Dinosaur Food

About 15 years ago, when our sons were around 7 & 8 years old, we studied dinosaurs. One particular morning, the dynamic duo happily bounced into the kitchen filled with eager anticipation when I announced that, as part of our unit study, we would be making dinosaur food.

Their excitement turned to shock and horror when I rattled off the ingredient list.

• Yellow slime
• Swamp water
• Crushed bones
• Dirt
• Squashed bugs
• Dried grass
• Vanilla & dash of salt

The older one gasped, “Where are we going to find all of that?” Always the thinker, the younger suggested going to the creek for the swamp water, if that would work. (We lived in the mountains & the nearest swamp was hundreds of miles away.)

You can imagine their relief when I suggested other, more palatable substitutions.

• Yellow slime = Butter
• Swamp water = Milk
• Crushed bones = Sugar
• Dirt = Cocoa
• Squashed bugs = Peanut butter
• Dried grass = Oats
• Vanilla & dash of salt = Well, vanilla & a dash of salt

Dinosaur Food = No Bake Cookies!

Upon that realization the excitement quickly returned.

This week, we have been doing a dinosaur unit with our 9 yr old daughter and her reaction to the ingredient list was almost as classic as her brothers’.

 

Recipe

• 1 stick of yellow slime (butter)
• 1/2 cup swamp water (milk)
• 2 cups crushed bones (sugar)
• 1/4 cup dirt (cocoa)
• 1/2 cup squashed bugs (peanut butter)
• 3 cups dried grass (oats)
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• dash of salt

 

Step 1

Cut butter into pieces. Place first four ingredients into a heavy pot.

 

Step 2

Place pot on stove. Use medium high heat to bring ingredients to a boil, stirring constantly.

 

Once it as at a rolling boil, boil for 1 minute.

 

Step 3

Remove from heat. Stir in peanut butter, vanilla, & salt until smooth. Stir in oats.

 

Step 4

Allow to cool for 10-15 minutes, stirring every couple of minutes.

Use a medium cookie scoop or spoon to scoop cookies onto parent paper.

 

Cool completely. Store in air tight container.