Bird Feed Cones - cooking recipe

Ingredients

ribbon, string for hanging
5 -6 large pinecones (about 5 inches, high)
1 cup chunky peanut butter (no salt, no sugar)
1/2 cup vegetable shortening (or bacon or beef drippings)
1/2 cup yellow cornmeal
1 1/2 cups commercial bird seed

Preparation

Tie ribbon, string or yarn to pine cone at bottom (narrow, pointy end). Cut ribbon to desired length.
Melt peanut butter and shortening in small saucepan. Add cornmeal. Heat and stir for 3 to 4 minutes until well mixed.
Transfer cornmeal mixture to shallow pie plate. Roll pine cone in warm mixture, using a rubber spatula, if necessary, to gently spread mixture over and in between \"petals\" of cones.
Place birdseed in deep bowl. Holding pine cone in bowl, spoon birdseed over top, pushing with tip of spoon into cornmeal mixture. Chill on waxed paper lined baking sheet. Can be frozen. Hang from sturdy branch in summer or winter.
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