Archaeology Scout Merit Badge Ideas

My son and I had a lot of fun working on this merit badge together. With the time frame we were working with we needed to do requirement 8c which was to create a mock dig. I use the link below to learn how to make it as realistic as possible. I basically buried items that someone 100 years from now might find from our time period which might include:

*Cell Phone (I put an old phone in a ziploc bag)

*DVD

*Pop can or other food item wrapper

*A toy that is popular today

*A tool commonly used today

I was trying to find anything that particularly dates us. I buried these things at different levels and we used the record form from the website below to keep track of what we discovered. The funny thing was that we also found other items that I had not buried in our backyard soil from when our house was built. If you have multiple scouts or children working on this project try to give them their own space. They thoroughly enjoyed this project. I would also bury a lot of items. They could have done this all day!

http://www.archaeological.org/pdfs/education/digs/Digs_Schoolyard.pdf

http://www.archaeological.org/pdfs/education/digs/Digs_Record_Sheets_Simple.pdf

Ideas for requirement 9b might be to:

*Make a pair of moccasins (you can buy a kit)

*Make a spear with an arrowhead

*Start a fire with flint and steel

*Start a fire with a bow drill

Have fun and let me know if you have any ideas that were fun for you too.

Vegan Chocolate Shake

I love chocolate shakes but I don’t love sugar and dairy. This reminds me of the Shakes you get at a fast food restaurant but guilt free.

1 cup cashews

3 cups ice

3 Tbs unsweetened cocoa

2 dates, pits removed and chopped finely or try you luck in the blender

¼ cup water

¼ cup agave or pure maple syrup

¼ tsp sea salt

Add ingredients to a strong blender in the order listed and blend until smooth. Freezes great for a snack tomorrow.

Gogi Berry Balls (superfood cookies)

2/3 cup agave nectar

1/4 soaked goji berried

1/2 cup cacao nibs (I use chocolate chips)

1/4 cup walnuts or pecans

1/2 cup raisins

10 pitted dates

5 dried black mission figs

1/4 cup sesame seeds

1/4 cup sunflower seeds

1 tsp vanilla

1 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp sea salt

1/4 cup cocoa or carob powder

1 cup unsweetened coconut

Add all ingredients, except coconut, in a food processor and process until it is as creamy as you can get it. You can add a little water if necessary but don't add too much or it won't roll into balls. Next roll in coconut and chill in fridge or freezer for 30 min before serving.

Pecan Nut Crust

My sister has children who cannot have gluten. We wanted everyone in the family to be able to eat all of our Thanksgiving pies. Here is the crust we used. We actually liked it better than the usual pastry crust.

2 1/2 cups ground pecans

1/4 tsp ground cinnamon

1/3 cup Rapadura sugar (replacing white sugar)

4 Tbs Earth Balance butter substitute or unsalted butter (I used butter because they are allergic to soy also)

1. Stir together the ground nuts, cinnamon, and sugar. Mix in butter

2. Place pie crust in the refrigerator for about 30-45 min.

3. Place pie crust on a cookie sheet, and position on the middle rack of a preheated 350 degree oven. Bake for 12-15 minutes, or until lightly browned. This crust will burn easily so watch it carefully. Cool completely before filling.

*For pumpkin pie I didn't bake first. I covered the pie in the oven with tin foil. The upper edge of the crust was darker than I wanted but it didn't effect the flavor much.

Vegan Homemade Noodles

I have worked on tweaking this recipe to truly taste and feel like the homemade noodle I grew up with. This recipe has no eggs and uses Spelt or whole-wheat flour. I add it in a "Non-chicken" noodle soup base which I will post someday soon.

2 cups spelt or wholewheat flour

1/2 tsp salt

2 Tbs gluten (for binding)

2 Tbs Flax soaked in 2 Tbs water (egg substitute)

1/3 cup water

1 tsp olive oil

Mix the flour, salt and gluten in a bowl. Add the flax, water and olive oil. Knead until smooth and elastic. Let sit for 20 min. Now either roll out onto a floured surface and cut in thin noodle strips or use a pasta machine on 1/16 th inch thinness. Add these noodles to your soup and let them bowl for about 5 minutes or until cooked through. I have also air dried these on the side of a bowl and used them later. They never last long in our house.

