Name: Simon Jasiewicz Parents: Heidi and Jason McDonald Community: Edgewood Age: 7 Siblings: Annie, 9, and Ian, 6 weeks School: First-grader at Edgewood Primary School Favorite subject: Music Favorite book: "Curious George" Favorite TV show: "Bullwinkle" Favorite movie: "Pirates of the Caribbean" Hobbies: Acting school, puppets; space and aliens; doing impersonations Favorite foods to eat: Spaghetti with clam sauce and all kinds of shrimp Favorite foods to make: "Meatloaf because it's so squooshy." Pet: Fletcher, a beagle What he wants to be when he grows up: "An actor who makes people laugh like Adam Sandler or Ben Stiller."

Simon says he has learned that he shouldn't pop popcorn in the microwave by himself without permission.

Simon Jasiewicz explains: "I forgot to take off the plastic and I put it in for way too long and it caught on fire in the microwave. I got in really big trouble. Nothing burned down, though, it just got really stinky. Mommy says I had better stick with meatloaf."

Sounds like good advice.

Simon's mother, Heidi McDonald, says, "This meatloaf isn't really from outer space, but adding the phrase 'outer space' to anything also adds an instant level of enthusiasm for my 7-year-old. If you have a child who loves to make messes, this dish is a way to use that urge productively. Just make sure he/she is wearing an apron and has washed both hands very thoroughly. Generally, I prepare the ingredients marked with asterisks for him, in small cups he can dump from."

Simon's elder sister, Annie Jasiewicz, was featured in the Cooking with Kids column May 13.

RELATED RECIPE
SIMEY'S MEATLOAF FROM OUTER SPACE

• 2 eggs
  
• 3 or 4 slices of bread, torn into small pieces
  
• 1 1/2 pounds of raw ground beef
  
• 2 small onions, finely diced*
  
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley*
  
• 1 tablespoon ground black pepper*
  
• 1 teaspoon salt*
  
• Bottle of ketchup
  

In a bowl mix the eggs and bread. Add the rest of the ingredients and mix with your hands. Put mixture into a baking dish. Spread as much ketchup as you prefer over the top of the meatloaf. Bake in a 350-degree oven for 30 to 40 minutes.