It was bound to happen eventually - that one thing that.....just didn't work out the way I planned.
So, here's my thought process.....teach the kids a little bit about creating recipes. This involves smelling, tasting, mixing and creating something that shows their 'signature' or their special taste. I got the great idea from Kate Lawson of the Detroit Newspaper Agency last year while we were judging the Gleaner's Iron Chef competition. Kate, who is the food writer for the newspaper, said that she has her grandchildren frequently in the summer and she has them create their own seasoning for their grilling dishes. So for Chef Camp this summer, I thought this would be a perfect way to teach the kids how to create recipes.
Then..... as my mind works, I want to make it fun, different and age appropriate so I think to myself - sometimes kids have trouble holding burgers in their little hands, so what if we made the ground meat with their own 'signature' seasoning in to hot dog shaped burgers and called them Burger Dogs! Brilliant? You be the judge..... This is how it played out this morning on the Foodini Friday morning show on WHMI 93.5 Click to listen....warning, it's a bit....8th gradish....lol
BURGER DOGS
So, here's my thought process.....teach the kids a little bit about creating recipes. This involves smelling, tasting, mixing and creating something that shows their 'signature' or their special taste. I got the great idea from Kate Lawson of the Detroit Newspaper Agency last year while we were judging the Gleaner's Iron Chef competition. Kate, who is the food writer for the newspaper, said that she has her grandchildren frequently in the summer and she has them create their own seasoning for their grilling dishes. So for Chef Camp this summer, I thought this would be a perfect way to teach the kids how to create recipes.
Then..... as my mind works, I want to make it fun, different and age appropriate so I think to myself - sometimes kids have trouble holding burgers in their little hands, so what if we made the ground meat with their own 'signature' seasoning in to hot dog shaped burgers and called them Burger Dogs! Brilliant? You be the judge..... This is how it played out this morning on the Foodini Friday morning show on WHMI 93.5 Click to listen....warning, it's a bit....8th gradish....lol
BURGER DOGS
 |
| Burger Dogs from Chef Camp all ready to cook! |
1 lb ground beef, chicken, or
turkey
4
hot dog buns
2 teaspoons of your RUB
Mustard,
ketchup, relish, etc
Using a large bowl and your
clean hands, mix 2 teaspoons of your RUB into the ground meat, making sure to
evenly distribute your seasoning. When
mixture is well combined, separate into four pieces and roll into a hot dog
shape. Grill burger dogs until cooked
through, or bake burger dogs at 350 about 20 minutes, or until cooked
through. Place in hot dog bun and
garnish as desired.
'SIGNATURE' GRILLING RUB
 |
| These were some of the seasonings the kids tasted and used to create their own, 'Signature' Grilling Rub |
Your rub can be any
combination of flavors you like – we recommend using a combination of salt,
pepper, paprika, chili powder, garlic powder, onion powder, parsley or any
dried herb, a smoky bbq seasoning if you like that or any dried citrus bits. Taste and adjust your seasoning and make
notes, so when you find a flavor combination you like, you have an idea of how
to make it again! That is how you create
your own recipe!
This is what the rubs looked like when the kids took them home - these were the samples I made for Mike and Jon.
And here is what all the fuss is about.....oy. Trust me, it really was a GREAT idea, at the time.
So, to wrap it up, the idea for the 'signature' seasoning and the easy to hold burger dog was terrific for the kids, notsomuch for the visual presentation. Like Mike and Jon say - "just close your eyes and take a bite!"
This is what the rubs looked like when the kids took them home - these were the samples I made for Mike and Jon.
 |
| Labeled - perfect if you have several children in the mix. |
And here is what all the fuss is about.....oy. Trust me, it really was a GREAT idea, at the time.
 |
| It looks slightly better in the bun, haha. The burger is actually a slider - I thought I had better change it up for the middle schoolers! |
So, to wrap it up, the idea for the 'signature' seasoning and the easy to hold burger dog was terrific for the kids, notsomuch for the visual presentation. Like Mike and Jon say - "just close your eyes and take a bite!"
