This is my 25th year at AHS. I have taught in the same room and have taught an array of classes from Clothing and Textiles, Interior Decorating, Technology in the Home, Child Development, Teaching as a Profession and Foods. I’ve loved each and every one of them. Yes, there have been students that stood out in each of these classes. Many of them I stay in contact with today, but I’ve never had two classes as I have had this semester. Don’t get me wrong the semester hasn’t been a piece of cake. I have worked myself to death. We made 32 different dishes. Half of these we had labs. So that means that I have spent many hours making grocery lists, shopping, putting groceries up, cooking, cleaning, setting up labs, evaluating work and doing laundry! But, the students have been a different group.
Here is why:
- I heard almost zero complaining!
- They were eager to learn. Tell me more Mrs. Lupo. Just open up and tell me everything that you know!
- They were excited about everything.
- They were super nice to me.
- If something went wrong in the classroom and I got all stressed out about the mistake they told me that it was not a big deal. Usually students are just waiting for teachers to mess up.
- They smiled every day.
- They talked to me.
- They liked the class.
- They worked.
- They paid attention.
- They made me smile every day.
It has been a pleasure to be the teacher for these students. I have loved every minute. I know that they have learned valuable life skills.
Thanks to all of you this semester that have made my life as a teacher the best! I will miss you greatly.
Now here is what we prepared for our last lab. Mexican Stuffed Shells and you can find the recipe here.

1st Block Kitchen 1

1st Block Kitchen 2

First Block Kitchen 3

1st Block Kitchen 4

1st Block Kitchen 5

1st Block Kitchen 6
- 2nd Block Kitchen 1

2nd Block Kitchen 2

2nd Block Kitchen 3

2nd Block Kitchen 4

2nd Block Kitchen 5

2nd Block Kitchen 6
Happy Cooking,
The Teacher Cooks
I learned if you cook it uncovered, the noodles will become hard and crusty.
Oh man, Im gonna miss this class next semester. I learned from this lab that food coloring probably isnt the best idea to make it look more appealing.
I had no idea using salsa would taste so good. I thought it’d be weird, but it definitely wasn’t!
I learned that you have to cover up the shells with foil before you put them in the oven so that they don’t get crunchy and hard on the outside!
I learned that blue food coloring in salsa… doesn’t work so well… 🙂
These were amazing and they were a lot better when you covered them with aluminum foil to bake them. I didnt know it would make such a difference.
I was absent for the demo but I quickly caught on. These shells were so easy to make! I didn’t know we meant so much to you Mrs. Lupo! We’ll miss you too!
I thought this dish was so delicious! I learned that you should always cook extra noodles just in case one breaks.
I learned you felt this way about us…. I didnt know you felt this way! It makes my soul warm inside!
This lab was really fun to make and tasted wonderful, I learned that you put sauce on the bottom of the pan so that the shells do not stick and get burnt.
I learned that sometimes you have to prepare part of your meal the day before so you won’t be rushed in making it and enjoy your food.
I learned that if you cook the shells and ground beef prior to beginning the lab, it will make everything go a lot faster.
I learned that prepping the day before could cut down preparation time by a lot!
I learned that you could prep meat a day ahead and it would still be good.
Im so glad to hear that you really enjoyed this semester because i’m pretty sure i speak for the class when i say we have really enjoyed you as our teacher and the food that you have taught us to cook. 🙂 and as for this recipe i learned that this is actually easy but it has a lot of steps for preparation that you have to follow closely.
Didnt know that the shells would expand that much and that you should wash them in cool water after cooking them.
I had a great time cooking this recipe; I love making simple, tasteful, food.
We will miss you to Mrs.lupo. This lab was the best ever, we leaned that it is so easy to make and fun as well.
1st block kitchen four, our mexican shells look delicious! This was most definitely one of my favorite labs. I learned that stuffing pasta shells is easy delicious and fun!
I learned that you can brown and drain your meat a day before and it won’t effect anything.
i learned that you have to cover it in foil or the shells will harden.
I learned that you can prepare everything the night before if you will be short on time when you cook it
I learned that if you cover the shells they wont be crunchy. (:
DELICIOUS!!!
I have never heard of doing stuffed shells like this, I’ve always had them with cheese and marinara sauce, but these were really good too.
These were good! Easy to make! I learned that you could put part of the salsa on the bottom of the pan so the shells wouldn’t stick to the pan.
i think this dish was good and i learned thats you have to cook extra shells since they are so soft and they might break.
I learned that if you cover the dish with foil the noodles wont be hard & crunchy.
This lab was very good I loved this lab
alway made more shells than you need.
i learned how boil shells
I learned that the shells are still good if you prep them beforehand and that the shells (when cooked) will become hard and dry if cooked uncovered.
they were really easy to make!. it was fun makaking them and i learned that you can heat up pasta by simply placing it under running hot water
this recipe wouldve been better without the green peppers
I learned that you put sauce on the bottom of the pan so the shells do not stick.
i did not know you could heat up pasta noodles by running them under hot water!
i enjoyed making the stuffed shells i was unfamiliar with adding the cheese usually when you make stuffed shells you should add about two or three cheeses
I learned that you can boil the shells a day before but Mrs. Lupo does not recommend it
I learned that if you bake the shells covered they will won’t be as dry
I learned that is was easier to prep the meat and cheese and a day ahead.
I love all of your pictures. I come from a family of educators, and they work themselves to death sometimes. I love these mexican stuffed shells and all of your pictures!
Fantastic tribute to your students. All their dishes look wonderful this time, and this is an incredible idea having them leave a trail of their learning on this site. Most are really thoughtful. Those are the ones I enjoy reading.
🙂
v alerie
I learned that you put the sauce at the bottom of the pan so the shells wont stick to the pan.(:*
Teaching, cooking and blogging…wow, I get tired just reading it:) You’re really a busy woman! A very interesting blog. Regards from Italy! I’ve just started blogging and I’m glad to have come across your blog.
Thanks so much for stopping by Manager mamma!
I learned that you could do a tomato sauce and salsa together and it taste good!!
All these look fabulous.
This looks amazing. i’m trying it tomorrow night!