Girl Scouts of Western Rivers Council * Summer Lovin' Fun Patch Program

Solar energy can do many things for us - heat water, warm our homes - even cook our meals! Try some of the following - you'll find the sun's heat can really work. Solar heat is free, and a simple cooker is inexpensive to make. Solar cooking is fun! It is also very energy efficient. No charcoal, wood or propane gas is used: just the sun, a cardboard box, aluminum foil and a pot are needed. Using a package mix you can make brownies, gingerbread or cakes. Follow the instructions on the next pages to cook one pot meals, beans and other vegetables.

HEATING WATER

Materials needed:

• 2 large enamel dishpans
• plastic wrap (Saran wrap) large enough to line one pan
• 2 sheets of glass or Plexiglas - 1/8" - 1/4" thick and large enough to cover the pans
• thermometer - immersible
• watch or timer

In the morning, set both dishpans in an area where they will be in full sun all day. Line one pan with plastic wrap and then fill both pans with cold water. Determine the air and water temperatures and record. Cover both pans with glass/Plexiglas. Each half hour, measure air and water temperature in each pan and record. See how much the temperature changes through the day in each of the pans.

EGGS ON THE SIDEWALK

Materials needed:

• 3 eggs
• 2 black (cast iron) frying pans
• 1 sheet of glass

Clean a space on the sidewalk. Cook an egg on the open sidewalk, in an open frying pan and in a frying pan covered with the glass. See how the color black and the glass trap the heat. (HINT - You'll need 144° to get the eggs to thicken.)

COWBOY CANDY

This is a fun treat that uses the sun to cook it! Both recipes are good. Girls may think of other "goodies" to throw in (raisins, crispy chow mein noodles, sunflower seeds, etc.)

RECIPE #1: Melt in a can in the sunshine: one 6 oz. package chocolate or butterscotch chips and 1/4 cup peanut butter. Stir in 3 cups Rice or Wheat Chex. Drop by teaspoons onto a foil covered pan and put in the refrigerator or a cool place to harden.

RECIPE #2: Empty one small jar of crunchy-style peanut butter; one package of chocolate chips and one cube of margarine in a 9x13 pan. Cover the pan with foil and place in sun for about 40 minutes. Stir in one 1 pound box of powdered sugar and mix until stiff. The mixture can be left in the pan to set or transferred to candy molds.