We're off to Austrialia in our cooking around the world series!

Welcome to "Around The World in 12 Dishes". We will be taking you on a journey around the world, (loosely) following in Phileas Fogg's footsteps, exploring 12 different countries with our children, by cooking 12 dishes with them. One for each country visited.

Here's where we've traveled so far on our journey...

• United Kingdom
• Sweden
• Russia
• India
• Japan
• and now we off to Australia!

I have always wanted to travel to Australia and now we will do so virtually and though cooking.  Here is a web page with some Australian food slang and information. We have been in the mood for a new sweet treat and looked at Pavlova and Aznac Biscuits, but ended up deciding to try our hands at making Samoan Panikeke, traditionally made with bananas. 

The kids can help with the mixing and I fried them while they crafted and put together a puzzle of the world. Anytime I cook with hot oils on the stove, I make sure the kids are safely away! My kiddos helped to mash the bananas, measure the ingredients, pour and then mix them together. 

We learned that although they are very good at their jobs,but I am not too hot with deep frying!  As a matter of fact, I think this is one of the first times that I have ever tried it and I will have to admit, I am not a fan of cooking with hot oil.  It is stinky, hot, and all I can think about is how many calories I am adding!  My first batches turned out very burnt!  Then I started making them much smaller than the recipe called for and had better luck. The kids thought they turned out OK!  We talked about how people all around the world have their every day foods AND their sometimes foods.  Due to the sugar and fat content of this one, it is a sometimes food!

They are excited to learn more about Australia in the coming week. Cooking is such a great way to spur interest in other cultures and they are VERY interested in learning more after our cooking adventure!  I have lots of crafts and learning planned for them!

Would you like to join the fun!

• The only mandatory part is the dish, the rest is all up to you, we just thought it would be fun and more concrete to the kids as to why we are making a unusual dish.
• Cook a dish from Australia: The goal is to explore this country through FOOD and activities if you wish. Make a typical dish (sweet or savoury) from the country with the kids, take photos and have fun!
• Typical dishes: Kangaroo, Damper bread, ANZAC cookies, Meat Pie, Rissole, Sausage Rolls, Lamingtons.
• Print your passport: Click here to download, comes with space for a photo of the child with the dish. Here is a little cover for it if you wish :)
• Color a placemat: Once colored/painted or whatever other way you want to do this, you can laminate it or put it between clear contact paper to use it over and over. Great conversation piece for you and your kids. Click here to download it.
• Make a craft: you can make a country related craft with the kids [optional!] Here is a great website with lots of ideas - http://www.dltk-kids.com/world/australia/index.htm
• Read a book - Here is one to get you started - we will post more soon! "D is for Down Under" and here is one to make!
• Share with us: Our Australia challenge starts on August 5th and will remain open for a year, so attach a link to your blog to enter the linky party or go to the comment section and post a photo together with what you did together with your child(ren).
• Pinterest: We will add your photos to a "Around the World in 12 Dishes" Pinterest Boards (one for the dishes, one for the crafts) you will be a great source of inspiration for everyone :)
• Are you a blogger? Let your fans know about the challenge and grab our cute lil’ button to share it on your blog. 

<a href="http://www.glitteringmuffins.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1145.photobucket.com/albums/o502/theeducatorsspinonit/world.jpg" alt="Around the world in 12 Dishes" width="125" height="125" /></a>

Please check out our partner blogs and their Australia ideas: Adventures In Mommydom, Creative Family Fun, Domestic Goddesque, Glittering Muffins, Juggling with Kids, Kitchen Counter Chronicles, Mermaids' Makings, Mom 2 Posh Little Divas, Montessori Tidbits, Mummymummymum, The Educators' Spin On It and The Usual Mayhem!

If you do this, we’d LOVE to see a photo of it. Email it to us or post it on our Facebook page.