Grade school cooking class onigiri...

[**Tinkerbell**]

Scroll down please.....

[Stella Mae]

I love onigiri. Some of those little rice balls are wrapped in nori (seaweed) and perfect for an obento (lunch box). Some are fried. My friend, Keiko, adores the fried version -- can't think of the name -- and they are toasty brown and quite tasty. I'll see if I can locate a link to a you tube cooking class or maybe find some written instructions on line.

[**Tinkerbell**]

Ooh! The fried version sounds good. I'd like to try that if you find it.

I meant to share some photos of my students' onigiri creations, but I spaced out and tried to post a link to the recipe before it had been made public.
Then I got word today that it can't be published without any ingredient amounts, so I fixed that and resubmitted.
I'll come back and share their photos when the recipe posts.

I've been teaching the 3rd-5th grade cooking elective, and this session it was suggested to me to make it a multi-cultural theme, so we've done 9 countries and/or regions (basically, a ZWT) over the last 6 weeks. I was really impressed with their creativity, and enthusiasm for the onigiri.
*Tink

[**Tinkerbell**]

Well, that was quick! I barely finished typing the last post when I got the confirmation.

I have 29 3rd-5th grade students, so I didn't get photos of all of the creations before they were devoured, but here are a few:

Japanese Onigiri and Bento Box

[duonyte]

Those are adorable!

[Stella Mae]

Great ideas for obento boxes! Teachers at my university used to take their obentos with them every day. The tea pot was ready with hot water to make green tea -- such a nice group and so much fun as we ate our obentos and drank tea and chatted. Happy memories of an elegant country.

Here's a link to fried onigiri --
http://www.grouprecipes.com/26787/sesame-fried-onigiri.html

[**Tinkerbell**]

Thanks, guys!
I've had such a good time with these kids. Tomorrow is my last day teaching this group. We're headed to Italy.

They really loved the onigiri, and I'd never made it before testing it out for the class, and I loved it too. It's something I'm going to make for DD's lunches next year when she has to start brown bagging it.

Thanks for the fried onigiri recipe, Stella. Can't wait to try that!
*Tink

[JoyfulCook]

Thanks so much for sharing these Tinks - wonderful pictures and I bet you had a ball with the kids!

[**Tinkerbell**]

Thanks for checking them out, Joy! I had a great time teaching them about foods from all over the world. Last week was the last week of the elective session, and now I'm feeling like I have nothing to do (although we know I'm terribly busy with work, F.com, and school), so I volunteered for DD's school auction planning committee.

[JoyfulCook]

**Tinkerbell** wrote:
Thanks for checking them out, Joy! I had a great time teaching them about foods from all over the world. Last week was the last week of the elective session, and now I'm feeling like I have nothing to do (although we know I'm terribly busy with work, F.com, and school), so I volunteered for DD's school auction planning committee.

Tinks it sounded and looked fun, my gosh you really don't know how to sit still do you so now your on the auction committee lol!!!!

[**Tinkerbell**]

JoyfulCook wrote:

**Tinkerbell** wrote:
Thanks for checking them out, Joy! I had a great time teaching them about foods from all over the world. Last week was the last week of the elective session, and now I'm feeling like I have nothing to do (although we know I'm terribly busy with work, F.com, and school), so I volunteered for DD's school auction planning committee.

Tinks it sounded and looked fun, my gosh you really don't know how to sit still do you so now your on the auction committee lol!!!!

I know, I can't seem to stop myself. But I learned from experience with DS, that I only have a few precious years of being a school-mom. After that I won't be welcome.

[Leggy Peggy]

Your cooking adventure for the students was brilliant. Love their creations.
They are so lucky to have someone like you as a guide and role model.

[**Tinkerbell**]

Leggy Peggy wrote:
Your cooking adventure for the students was brilliant. Love their creations.
They are so lucky to have someone like you as a guide and role model.

Ohhh, you!
Seriously, thanks, Peggy. I appreciate it.

I was very active in DS's school. Besides the usual food drives, bake-sale cookies and homemade play dough for the classroom type stuff, I taught art lessons in his class each week. I based my lesson on whatever they were studying at the time, and I taught everything from making paper totem poles that represent themselves to reading recipes and making their own ice cream in baggies. But it only lasted 5 years. Once he hit middle school parents were only wanted for committee stuff, like auctions, fund-raisers, and class trips.

I think I might actually get to stay involved a little longer if I keep DD in the charter school (K-, as keeping the charter is dependent on having a certain percentage of parent involvement. But, I'll just wait and see if DD gets everything she needs out of this type of schooling, because that's what's most important.

[Leggy Peggy]

I think it's essential for kids to have exposure to the whole range of
educational opportunities. So glad your daughter's school wants parental
involvement beyond year 6. Gosh, the closer kids get to figuring out what
they want to do in life, the more important it is for them to know general
life skills and all the other aspects of 'what's out there'!

[**Tinkerbell**]

Leggy Peggy wrote:
Gosh, the closer kids get to figuring out what
they want to do in life, the more important it is for them to know general
life skills and all the other aspects of 'what's out there'!

I couldn't agree more. What I'm really loving about this school is that they encourage parents to share whatever talent or skill they have, and we've had classes ranging from Lego building to Crime Scene Investigating. I think all of the skills themselves are great, but what's really exciting is showing the students that we take pride in our work and want to share it with others. Those are lessons you just don't get out of a textbook.