Recipes For Your Birds

Thanks to http://parrotletexpress.homestead.com for letting us use your recipes!

Louie's Eggbread Flapjacks - from James    Houston, Texas

1 cup of progro mix
1 egg and shell finely crumbled
1/2 cup mixed frozen veggies
1/2 cup grated apple or sweet potato or whatever
2 Tblsp ground hemp seed
2 Tblsp ground sesame seed
2 Tblsp ground flax seed
2 tsp. bee pollen
2 Tblsp orange juice
Dash of ginger
Dash of cinamon
Enough soy milk or water to make a batter, around a 1/2 cup
Cook on griddle as you would pancakes.  Freeze extras to rewarm for later.
All the birds get greedy little looks on their faces when I make these.
 
Plumped Corn - Submitted by De, Ed and the Gang...Kerns Parrots  Originally from Carolyn - Land of Vos

3 cups of shelled corn or popcorn  
1 cup of split peas (We use 1/2 of green peas & 1/2 yellow peas)   
6-7 cups of water.
 
Cook in crockpot until corn is plump (We put it on about midnite and it is done by 6 am). 
Add 1/2 cup of Brown Rice and
1/2 cup of White Rice (may need to add more water) 
 
Cook for about another 45 minutes.  Drain well and then put into a sieve and rinse very well with hot water. Season with garlic, cinnamon, or whatever else you may like. Now this makes a very large amount (we feed over 35 birds).  We put in freezer bags in daily portions and freeze.  (We use the vaccum sealer type and will last long time in freezer.)  We thaw in microwave and then add veggies to the mix just before feeding.

PineCone Treats - originally from Gay - submitted by Nancy

It's quite easy, but can be a little messy.
Ingredients.
*Pure Honey *Seed Mix of your choice (smaller works better) *Egg Whites *Pine Cones of your choice *Corn Meal (optional) *Cotton String to hang with.

Prepare pine cones (heating in oven) Boil the honey for 3 - 5 minutes over lower heat. This is important to kill any bacteria that may be present in non-pasturized honey and also evaporates a bit of excess liquid. In a big tray or large cake pan, have the seed mix and corn meal if you are using it. Corn meal does help to hold it all together a bit better. Pour the honey over the seeds and mix well. Let it cool enough so you can handle it with your fingers. Tie a string onto the fat end of the pinecones (you may want to do this as the honey is boiling) Roll the pincone in the honey/seed mix. Use your fingers to stuff it right into the cone. Squeeze it all in with your hand. Quickly roll the seed covered cone in a bowl of beaten egg whites, just to coat it. Place on cookie sheet that has been covered with tin foil. You have to move fairly quickly or the seed mix will start to harden. If it does, zap it in the microwave to soften again. Place cookie sheet (with pinecones) in a very slow oven 175 degrees F. for approx 4 hours. Turn them over after a couple of hours. DO NOT try to speed it up with a hotter oven. You will regret it. Let them cook and then store in brown paper bag. Yes, they can be kept in the freezer.
BTW, please don't use cones from a Cedar Tree.
 
Apple Cinnamon Muffins

3 C. Flour                                         3/4 C. Sugar               
1 1/2teaspoons cream of tartar           3/4 teaspoons baking soda               
1/2 teaspoons orange peel                 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/2 C. butter                                     1 C finely chopped apple       
1 C. French vanilla yogurt                  2 eggs beaten

Mix all together.  fill greased muffin cups 2/3 full.  Bake at 350° for 20 to 25 minutes.  325° for Baker's Secret pans.  After baking, brush tops of warm muffins with melted butter and then dip in mixture of 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon and 1/3 cup sugar and chopped pecans.

Easy Bake Muffins

1 C. flour                                                           1 C. yellow corn meal               
3/4 tsp.salt                                                        4 tsp. baking powder
1/4 C. Petamine                                              1/4 C. Vegetable oil               
1 C. milk                                                           2 eggs with shell
1/2 C. mixed frozen vegetables, thawed             1/2 C. frozen broccoli, thawed

Mix together all dry ingredients.  Stir in milk, eggs, oil and vegetables.  Bake at 350° for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.  Cool and cut into one inch cubes and store in plastic bags. 

Carrot and Apple Bake

2 C. chopped carrots and 5 apples, cut into slices 
2 Tablespoons of wheat flour 
4 Tablespoons of honey
4 Tablespoons butter
3/4 Cups orange juice

Put apples in a 1 quart baking dish and cover them with carrots. Sprinkle the flour over the apples and carrots.  Drizzle with honey and pour orange juice over the entire dish and bake at 350° for 40-45minutes.

