This was a special request from Henry and Charles this week: Spaghetti and Meatballs!
Check out the wonderful technique in the middle row – that’s Liam working out how to divide the meat into four equal parts! As you can see from the bottom row, some of the meatballs were larger than others and they didn’t cook so evenly. I have no problem posting these pictures because we all learned a good lesson about food cooking more evenly when it is the same size. We ended up cutting the larger meatballs in two which helped… 
Some more excellent knife skills being displayed here: garlic, basil, onion and peppers (don’t worry – noone rubbed their eyes with peppery fingers this week!). I love that each week, the boys are actually requesting jobs to do as they learn what they do and don’t like doing and what they need more practice with. Look at Oliver’s fine onion cutting technique in the lower left hand corner!
Below is one of my favourite photos of the week:
An excellent tomato squashing technique…
The boys helped me with the plating of the final dish:
Did the boys like it? Well just seconds after I took the photo of the completed dish, they were digging in…
And literally minutes after I took that photo, I turned around to find this:
Success? You betcha!
That looks really good. Love the tomato squashing action too.
Squish squish squish – and what a great word too!
That squashing is just so beautiful. Truly it is.
I also like imagining their faces after demolishing the plate of food. I hope some sauce ended up on someone’s nose.
See I KNEW you and Penny would love the squishing action!! And yes, there was sauce on noses and cheeks!
Maybe you can do an extra portion on Tuesdays and bring me home a sampling of the boys’ cooking?
Just for an objective assessment, of course…
Neil I have enough trouble asking them to save it until they get home – some of them are eating it in the car on the way!!! I am not sure how they would feel about a tasting portion for you…
Food always tastes better when it is made with love:) I am glad they enjoyed it!
Definitely made with a whole lotta love!
Mmm… yummy spaghetti and meatballs!
It’s funny – I haven’t made this for ages at home -forgot how truly easy it is…
Forgot the oregano?!?! That’s one of the things I always have around my spice rack 😛
Glad to see the boys are learning more than just what good food is, but the reasons why things are done a certain way like being the same size 😀
Well since we’re working in a science lab, we don’t have a spice rack!!! 😉
Yes, we are learning lots of useful life lessons in this club!
Great post about the little chefs, as usual. Who knows, you guys may form a catering company, so long as you follow child labor laws. The mustard and balsamic were interesting surprise ingredients. Looked yummy. I’ve got to start doing these with Moochie.
Oh I think the boys would LOVE to work at a catering company – as long as they could eat what they make!!! Yes, Jamie uses a lot of balsamic vinegar in his dishes – it adds a nice sweet tartness..
That looks and sounds delicious. I love Jamie and most of his recipes.
Yes it was definitely delicious though I didn’t get a chance to sample it!
Love the last photo! The meal looks great…btw, I have the same striped kitchen towels!
Thanks – yes they are from Home Sense I believe!!
I LOVE what you’re doing here, and especially that you can really see the kids picking up skills and learning about what they’re doing. Plus, yum, that looks amazing. I’d be right behind you with a fork at the ready!
It’s so rewarding, you’re right, and I hope they will remember some of this when they are older. I know that when I was younger and took “Home Ec” in Grade 9, we made Welsh Rarebit and I can still remember how to make it. If you ask me what we did in Math in Grade 9, well, I couldn’t tell you!
Yum… What a tasty dish. As always your chefs did an amazing job! LOVE it!
Thanks Jen, I am really proud of them!
Love the little hands in each photo. It’s so cute.
The little hands get me every time!!
I love it! That last picture is so telling! 🙂
Little monkeys!! I turned my back and the plate was nearly clean enough to not have to go in the dishwasher!
Their skills never cease to amaze me! You must be so proud of the boys 🙂
I am very proud of them, yes!
Oh, Mardi, I love this. What a good thing you’re doing with the little chefs! Your photos capture the moment very well, I think–especially the last one!
You could start a cooking school for kids–they could come after school and learn how to cook ‘real’ food. Hmmm….
I would LOVE to start a cooking school for kids… Maybe when I retire from teaching French? 😉
Have I told you how wonderful your Petits Chefs are? Kudos, Mardi, for instilling in these boys an ever-growing love and appreciation for good food and cooking. If I were a guest in your class that day, I would have eagerly dueled forks to get a portion of this plate of spaghetti!
Tracey you would have had quite the fight on your hands! And thank you – I am so loving cooking club and am glad the boys are too!