Summers were always a big problem for our household. There were never enough activities for five growing kids. Then I saw a newspaper ad offering summer cooking lessons for children of all ages.

After several phone calls, I learned that there were several classes teaching Pinoy viands, baking, barbecues, desserts, and snacks. Each course was to cost a couple of hundred pesos, a hefty sum in 1978. We were left with no choice: I was to give them cooking lessons when I was not tied up in news coverage.

Re-using sauce 

Used sauce should be boiled briefly before re-use to avoid contamination. Banana catsup gives barbecued meat an appetizing orange sheen and crusty surface. It also prevents meat juices from dripping, keeping the meat moist. Note: Chicken pieces to be grilled should not be too thick and should be slashed to expose bones to make sure they are cooked thoroughly.

French toast 

Budget-watching homemakers cook French toast to use up leftover bread. A universal favorite, it is made healthier by pairing it with preserved fruits instead of syrup. When made with savory ingredients and sauces or gravies, French toast makes for a light brunch.

Pasta shapes and colors 

By the end of summer, my kids were cooking pasta with all kinds of sauces: red, green, and white. They even planted some herbs, which they used to make pesto.

They are divided on sweet Pinoy spaghetti but all agree that creamy lasagna is well worth the mess it leaves in the kitchen.

Personalizing mixes 

From a mere handful in the 1970s, Pinoy viand mixes now occupy several aisles in supermarkets. The mixes make practical sense in this day of expensive vegetables and other ingredients. The kids learned basic Filipino recipes and tips on using mixes to produce dishes that taste like they were made from scratch. Everyone should master sinigang, paksiw, pinangat, adobo, menudo, pinakbet, bistek, and dinuguan.