Savory Quinoa Soup

Serves 6

1 clove garlic (minced)

1 yellow onion (diced into small pieces)

1 Tbsp. olive oil

3 very large red potatoes (about 14 oz.) (diced into small squares)

2/3 cup quinoa (uncooked)

3 vine ripened tomatoes (diced)

2 carrots (diced into small squares)

1 yellow squash (diced into small pieces)

9 cups unsalted vegetable broth (I used Rapunzel, Vegan)

1/2 tsp. oregano

1/2 tsp. coriander

1/8 - 1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper

2 tsp. salt & pepper to taste

1/4 tsp. stevia powder

1 Tbsp. nutritional yeast

1/4 cup fresh parsley (chopped)

4 fresh basil leaves (sliced)

1.) Add olive oil to a large stock pot and add minced garlic & onion. Season by

sprinkling some salt and pepper while cooking.

2.) Add quinoa, diced potatoes, carrots, tomatoes, dry seasonings, stevia, salt & pepper.

Continue to cook, stirring frequently, Cook for about 5 minutes.

3.) Add vegetable broth and yellow squash. Bring to a boil and then turn to low and

simmer for 20 minutes.

4.) Add nutritional yeast and stir well. Turn burner off and add in chopped parsley

and basil leaves.

5.) Serve with crusty bread and a green leafy salad. ENJOY!!

Yerra Moolee (Yellow Coconut Rice)

My family loves Indian food which was introduced to us by a friend from India. Here is a family favorite.

2 cups finely chopped onions

7 Tbs oil

2 tsp minced garlic

1 1/2 Tbs ground or crushed fresh ginger root

2 green chilies (anaheim or jalepeno, if you're brave)

1/4 tsp turmeric

2 Tbs ground coriander

3 cups coconut milk (2 cans will do)

1 1/2 tsp Salt

2 Tbs minced fresh coriander leaves or 1 Tbs dry(optional but wow what a flavor!)

2 cups potatoes

1 cup cauliflower

1/2 cup peas

Serve over:

4 cups cooked rice (Basmati is the best)

This can be a fast recipe if you do the following:

Cut up cauliflower & potatoes and have them steaming or boiling?(not my favorite method) while you are working on the sauce.

Also, start cooking the rice.

Now, heat oil and saute the onions until soft, reduce heat and add garlic, ginger & the chilies for another 2 minutes. Add turmeric and coriander, stir rapidly for another 15 seconds and add coconut milk and salt. Turn off the heat and let the ingredients sit to allow time for flavors to blend. Do not cook the coconut milk or it will turn sticky and slimy (not good). Add the steamed veggies and the peas (you can add them frozen and they will turn that pretty green and be the perfect texture).

Your rice should now be done. You are ready to serve!

Coconut Curry Lentil Soup

2 cups red split lentils (masoor dal)

7 cups water

1 medium carrot, cut into 1/2-inch dice

2 tablespoons fresh peeled and minced ginger

2 tablespoons curry powder
2 tablespoons coconut oil

8 green onions (scallions), thinly sliced
1/3 cup tomato paste
1 14-ounce can coconut milk

2 teaspoons fine grain sea salt
one small handful cilantro, chopped

cooked brown rice or farro, for serving (optional)

Rinse lentils cover with water and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and add shredded carrots and 1/4 of the ginger. Cover and simmer until the lentils start to spit (15 minutes or so).

In the meantime, in a small saucepan, cook the curry powder and onions in the oil until it is fragrant but don't burn the curry.

Add the tomatoes, curry mixture, and coconut milk and salt. Simmer for about 5-10 minutes until the flavors are blended. Sprinkle with cilantro and serve over rice or faro.

This recipe was adapted from one of my favorite website www.101cookbooks.com. Check it out you will love it!

Serves 6. Prep time: 10 min - Cook time: 35 min

Low-Fat Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

3 Tbsp. flaxmeal

4 Tbsp. water

*combine and mix*

1/3 C Applesauce

*mix with the flax and combine together*

Dump the rest of these ingredients in and mix.

1 1/2 C. whole-wheat pastry flour/ or wheat flour

1/2 C cocoa

1/2 C succanut or turbinado

1/2 C maple syrup

2 Tbsp. peanut butter

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. vanilla

3/4 t baking soda

Chocolate chips

Bake at 350 for 10 minutes

I actually ran out of succanut, so I used a little more than 1/4 C of agave instead. It worked perfectly. You could probably use the full 1/2 C substitute--it just might be sweeter....

