Blogging for the environment - opportunity for conversations

On October 15, thousands of bloggers will unite to blog about a single topic - the environment.

If you're a blogger you might like to check it out.The concept is a pretty simple one, just blog about the environment on October 15. Anyone with a blog can participate. Click the graphic, follow the link - you'll see what to do.

Our family will hopefully post video blog entry for the online-event. I thought it would be a great way to share some time together. We're trying to plan what we'll do right now and will hopefully start shooting this weekend. (the weather needs to play nice - please!)

I've decided to use this as an opportunity to start conversations with my daughter about the environment and what we should all do to make it better. "The environment" is a pretty broad topic so it presents a lot of interesting ideas - think politics, personal responsibility, consumerism (and all the other -isms wrecking the planet), culture, spirituality, conservation and endangered species; there's a lot there. I've found it interesting to hear what my 10-year-old has to say about it all. I'm hoping we can make an interesting vlog of it ;-)

Kids cooking with Dad

Most people including the little ones in our lives we like to call our children love meatballs. I've found that my kids love meatball hamburgers with cheese. Making the burgers with them is half the fun. I have to admit that I love the million and one questions that they seem to have a never ending curiosity about the process of cooking.

Same drill as before, everyone washes their hands as if going into surgery. Kids need to learn this little life long lesson early and what better time than the present to do so. You want their hands clean because they will be mixing the ground beef up and making the hamburger patties.

To make about eight burgers you need three pounds of ground beef. You decide the fat content but I usually get 85-15% at the old supermarket. Dump the beef into a big bowl and add about a quarter teaspoon of salt. Let the kids measure it out or just sprinkle it in from the salt shaker. Same amount of pepper. Same amount of Celery salt and Garlic powder. If you have minced garlic from the jar you can use a tablespoon. Adjust the quantities to taste as you see fit.

Everyone gets a turn mashing the meat to smitherenes. Grab a stool for the really little ones and let them have it too! Let them make their own burger patties. Kids appreciate the learning time with Dad or Mom and cooking with the kids is always a great time. Make sure they all wash their hands after the patty making process! Mom or Dad will not be to happy if they find raw hamburger on the couch... been there... done that.

Dad or Mom can toss the burgers on the grill or in the frying pan with a little butter on low heat and cook them for about three minutes on each side. Let the kids peel off a piece of American cheese and hand it to the cook for placing on the burgers. Serve up on hamburger rolls with whatever toppings you know that they will eat and watch them gobble it down.

Be prepared for the unexpected and children asking for a second burger!

Papamoka