The students were flush with excitement when they learned we were making grilled cheese sandwiches this week. Many had made them at home, either on the stove or in the microwave, and they were eager to try them with basil and tomatoes since I said they would taste like Margarita pizza.

There was less enthusiasm for the crudite or chopped vegetables and homemade Ranch dressing. Martin Castano said he did not eat vegetables, and Zuliany Delacruz said the only vegetable she liked was potatoes. “Can I take the tomatoes off the sandwich?” Zuliany asked.

They were both reminded that part of cooking class was trying everything. And they promised they would.

Do you know why vegetables are so good for you, I asked.

“Because they make you grow strong,” said Jizelle Santos.

“Yes! They are filled with vitamins and minerals and fiber. Does anyone know what fiber is?” I asked.

“It helps you go to the bathroom,” said Jizelle.

“Yes! It helps the plumbing in your body.”

By week three, these kids were amazingly adept at peeling the carrots and cutting the carrots, celery and peppers into sticks, creating a colorful bowl of raw veggies.

They had the measuring down pat too, taking extra care to fill the measuring cups to the brim with the yogurt and mayonnaise and precisely measuring the spices for the homemade Ranch dressing. Once mixed, it was placed in the fridge to allow all the flavors to blend.

The favorite task was spreading the mayo on the bread, topping it with cheese, then a layer of tomato, a sprinkling of basil and then the other slice of bread. It was a virtual assembly line, with all the students working as a team to get the job done.

“Can I do mine without mayonnaise,” said Scarlett Godoy. “I don’t like it.”

“You can,” I told her. “But it won’t be as good. The mayo helps the bread get crispy and I don’t think you will even taste it when they are done.”

Into the oven the tray of sandwiches went, to let the cheese melt and the bread toast. And when they came out, there were ooohs and ahhhs all around.

Scarlett said she couldn’t even taste the mayonnaise. Zuliany and Martin both ate the sandwiches, but I did see some tomatoes on their plates.

But they did rave: “Crunchy, cheesy, crusty, delicious!” wrote Martin in his journal. “Cheesy, buttery, delicious,” wrote Zuliany.

“Cheesy, greasy, crunchy, warm, minty and vegetabley, “wrote Jizelle. “Yummy and tasty.”

Even the crudite with Ranch was well received.

“It’s really not bad,” said I-don’t-like-vegetables Zuliany.

“The Ranch is better than what we get at the store,” said Jizelle.

But their responses to how cooking class makes them feel were the most rewarding of all.

“It makes me feel happy,” wrote Bella Nguyen.

“It make me free and focused,” wrote Zuliani.

“It makes me feel excited and eager to try new things,” wrote Marielys.

“Happy, excited, hungry and curious,” wrote Jizelle.

“Happy, because I love to cook!” wrote Scarlett.

“Hungry!” wrote Martin.