Granola Cereal

Combine in a large bowl:

4 cups rolled oats

1 cup chopped nuts (optional)

3/4 tsp salt

1/2 cup coconut

1/2 cup sesame seeds

1 tsp cinnamon

Mix separately, then add to above mixture:

1/2 cup honey

1/2 tsp vanilla

1/3 cup oil

Mix thoroughly, spread on cookie sheets and bake at 350 for 20-25 minutes, stir occasionally. Add 1/2-1 cup dried apples cut into fine pieces. Store in tightly covered container.

I 10 times this and bake it in canning pans. I do not add the apples and in a pinch have made this with just oats, salt, coconut, cinnamon and the wet ingredients. You can make it as crisp or as moist as you want by varying the time.

Pasta e Fagioli

It's soup time! This recipe is similar to Olive Garden's Pasta e Fagioli. I serve it with some sort of bread and a salad. It takes about 1 hour. I do not add the beef so to round off the flavor I add 3 tablespoons of olive oil. Enjoy!

It's soup time! This recipe is similar to Olive Garden's Pasta e Fagioli. I serve it with some sort of bread and a salad. It takes about 1 hour. I do not add the beef so to round off the flavor I add 3 tablespoons of olive oil. Enjoy!

1 lb ground beef (Optional)

1 small onion, diced

1 large carrot, julienned

3 stalks celery, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 14.5 oz cans diced tomatoes

1 15 oz can red kidney beans (with liquid)

1 15 oz can great northern beans (with liquid)

1 15 oz can tomato sauce

2 12 cans vegetable juice (like V-8 juice)

1 tbs white vinegar (optional)

1½ tsp salt

1 tsp oregano

1 tsp basil

½ tsp pepper

½ tsp thyme

1 handful small shell pasta

dash of cayenne pepper

1. Brown the ground beef and drain off most of the fat.

2. Add onion, carrot celery and garlic and saute’ for 10 minute

3. Add remaining ingredients except pasta, and simmer for 1 hour.

4. About 50 minutes into simmer time, add the pasta and cook until al dente. Serve.

I like this soupier so I add a 46 oz can of V-8 and double the seasonings.

Pumpkin Cookies

Cream together:

1 ½ cups oil

2 cups honey (or sugar)

3 Tbs applesauce or (3 eggs)

Add:

1 Tbs vanilla

1 Tbs baking soda

1 Tbs baking powder

1 ½ tsp salt

1 Tbs cloves

1 Tbs cinnamon

1 30 oz can pumpkin

7 ½ cups flour (I use whole wheat flour)

12 oz chocolate chips

Mix all together and bake at 400 degrees. Makes about 6 dozen cookies! But I freeze some if we don’t eat them first. You can always ½ the recipe and freeze the leftover canned pumpkin.

Energy Bar (Yummy Snack)!

Slightly warm these ingredients in a pan until they become mixed and more liquid:

1 cup of peanut butter, almond butter or cashew butter

3/4 cup of honey or agave

2 tsp vanilla

1/4 tsp salt

1/2 tsp almond extract (optional)

Mix in blender or food processor and add to above:

1 1/2 cups sunflower seeds, almonds, or walnuts

1 cup dried fruit (apples, apricots, dates, raisins, craisins, or strawberries for example)

4 cups brown puffed rice

Mix all ingredients together and press into a 13 x 9 inch pan. I put plastic wrap over it and use a a cup to make it really smooth and compact. Refrigerate until firm.

You can cut into squares and wrap it individually if you want energy bars on the go. My family eats it out of the pan but I plan on taking it to snack on during the Ragnar.

Salsa Verde

I am part of produce buying co-op. Sometimes I get a Mexican pack full of peppers, cilantro and tomatillos. This is the recipe that I make with the above ingredients.

1 lb fresh tomatillos, husked, softened in a pan of water, then chopped

1-2 fresh green chilies (jalepeno or serrano), deseeded and finely chopped

1 green bell pepper or large mild pepper like Anaheim or pablano, deseeded and chopped

1 small onion, chopped

1 bunch fresh cilantro leaves, finely chopped

1/2 tsp ground cumin

Salt to taste

I put the ingredients in a blender until smooth. This makes a large batch so I freeze what I cannot eat now. This is good with chips or in taco and tortillas.

Herbal Cough syrup

You know that tickle that you get in your throat and you know you are in trouble. Try this mixture:

1 Tbs Honey

1 Tbs lemon

a dash of cayenne

Small glass of warm water

Mix together and drink slowly. Let it sit on your throat as long as you can.

