add a few slices of onion. Around here, we never seem to have enough. The kids all go for seconds! 

3. We add Cream of Mushroom soup to our "hobos." It adds taste as well as additional moisture. A couple of tablespoons will do just fine. Yum-yum. 

4. Just skip the butter and add some soup. Cream of mushroom or something like that. When cooked slow it is wonderful. 

5. How about BBQ sauce, Worchester sauce, or even Italian dressing? 

6. Spices ... a measuring teaspoon of Italian seasoning or of curry powder or of chili powder wouldn't hurt it either. You might be able to combine BBQ and chili powder; or Italian dressing and Italian seasoning; I don't recommend mixing Worcestershire and curry powder though. 

7. We have spiced up our "hunters pack" aluminum foil dinners by adding Heinz 57 sauce. It is the boy's secret ingredient. It really makes a big difference. We've had boys finish one dinner and return to make seconds and thirds until all the ingredients are gone.  I remember some were just cooking the left-over onions or potatoes as long as they had the Heinz 57 left to spice them up.

8. Instead of hamburger, try Pork Loin, or Boneless Chicken Breast!   Also vary the vegetable ingredients to include slices of tomato, and/or bell peppers. BBQ sauces may be included also.  If you use chicken, try pineapple slices with mild BBQ sauce.  Ground turkey can be used instead of ground beef, and is "more healthy". 

9. I have had good luck asking the kids what they would like in their foil dinners. You'd be amazed at the great ideas they come up with. If, however, your den is gastronomically challenged :-), there are some things you can do to liven up those meals:  I've substituted Mrs. Dash, garlic pepper, Montreal seasoning, or any other favorite general- purpose seasoning for the pretty dull salt and pepper usually found in a foil dinner. We've added celery, green beans, and onions into our dinners for some additional variety. I've also had some good experiences substituting chicken for the beef, and making a pseudo stir-fry dinner using stir-fry oil instead of butter and spices. 

10. Also, consider replacing the hamburger with stew meat, cubed steak, or chicken or turkey breasts cut into stew meat sized cubes. As to spices, consider adding a part of a clove of fresh garlic. Smash it first.  You might also consider adding soy sauce, teriyaki, or plain old steak sauce.  Try adding small dough balls of biscuit mix for dumplings. 

11. In addition to the ingredients you mentioned, I always use onion, bell pepper, radishes, Lowry's Seasoned Salt (and/or Lowry's Seasoned Pepper), and Worcestershire sauce. In addition, I sometimes will use barbecue sauce and if someone thinks to bring some along, sweet potatoes (try it!). I have also seen other people use soy sauce, Tabasco, etc. 

12. Instead of salt and pepper, use seasoning salt and pepper. This makes it a whole lot less bland. Of course you could add Worcestershire sauce AFTER you are done cooking for those who like that.

13. One of my favorite additional ingredients in a foil dinner is a dash (maybe a big dash) of Wyler's bouillon granules. These add significantly to the flavor. I typically use Seasoned Salt instead of just plain salt. You also left out one of the main flavor ingredients, Onions. Anything in the onion family can add lots of flavor, try scallions or green onions if the boys are a little squeamish about yellow onions. Garlic (salt, powder, crushed) can add a nice flavor. 

Foil Cooking Hints 

Use two layers of light-weight, or one layer of heavy duty aluminum foil. Foil should be large enough to go around food and allow for crimping the edges in a tight seal. This will keep the juices and steam in. This wrap is know as the "drugstore" wrap.

The Drugstore Wrap

Use heavy foil three times the width of the food.
Fold over and roll up the leading edges.
Then roll sides for a steamproof seal.

A shallow bed of glowing coals that will last the length of cooking time is necessary.

Approximate Cooking Times: 

  • Hamburger: 8-12 minutes,
  • Carrots: 15-20 minutes 
  • Chicken pieces: 20-30 minutes,
  • Whole Apples: 20-30 minutes 
  • Hotdogs: 5-10 minutes,
  • Sliced potatoes 10-15 minutes 

Foil Dinner 

Lay slices of potatoes, onion, and carrots on a sheet of heavy-duty foil then place hamburger patty on top. Cover with slices of potato, onion, and carrots. Season with butter, salt and pepper. Cook 20-30 minutes over hot coals, turning twice during cooking. 

