Last night (Friday evening) Master J cooked a scrumptious meal for his first meal in our Mini MasterChef competition. It’s always a bit tricky when cooking a traditional family favourite because we have something to compare it to…but he did a fantastic job! And with so little help!
‘Susan’s go-to Lasagne‘ followed by Caramel Orange Slices with a hint of Ginger and a dollop of Ice Cream. (Go-to is a softball term, meaning one’s best pitch or the pitch that one throws when they’re in need of a no-fail pitch)
Unfortunately, I forgot (bad homeschool mama) to take photos of it all. Luckily Master C (good homeschool son) got into the act and tried to take a few shots. However Master J was not impressed with the photographer getting in the way so we don’t have too many photos. We were all so impatient to tuck into our dessert that we also forgot to take photos. Maybe next time.
(Click the picture to open it in a light box at full size)
Preparing the sauce.
The BΓ©chamel sauce, a fancy way of saying a white sauce with cheese added.
The end product…looks good enough to eat. π
My serve, lovingly plated.
The difficulty in this dish is that in itself it isn’t hard…except that I don’t use a recipe so Master J was trying to grasp the whole idea with me saying “Oh, just a little bit of this… and a little bit of that” . I used a recipe when I first made a lasagne but since then the dish has evolved and matured. I haven’t used a lasagne recipe for years. None of them seem to taste as good as when I improvise or ‘wing it’. This was the difficult part in teaching Master J: there was no recipe for him to study. I tried my best to write out a recipe at a base level…from here many ingredients can be added for variation- depending upon season, flavour desired, time and/or expense. So he made the basic version but already has a few ideas for how he wants to change it for next time.
He plans to add some form of salad when he prepares this again (to tell the truth, this was not his idea but a suggestion from one of the judges: Miss A). Once he has mastered the technique and *idea* behind the lasagne we will teach the boys to make their own lasagne sheets…as we have taught the girls. If you have not had lasagne with fresh pasta sheets, you have not really had lasagne.
Hmmm delizioso! John is certainly is for some treats when he returns home in 4 weeks time.
That looks fantabulous!!! :silly: How nice to teach your children to make their favorite dishes while they are still at home and can serve the family. Great Idea.
p.s. I know you don’t have a recipe, but what is the basic recipe and how do you make pasta sheets?
yum!
Hi MomOfFour,
Thanks for stopping by! Seeing as how you asked I will try and put pen to paper with my basic recipe and also get back to you with our recipe for lasagne sheets. Please, all I ask is that you don’t hold your breathe waiting for my reply…it might take me a few days. π
Success! What a great experience, both for learning how to manage when the need arises, and for learning to appreciate the amount of effort that goes into making dinner.
Thanks BB. Do your children cook? I know your lovelies do the most amazing art work (well, *I* think it is truly amazing) but wondering if you let them loose in the kitchen?
Thanks for your kind words about the wee ones art. They do cook, but having a temperamental gas stove, there is a ban on anyone doing so without me present. They have made a few basic meals (corned beef, roast, rissoles, etc) but having set a few pot holders and tea towels on fire myself, I am maybe a little paranoid about allowing too much freedom in the kitchen. I LOVE gas to cook with, but with them all having very long hair (it’s always tied back for cooking, but it’s still there!) and my own track record for setting things on fire, I admit I would rather teach them to cook on an electric stove.
Hmm, yes BTDT wrt temperamental stoves. Initially, cooking and teaching the basic does take a fair bit of time and supervision…which is why I’m so thankful that Miss A helps out so much. I taught the girls the basics of cooking and then unleashed them…but the trickle down effect is that Miss A also teaches the boys- I’m so glad I don’t have to teach the basics 4 times lol.
Strangely, I’ve had an electric stove in two homes and I must say, I despise them intensely! I actually didn’t find them safer but quite the opposite. So many times, the stove-top wouldn’t look like it was on but it was still cooling off- and someone would accidentally throw a tea towel or pot holder on it and whoa, what a mess! Although mess is the least of one’s worries with something as dangerous as that.
With gas I can see if it is on. Also, we tended to (naughtily) dump things on the electric stove top because it is nice, flat and uncluttered whereas is it impossible to put things on the gas stove.
Ah well, each to their own eh? I’d love to hear more about what your children cook next, whenever they may be in the kitchen. π
It’s such a natural, gentle and real way to combat many issues in society today: obesity, eating disorders, expense, healthy foods, nutrition, spending time together, mentoring and more!
LOL! I had forgotten about that. We had an electric stove growing up (and I wholeheartedly agree – would never want one to cook on myself: I’m a serious fan of gas). While I didn’t set anything on fire, I did melt a LOT of tupperware. My poor mother. We were forever putting plastic things on the stove while getting ready to do the dishes, not realising that the stove was still hot. The SMELL! Pheeeewfeeeeee! There is nothing like the smell of melted tupperware π (and not much like the wrath of a mother who sees it happen for the hundredth time :shame: ). I’d not really thought about allowing the Chicklette to teach the others…something to consider as a sanity saver… π
I do look forward to the day that my younguns’ can cook while I… don’t cook! Lucky for you and such a delicious dish :-)) My kids can cook eggs and soup. My 6 year old has perfected cinnamon toast… because it is her fave! My 15 year old can do more complex dishes but he hides from the stove here and only seems to do them when he must fend for himself such as when he visits his dad(he has cooked pork chops and Rice-a-Roni!) My 9 year old is my little chef. He LOVES to help in the kitchen! He just about has my ‘recipe’ for french toast memorized π
I agree with you on gas being better for cooking, I grew up with and learned on gas…. however, for the 17 years I have lived out west I have always had electric (if you don’t count the 5 month stint on a mountain top in a cabin!). I don’t like how you have to wait for electric to cool/heat and that not all burners are the same size (I have two small and to large burners). I do, however, sympathize with beyondbluestockings, I worry less about my kids in the kitchen (as young as some of them are) when I don’t have to worry about them ((easily)) setting fire to themselves!!
Congrats to you on such a budding chef!
oh I want some lasagna now. It looks delicious.
Impressive looking lasagne! I also like the little bits of parsely added for presentation…
I loved your photos… not too many, not too few… just right! :laugh:
I always think the hardest bit about lasagne is getting it plated nicely. Master J’s looks marvellous on that gorgeous aubergine plate. Maybe we’ll have lasagne here tonight!! Yummo
Too true Jeanne! π