Pumpkin Bowls

We like to get the mini pumpkins, scoop the guts out, and mix the guts with something like Beak Apetit' or bean and rice, fruits, and veggies then microwave them for about a minute or so, until the pumpkin is cooked.
They are self contained serving dishes, and edible too!

Pine Cones 

Pine cones make excellent toys for birds.  When collecting pine cones,ensure that they are not old, damp, moldy or are growling moss.  Ideally one should collect pine cones as soon as possible after they have fallen to the ground and before they have become wet from rain.  This is not always possible.  Pine cones are also a favorite hiding spot for little beasts such as spiders and earwigs. It is not possible to "sterilize" pine cones but heating in an oven will kill molds and little critters and make them safe for the birds to chew on.  I heat pine cones in an oven for about 20 minutes at 225° F, then turn off the oven.  The pine cones are left in the oven for approx. 2 hours to dry out.  It is important not to exceed 225° F. otherwise the pine cones will scorch and possibly catch on fire. The seeds inside the cones are a special treat and are safe for all birds to eat.


Mr. Tuxedo's Bird Safe French Fries

Cut Potato into regular french fry sticks. (Preferable red potatoes)
Rinse well under cold water.
Let soak for several hours
Place on a foil lined baking sheet.
Brush lightly with virgin olive oil.
Bake at 400F until soft.
Extras may be frozen for another day.

Lady Katherine's Sweet Potato Treat Balls

(The 1st time I made these was for Katie to have on her first long motor home trip - Eastern Canada)
Boil 1 large sweet potato until thoroughly cooked. (Use whatever number you need for the size of flock.) 
Sometimes I combine a sweet potato and a white potato. Mash until you achieve the consistency you like.
Add a small portion of rolled oats (not the quick kind) to make the mixture a little firmer.
You can then add to this mixture anything you like. Katie likes golden raisins and chopped nuts.
Form balls (any size you like) using a teaspoon, then roll the balls in your seed mix, millet seed or corn flakes.
Place on a plate separated..Freeze until frozen Put in a baggie and keep frozen until ready to serve.
 
Banana Birdie Treats 

1-1/2 cups mashed ripe bananas
1 teaspoon cinnamon
3 cups oats
1/2 cup chopped peanuts (or almonds or walnuts)
1/4 cup applesauce

Combine all ingredients and stir thoroughly. Drop by small spoonfuls onto an ungreased baking sheet. Press flat with a fork. Bake at 350F degrees for 15 minutes. Cool on a wire rack. Store in airtight containers. Makes about 20

Warm Meal 

2 cooked and skinned sweet potatoes
1 cup brown rice (I use sweet brown rice from the health food store)
1 cup polenta or corn meal
4-6 eggs washed with antibacterial soap or bleach then rinsed well and wiped off.
1/2 cup sesame seeds   
1 cup hemp seed (found at health food store)
1/2 cup poppy seeds
6 tbs. bee pollen
1 tsp. spirulina
2 cups Ziegler pellets or Harrison's
1 cup water
1 cup bisquick
1/2 cup peanut oil or vegetable oil

In blender mix sweet potatoes and eggs with shells on. Blend very well. In large mixing bowl place the sweet potato and egg mixture. Blend in all other ingredients and mix well. Spray or oil a 9 x 13 in. pan. Pour birdie bread into pan.
Bake at 350 for 35-40 minutes. Check with tooth pick to see if done. When cool cut into squares. Place in tin foil and freeze.
 
Li'l Miss Kiwi Parrot Cake         

1/2 cup yellow corn meal                                                        1/2 cup rolled oats (not instant)
1 cup whole wheat flour                                                          1 tb. baking powder
1 small handfull of hulled millet seed.(health food stores)           1 egg
1 cup apple or orange juice                                                     Slightly less than 1/4 cup corn oil
 
Mix all dry ingredients together in a bowl. Mix and beat together all moist ingredients in another bowl.
Blend the two together until well mixed. You will have a mixture that holds it shape but is moist but you may have to add a dash more juice. 

Top and tail about 12 figs and chop into little pieces. Chop 12 strawberries into little pieces. Mix fruit into cake mix and then pour into a  8" pan that has been sprayed with a vegetable spray or line the pan with aluminium foil and spray.  Bake at 400 degress for approximatley 30 minutes. The top will be a light golden brown. Remember ovens vary so start watching at about 25 minutes.

Score into serving size pieces while still warm.  When cool cut into pieces and wrap individually to store in freezer. Don't forget to serve a piece right now to your Parrot friend.

Note: You could add 1 cup thawed frozen veggies, dehydrated veggies, other fruits, a dab of peanut butter, or almost anything you feel your bird will like.  I do not recommend adding pellets as the one time I did the bread was VERY hard.