Salsa Verde

I am part of produce buying co-op. Sometimes I get a Mexican pack full of peppers, cilantro and tomatillos. This is the recipe that I make with the above ingredients.

1 lb fresh tomatillos, husked, softened in a pan of water, then chopped

1-2 fresh green chilies (jalepeno or serrano), deseeded and finely chopped

1 green bell pepper or large mild pepper like Anaheim or pablano, deseeded and chopped

1 small onion, chopped

1 bunch fresh cilantro leaves, finely chopped

1/2 tsp ground cumin

Salt to taste

I put the ingredients in a blender until smooth. This makes a large batch so I freeze what I cannot eat now. This is good with chips or in taco and tortillas.

Basic Fruit Smoothie

This is a recipe for my favorite smoothie which makes 5 cups. You can half it if you need to.

Fruit Smoothie

1 cup water

1 cup of greens (spinach or kale)

2 cups of fruit (I use a frozen blend of strawberries, pineapple, melon, peaches and blueberries)

1 ripe banana

Add the ingredients in the order listed. I recommend defrosting your fruit before mixing in the blender if you do not own a high power blender (BlendTec or VitaMix). The banana is the sweetener and adds a smooth texture. It is a must. Most grocery stores sell nice fruit blends. In the summer I use all of the fresh fruits growing in my yard. Go ahead and experiment. You can make the exact same mixes you see in the Smoothie stores if you pay attention to their ingredients.

Some fruits that are great to use:

Apricots

Peaches

Strawberries

Raspberries

Blueberries

Pineapple

Kiwi

Mango

Nectarines

Ear Infections

I recently had a neighbor come to my door in serious pain from an ear infection. I was very excited to loan her my mullein oil and my garlic oil. It is amazing how it can work within a 1/2 hour to relieve pain and begin healing the ear.

Garlic Oil

6-8 garlic cloves crushed

olive oil

Place the garlic in a glass jar. I use a small jelly canning jar. Fill the jar to just cover the garlic and shake the jar a couple times a day. After about two days I squeeze the oil out with a metal tea strainer and a spoon and discard the garlic. I then put it into dropper bottle. To use in the ear I put the bottle in my pocket to warm it to body temperature. I keep the oil in the ear with a cotton ball. Garlic oil is an antibacterial and will fight the infection.

Mullein Oil

1/4 cup mullein flowers

olive oil

Place the mullein flowers in a glass jar and just cover the flowers with olive oil. Shake the jar a couple times a day for 2-3 days. Strain the oil and discard the flowers. Store in a dropper bottle. Keep it in place with a cotton ball. The mullein relieves the pain in the ear.

Alicia's Favorite Salsa

I have tested this on the teenagers in the neighborhood. They love it! I taste it until it seems hot enough and often add change the amount of jalapeños I use.

4 cups tomatoes

2 cups green peppers

½ cup jalapeños

1 anaheim pepper

¾ cup chopped onions

1 tsp ground cumin

1 tsp oregano

1 tsp cilantro

1 ½ tsp salt

2 cloves garlic

5 tbps vinegar

Quarter whole tomatoes and coarsely blend in blender 4 cups at a time. Add to pan. Blend onions, peppers, green pepper add to pan. Simmer for a 10 min then add to pint jars. Water bath can 40 minute for pints. I don't worry too much about how many peppers I have or what kinds, as long as it tastes right before I process it.

3 Bean Mexican Soup

16 oz jar of salsa

15 oz can of mexican stewed tomatoes (I also use crushed, whole)

3 cups of vegetable broth or chicken broth

1 Tbsp chili powder

½ tsp minced garlic

1 tsp cumin

3 15 oz cans of beans (kidney, pinto, chickpeas, black & etc.)

15 oz can of hominy (optional, I don’t use)

15 oz can of corn or frozen corn (I just throw some in)

3 cups of cooked chicken (opt.)

1 medium zucchini chopped and diced (opt.)

I put the first 6 ingredients in the blender, even the garlic whole so I don’t have to mince it. I then put it all in a big pot and add the beans, corn and sometimes zucchini if I have some. If you are serving it with chicken add it now. Warm your soup and serve.

I used to blend up the zucchini also so my kids couldn’t tell it was there but now I know they like it. I also make my own bouillon found at this website http://www.101cookbooks.com/archives/homemade-bouillon-recipe.html

I add 3 Tbs of my own bouillon to 3 cups of water instead of chicken broth. It is so much cheaper than the products I was buying and so flavorful for all kinds of soups.