Friday, November 26, 2021

The Zoo Chew: Animals Poetry

 
Holiday Fruits and Nuts Cookies, packed with toasted nuts and dried fruits, topped with a colored drizzle, these cookies are a fun holiday treat. | recipe developed by www.BakingInATornado.com | #recipe #cookies

 
Last Friday of the month is for
Monthly Poetry Group to rhyme.
Diane and I take turns to pick,
"Animals," the theme this time.
 
As usual, today I'll try,
a poem to write . . . or fudge.
Whether I'm successful or not,
you get to be the judge.  





Animals, a monthly multi blogger poetry writing challenge based on a theme. | Graphic property of www.BakingInATornado.com | #poetry



The Zoo Chew
 
Our local zoo is well renowned,
known to be among the best.
Whenever we have visitors,
we'll always take our guest.
 
Aviary, lagoon island, desert dome,
a rain forest to walk through.
Orangutan forest, pachyderm hill,
an aquarium tunnel too.

Starting when they were babies,
many family days spent there.
The boys loved riding on the train,
it mattered not to where.

Of course, when they were babies,
I had to be prepared.
Diapers and folding plastic mat,
I could change them anywhere.
 
Until, of outdoor changes son,
let me know he was not fond.
I picked him up, he grabbed the mat,
threw it in the penguin pond.

But when the boys were bigger,
I could take them on my own.
We'd often meet our friends there too,
so we rarely were alone.

After one eventful day,
spent joyfully at the zoo,
At dinner, Hubs said to the boys,
"what was your favorite thing to do?"  

"This," I thought, "is why I go
spend a long exhausting day."
Which animals had most impressed?
Eager to hear what they would say. 
 
"Thirsty early on," they said,
"slushies fit the bill."
They'd sat in the shade to drink them,
until they'd had their fill.
 
They talked about the restaurant,
"lunch was burgers with french fries."
You eat high in the treetops there,
looking up at the big blue skies.
 
Holiday Fruits and Nuts Cookies, packed with toasted nuts and dried fruits, topped with a colored drizzle, these cookies are a fun holiday treat. | recipe developed by www.BakingInATornado.com | #recipe #cookies
 Holiday Fruits and Nuts Cookies
 
"Cookies and popcorn later on,"
my boys related with glee,
"and did you know the ice cream hut,
is right by where you go to pee?"

I felt the need to clarify,
we'd done more than just chew.
"Oh," I said, "just so you know,
they had animals over there too!" 





Before you go, more Animals poetry:
 


Baking In A Tornado signature | www.BakingInATornado.com | #MyGraphics





Holiday Fruits and Nut Cookies
                                                                       ©www.BakingInATornado.com

Ingredients:
2/3 cup shelled nuts (pepitas, sunflower seeds, pistachios, almonds, pecans, and/or walnuts)
1/4 cup sweetened coconut flakes
1/2 stick butter, softened
1/2 stick margarine, softened
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla
1 egg
2 cups flour
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/3 cup chopped dried fruits (raisins, cranraisins, apricots, and/or cherries)
 
1/2 cup green or red candy melts
1 TBSP colored sugar

Directions:
*Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spread the nuts onto a small baking sheet. Toast for 4 minutes, stir, add the coconut and toast for 2 minutes longer. Remove immediately from the baking sheet and allow to cool. Chop any larger nuts.
*Cream butter, margarine, and brown sugar, then beat in the egg and vanilla.
*Mix in flour, salt, and baking soda, then the fruits and nuts. Wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least an hour. Can refrigerate overnight.
*Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Cover baking sheets with parchment paper.
*Unwrap the dough and roll into 30 balls. Place on cookie sheet and flatten the dough balls with the heel of your hand.
*Bake for 10 - 12 minutes. Allow to cool on baking sheets for 2 minutes before removing to cool completely.
*Melt the candy melts in the microwave until completely smooth when stirred. Drizzle over the cooled cookies, sprinkle with colored sugar, and allow to set before moving.

 

14 comments:

  1. It's funny how children's memories of a favorite place differ so much from what the adults think the children are getting out of it! We took our son out west when he was 12 and saw Mt Rushmore, the Crazy Horse monument, Wall Drug (twice), Reptile Gardens, etc. The best part for him? Seeing thunderstorms and eating buffalo burgers at Wall Drug. Alana ramblinwitham.blogspot.com

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. LOL, I'm not surprised. Their perspective is always fun to hear.

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  2. Food of experiences often lingers in the mind and heart of the memory. ;)

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  3. Hahahahaha! Delightful, Karen!
    That would have been a toss-up for me when I was young. (And now...) I definitely loved food! but I loved animals, too! Oh, the choices!

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  4. I have a thing about cauliflower due to a childhood incident

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  5. They enjoyed seeing the animals, i am sure, but with boys, food is sure to impress.

    This reminds me of the Family Circus comic in which the family is at the zoo and standing in front of the giraffes when Billy yells, "Look, ants!" as the others come running to see.

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    Replies
    1. That's funny, and a perfect example of how kids have a unique outlook on what is impressive.

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  6. Just like boys to think with their stomachs.

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  7. Childhood food memories were great. Some of the most memorable for me had to be sitting in restaurants as a family. My mother did not think it was extravagant to take the family out at least once a month.

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