More Helpful Hints 

  • Do NOT, REPEAT NOT use cheese in your recipes, unless put on after cooking.  The cheese will warm and separate and the oil will catch fire or cook the food faster than expected. We had a few very unhappy Cubs expecting Cheeseburgers, but receiving, well something else if you can imagine. 
  • It may cost a bit more too, but try to keep your meats lean and let the veggies add the moisture necessary. 
  • Also, have some extra bread and cheese slices available as there will inevitably be an accident or two (broken foil-food in fire), and a few boys who will not be to happy with the final product. 
  • Don't forget extra utensils, as you'll be moving a lot of packages around. 

Pizza Pocket
San Gabriel Valley, Verdugo Hills, Long Beach Area

I have seen a pizza pocket dinner, made with pita bread or packages of 'flat' dough (those tubes from The Dough Boy).

You take the flat dough, and fill the center with pizza sauce, pepperoni, cheese, with optional mushroom, olives etc.

Fold it over to enclose the 'goodies' and wrap in 2 layers of foil.  

'BAKE' 10 minutes on each side, and you might have a pizza pocket. 

If using Pita bread, just long enough to warm everything and melt cheese.  Make sure cheese is inside and you don’t overheat (See Helpful Hint on cheese)

 Ham Dinners 
San Gabriel Valley, Verdugo Hills, Long Beach Area

I have done chunks of ham, sweet potatoes (par boiled), pineapple. As soon as it comes out of fire, I add a few mini marshmallows on top. 

Chicken Dinners 
San Gabriel Valley, Verdugo Hills, Long Beach Area

Try using boned chicken instead of hamburger. Cooking time is the same, add a small amount of water or soy sauce to replace the water found in hamburger. 

One of the best foil meals I had included a combination of chicken breasts, shrimp, snow peas, celery, and bean sprouts. Similar to a stir-fry. The meat was place on the bottom (by the way, the chicken had been slightly cooked prior to going), with the veggies on top. I had a couple of dashes of Teriyaki sauce, some spices (tarragon and others from a pre-mix spice jar).

Only exception was that I didn't turn it over, I let the veggies cook in the heat from the meat. They were still slightly crunchy, almost steamed. 

Desserts
San Gabriel Valley, Verdugo Hills, Long Beach Area

Take a banana, slice in lengthwise in the peel. Insert butter and brown sugar into the slit. Wrap & warm.  Try with pieces of chocolate bar, too

Take an apple and core it. Insert butter, cinnamon, and brown sugar into the center. Wrap & bake. 

Hobo Popcorn 
San Gabriel Valley, Verdugo Hills, Long Beach Area

In center of 18" x 18" square of heavy or doubled foil, place one teaspoon of oil and one tablespoon of popcorn.

Bring foil corners together to make a pouch. Seal the edges by folding, but allow room for the popcorn to pop.

Tie each pouch to a long stick with a string and hold the pouch over the hot coals.

Shake constantly until all the corn has popped.

Season with salt and butter or margarine. Or soy sauce, or melted chocolate, or melted peanut butter, or melted caramels or use as a base for chili. 

Portable Chili 
San Gabriel Valley, Verdugo Hills, Long Beach Area

  1. Cook up a pot of chili (homemade or canned).
  2. Buy individual size bags of Doritos or something similar.
  3. Cut an X on front of bag and open.
  4. Put chili on top of the chips, and shredded cheese.
  5. And you have portable lunchtime nachos/tacos.

Don's Hawaiian Delight 
San Gabriel Valley, Verdugo Hills, Long Beach Area

  1. In a square piece of heavy duty aluminum foil place enough of each of the following to make one serving: 
  2. Sliced ham, Sweet potatoes, Carrots, pineapple
  3. Surround the ham slices with the other ingredients on the foil then add 1 tablespoon of syrup or honey. Fold using "drugstore" wrap to hold in the juice. Cook package on hot coals for approximately 15 minutes on each side.  

Omelet in a Bag
Baloo’s Archives

Ingredients – Scrambled Eggs, Plus what ever you want on your omelet – ham, sausage pieces, peppers, onions, cheese, Salt, pepper and spices to taste.  (Use precooked sausage, bacon and ham)

  1. Place raw scrambled eggs in a plastic freezer bag.  Regular sandwich and storage bags are thinner and may not be able to take the heat.
  2. Next place all the ingredients that make your omelet special - ham, sausage pieces, peppers, onions, cheese, Salt, pepper and spices – in the bag. 
  3. Seal the bag by whatever means the manufacturer recommends. 
  4. Drop in boiling water until the egg reaches the consistency you wish. 
  5. Remove and feast!!

 


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