Prep School Recipes and Extension
November and December 2025: Cooking with Heat 1.0 Class Overview and Recipes
Week 1: Microwave Magic [Part 1]
This week, was our first week of Cooking with Heat, and we talked about what heat does to food - and heat does a lot of different things to food! For practice, students learned how to safely use the microwave by observing these heat changes and how to handle hot items with care. We practiced reading and following cooking instructions, using microwave-safe containers, heating in increments, and checking for doneness. We made Microwave Egg Sandwiches, learning to crack, whisk, and cook eggs with add-ins like spinach, ham, and cheese. We wrapped up by talking about kitchen safety, what to do in case of sparks or smoke, and how different foods change texture when cooked.
Week 1 Recipe: 5 Minute Breakfast Sandwich
Extension Practice ideas for home this week:
Making microwave popcorn; allow your child to read the instructions and see if they can figure it out on their own.
Reheat some food/leftovers with you so your child can get more familiar with your home microwave and rules you may already have in place
Make the breakfast sandwich and challenge them to do it on their own
Go through the freezer and pantry and talk about things that can be made in the microwave, show them where the directions are on the boxes/packages.
Week 2: Microwave Magic [Part 2]
This week, we reviewed microwave safety and best practices, with a focus on melting! Students explored how heat can transform ingredients step by step — especially when working slowly and heating in short increments. We made Rice Krispy Treats and chocolate-dipped strawberries, learning to observe how foods change as they melt and combine. Through careful timing and observation, students practiced patience in the kitchen and discovered that sometimes the best results come from taking it slow!
Week 2 Recipes: Rice Krispies and chocolate covered strawberries (We did also watch this video to learn about melting chocolate!)
Extension Practice ideas for home this week:
Continue with last week’s extension! Any practice with independently using the microwave will be beneficial. It is important for your child to learn how YOUR microwave works, making recipes and reheating food that are common in your household.
Plan a menu for an upcoming celebration or occasion that involves dessert. Plan for your child to make the chocolate covered strawberries and/or the rice krispie treats! Let them showcase their skills! They will feel SO proud.
Week 3: Griddling Gurus [Part 1]
This week, we move into more advanced “Cooking with Heat” techniques as we introduce the griddle. Students will learn to use a griddle safely and effectively, exploring how direct contact with a heated surface transforms foods. We’ll cover pre-use safety checks (clear workspace, dry hands, cord management), safe tool usage during cooking (heat‐safe spatulas and tongs, no bare hands), and proper clean-up afterward (unplug, cool completely, clean only when safe).
Week 3 Recipe: Taco Triangles
Extension Practice ideas for home this week:
Use a cold spatula and a soft object (a coaster, a cold tortilla, a tupperwear lid) to practice gentle flipping without any heat.
Look at foods at home (toast, pancakes, grilled cheese) and identify the “golden-brown” stage. It’s great for kids to be able to identify when foods are done cooking. And it’s fun to learn their preferences, too.
Students can assemble and griddle a simple quesadilla, applying the same folding and flipping techniques from class. Adult supervision recommended.
Go through your kitchen tools at home and show your child what is “heat-safe” (tongs, metal or silicone spatulas) and “not heat-safe” (plastic utensils, paper goods). We are doing this at the kitchen, but it’s great practice for kids to see this in their own homes as well.
Week 4: Griddling Gurus [Part 2]
This week, we continue building confidence with direct heat by leveling up our griddle skills! Students will practice assembling and cooking Pizza Grilled Cheese, a perfect recipe for learning how the griddle browns, melts, and cooks food evenly from the outside in. We’ll review essential griddle safety (again, because you can’t say it enough!) Students will learned how to identify when a sandwich is ready to flip by watching for golden-brown edges and melting cheese. We’ll practice “scooting” the spatula underneath, supporting the sandwich, and flipping with confidence! This week helped students understand how patience, timing, and careful handling all work together to make a perfectly melted, golden, yummy grilled cheese.
Week 4 Recipe: Pizza Grilled Cheese
Extension Practice ideas for home this week:
Use a cold spatula and a coaster (we’ve been doing this in class, it works great!), folded napkin, or piece of bread to practice flipping motions safely without heat.
Compare toast, waffles, grilled cheese, or pancakes at home and practice spotting when something is “done.” Encourage kids to describe color changes using kid-friendly vocabulary like toasty, light brown, or almost ready.
With close adult supervision, let your child assemble and griddle a simple grilled cheese or quesadilla. They can practice layering, watching for melting, and flipping safely.
Walk through the kitchen together and sort utensils into “heat-safe” (tongs, silicone spatulas, metal spatulas) and “not heat-safe” (plastic utensils, paper items). Reinforcing this in their home environment builds independence and confidence.
Week 5: Griddling Gurus [Part 3]
This week, we took our griddle skills to the next level with Veggie Pancakes! Students practiced prepping vegetables (grating carrots, zucchini, and cheese, plus cutting spinach and green onion), mixing batter, and understanding how griddles cook food from the outside in. We again reviewed essential griddle safety because we’ll always reinforce safe habits! Students learned how to recognize when a pancake is ready to flip by watching for bubbling batter, set edges, and golden bottoms. They practiced sliding the spatula underneath, supporting the pancake, and flipping confidently without smashing it. This week helped students see how heat transforms veggies, cheese, and batter into crisp, golden pancakes and how patience, timing, and gentle handling lead to griddle success!
Week 5 Recipe: Cheesy Veggie Pancakes
Extension Practice ideas for home this week:
Use a cold spatula and a coaster, folded napkin, or piece of bread to practice “scooting” and flipping motions safely without heat.
Make simple pancakes at home and practice spotting when they’re ready to flip. Encourage kids to describe the clues like bubbles forming, edges setting, golden bottoms.
Let your child help grate soft vegetables or cheese using a box grater with close supervision. This builds independence and reinforces the prep skills learned in class.
Week 6: Microwave & Griddle Graduation
This week, we wrapped up our Cooking with Heat series by celebrating everything our students have learned about using microwaves and griddles. It has been a lot, especially a lot of conversations around SAFETY. We played a fun trivia game that reviewed how heat changes food, how microwaves cook from the inside out, how griddles cook from the outside in, and why safety always comes first in the kitchen. Then, students then put their skills to the test with one last microwave recipe: Cottage Cheese Queso! They practiced heating in short increments, stirring between rounds, and handling hot dishes carefully. Next, students returned to the griddle for Corn & Black Bean Patties, where they scooped, shaped, pressed, and flipped patties while watching closely for browning and doneness.
We ended class with reflection and celebration, inviting students to share their High, Low, and Whoa moments from the series. This final week highlighted just how much confidence, independence, and awareness students have built over six weeks of cooking with heat. We are so proud of their growth. Cooking is a life skill, and for kids, takes continued practice. Please feel free to reach out to us any time with questions.
Week 6 Recipes:
Extension Practice Ideas for Home This Week:
Practice microwave skills by reheating leftovers in 30 second increments, stirring and checking temperature between rounds.
Talk through microwave and griddle safety rules out loud before cooking. Having kids “teach back” the rules helps reinforce them!
Make simple patties or pancakes at home and practice recognizing visual doneness cues like browning, set edges, and firmness.
Ask your child to share their own High, Low, and Whoa from the series to reflect on growth and confidence.
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