With each new group of schoolchildren we teach to cook, we never know how our recipes are going to be received. Sometimes, the meals you think will be the hardest sell end up being the class favorites. And then the ones you think will be the favorites, are not well received.

So it was with great joy that we headed into our second week of class with Sloppy Joes on the menu, and three repeat students from previous years, all of whom told us it was one of their favorite recipes the first time around. And these are three seventh graders, so the very impressionable fifth graders in the class were excited to learn what the fuss was about.

Though it’s a dish that was on regular weekday rotation when my kids were growing up — because it was quick and easy and inexpensive — these students were not familiar with it before cooking class.

Fifth graders Keily Ramos and Melany Ramos were the first to arrive, and got started right away peeling the cucumbers that we were going to pickle as an accompaniment to the Sloppy Joes.

“My mother showed me how to do this,” said Melany, competently using the vegetable peeler to remove the skin and then showing her classmate how to slice the cucumber into thin rounds.

When the seventh graders arrived, we reviewed the recipe, identified all the ingredients, and got to work.

Melany and Keily measured and mixed the ingredients for the cucumber brine and set them aside to pickle. Bella Nguyen took on the hardest job of dicing the onion, while Christopher Ramirez and Marielys Martinez diced the celery.

Though the older kids have more experience, it was Melany who really wanted to work the skilled, and didn’t tire of sauteing the ground turkey, onions and celery, until the turkey was no longer pink.

Bella and Marielys measure out the ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, salt and pepper flakes, and stirred them in, and set the skillet to cook until the vegetables were tender.

Meanwhile, Christopher placed all the burger buns on a sheet pan and popped them in the oven to toast.

Next, the prep table was cleaned and set with the tablecloth, plates, silverware and water to drink.

Soon the buns were toasted and Christopher was dishing out the filling and we were adding the pickled cucumbers on top.

The kids were so happy with their cooking, the room was silent as they ate. Would anyone like more, they were asked.

“Yesss!!!” shouted Marielys. She had made it at home but didn’t do the pickles. “Even better with the pickles!” She said.

But the other were equally enthusiastic. Everyone also wanted to bring some home to their families, so we had to split the leftovers among all the students.

The class was so efficient, we had plenty of time to write in our journals. I gave the students this writing prompt: if you could make any dish, what would it be, who would you make it for, and why.

Melany said she would make lasagna for her mother, because her mother loves lasagna, “And I think she would be very proud if I could make it.”

Keily said she would like to make chicken for her Mom or Dad. “I want to surprise them,” she wrote.

Bella said she would like to make cake for one of her family members on their birthday.

Marielys would make Tres Leche cake for her family. “It is a comfort food for my family and kind of just makes us feel like home.”

Christopher would like to do make Tacos Birria, one of his family’s traditions. He said he would make it for our cooking class because he loved it and wanted us to try it. What a wonderful sentiment.