"Cool!" Jason said when he spotted Miss Shelly.
She was wearing her chef's hat.
That meant they were cooking today.
He turned off his video game right away and put on his apron.
"What are we making?" Nina asked.
"A special meal," Miss Shelly said, "for very special dinner guests."
"Dinner guests?" Jason said.
"What dinner guests?" Izzie asked.
"Who are they?"
"Let's get started so dinner will be ready when they get here," Miss Shelly said.
She held up a menu.
"Bobby, what are we having for dinner tonight?"
"Spaghetti with tomato sauce," Bobby read.
"First we need to make the sauce.
Jason, what do we do?" Miss Shelly asked.
Jason had already read the directions.
He was reaching for a measuring cup.
"We heat olive oil in a pot."
"Next we add a head of garlic, chopped," Izzie read.
"A head of garlic!"
She imagined a giant head staring at her.
"A 'head' means a whole garlic, like this." Jason held one up.
"Jason's right." Miss Shelly handed Izzie some chopped garlic.
"Cook the garlic in oil for three minutes," Nina read.
"I'll set the timer!"
"Now we add the tomatoes."
Bobby emptied two cans of tomatoes into the pot.
"Add red pepper flakes," Jason said, sprinkling in the pepper.
"This makes the sauce spicy."
"Since when do you know so much about cooking?" Izzie asked.
"I like it. And I've been helping my mom and dad cook," he said.
"Cook over low heat for one hour," Nina read. "One hour?"
"Yep. It has to cook for a long time.
And that's good," said Miss Shelly.
"Because we have to get ready for our guests.
We need to clean up, set the table, and cook the spaghetti.
Who will clean up the scooters and balls?" Miss Shelly asked.
"I will!" Bobby and Jason said at the same time.
"Who will put out the tablecloth and dishes?" she asked.
"We will!" Nina and Izzie said together.
The kids cleaned and set the table for dinner.
The gym looked like a real restaurant.
Now it was time to cook the spaghetti.
"Add a pinch of salt and boil the water," Jason read.
"A pinch is like this, pinch!"
"It's boiling!" Nina said.
"Add the spaghetti.
Cook for eleven minutes," Bobby read.
"The table looks nice," Jason said.
"But who are our guests?"
Miss Shelly still wouldn't tell.
"Time to drain the spaghetti," Miss Shelly said.
"Now we mix the spaghetti and the sauce in a big bowl," she said, "and wait."
There was a knock on the door.
"Come in!" Miss Shelly called.
It was everyone's parents!
"Mom. Dad," Jason said, surprised.
"You're our special guests!"
"We heard you kids are excellent chefs," Jason's mom said.
"This spaghetti smells delicious."
"I bet it tastes delicious too," Miss Shelly said.
"These kids have been working hard all afternoon."
"But Miss Shelly always finds great recipes.
And she shows us what to do," Jason added.
"She makes cooking fun."
[caption_out@