The Secret Ingredient (2 page)

Suddenly, a great idea popped into her head. She ran back upstairs, grabbed her piggy bank, and shook all of the money onto her bed. She counted her change twice. Seventy-five cents!

Well, that certainly wasn’t going to buy a plane ticket to Florida.

She threw herself across her bed. How could she make enough money to go to Florida? There just had to be a way.

Katie Lynn snuggled up against her stuffed animals. She thought and thought. But nothing came to her.

It didn’t look like she was going to Grandma’s, after all. How was she going
to break it to Tina?

“Katie Lynn?”

Mr. Cooke was standing in her doorway. He looked excited about something. “Your mother and I have a surprise for you.”

“You do?” Katie Lynn cried. She scrambled to her feet. Maybe they’d changed their minds about the trip!

Before he could answer, Mr. Cooke scrunched up his nose. “What’s that smell?” he asked.

Katie Lynn sniffed. “Dad, I think it’s … smoke!”

I Can Do It!

“I
t’s coming from the kitchen!” Katie Lynn shouted as they raced downstairs.

“Oh, no! Not again!” her father cried.

They burst into the smoke-filled kitchen.

“Kathy?” Mr. Cooke called through the haze. “Are you in there?”

Mrs. Cooke coughed a couple of times. “Yes!” she gasped. “But I think we need to
call the fire department right away!”

As she dialed 911, Katie Lynn heard sirens approaching.

Somebody started banging on the front door.

Katie Lynn ran to answer it.

“I saw smoke coming out your kitchen window!” explained Mrs. Merchison. “I knew your mother was trying to cook again, so I called the fire department.”

Suddenly, two firefighters dashed through the front door.

“The fire’s in the—” Katie Lynn began.

“We remember where to go,” one of the firefighters interrupted her. “Same as last week, right?”

“Oh, if only your poor mother would let me teach her how to cook,” Mrs. Merchison said.

Katie Lynn tried not to laugh. Mrs.
Merchison’s cooking was even worse than her mother’s.

“Just a little smoke damage,” one of the firefighters said as he came out of the kitchen. “Everything is fine.”

“Tell your mother to call me anytime,” Mrs. Merchison said. “I’ll come over with all of my cookbooks.”

“I’ll tell her, Mrs. Merchison,” Katie Lynn promised. “Thank you!”

The firefighter gave Mrs. Merchison a funny look. “Didn’t we put out a fire in
your
kitchen yesterday?”

Mrs. Merchison blushed and scurried out the door. Laughing, the firefighters followed close behind.

Katie Lynn started to close the front door, but the smell was so bad she left it open.

Just then, she saw her mother going upstairs.

“Are you all right, Mom?” Katie Lynn asked.

“Of course I am, dear. But I wanted to surprise you with some cookies—just like your grandmother’s. I wanted to make up for the trip to Florida. I’m so sorry I burned them.”

“Oh, that’s okay, Mom,” Katie Lynn said. “You don’t have to bake anything for me. Really.”

Just then, the telephone rang.

“If it’s for me, I can’t talk right now,” Mrs. Cooke said. “I need to take a shower to get rid of this smoky smell.”

Katie Lynn ran to answer it. “Cooke residence.”

“Katie Lynn! It’s so good to hear your
voice! I miss you so much!”

“Grandma! I’ve been thinking about you and your cookies all day! I wish I had some of them right now.” Katie Lynn glanced around and lowered her voice to a whisper. “Mom just tried to bake some, but it didn’t work out.”

“Katie Lynn, if you want cookies, you should bake some yourself.”

“Me? Are you serious, Grandma?”

“You’ve seen me do it a million times, dear. Weren’t you paying attention?”

“Well, yes, but …”

“Then I’m sure you can do it. Your mother has all of my recipes in her recipe box. You know, the gray metal thing covered with dust?”

“I guess I could try, Grandma.”

“That’s my girl. Just do yourself a
favor—keep your mother out of the kitchen!”

“Don’t worry. I will.”

“Speaking of your mother, is she there?”

“She can’t talk now, Grandma.”

“Then just tell her I called and I’ll talk to her later.”

After Katie Lynn hung up, she punched in Tina’s number.

“I can’t go to Florida,” she explained. “Don’t tell anyone, but my parents said we can’t afford it this summer.”

“That’s okay. Don’t worry about it. Maybe we’ll get to go next summer.”

“Maybe,” said Katie Lynn. “The good news is, I just talked to Grandma. She said I should try to bake some of her cookies myself. So I think I’ll try today.”

“Can I help?”

“Sure. My mom has all of her recipes. I’m going to bake my favorite kind first. Oatmeal Walnut Chocolate Chunk.”

“Oh, wait a minute,” Tina said. “I can’t right now. I have to baby-sit my little brother all afternoon. How about tomorrow?”

Katie Lynn thought for a moment. “I have an idea. You can sleep over. Then we can get started first thing in the morning.”

The Secret Ingredient

“R
ise and shine!” Katie Lynn sang.

Tina opened her eyes and groaned.

Katie Lynn peered at her watch. “It’s four o’clock.”

Tina yawned. “I can’t believe we slept so late.” She rolled over in her sleeping bag.

“It’s four o’clock
in the morning
,” Katie Lynn replied.

“What?”
Tina cried. “Why did you wake me up so early?”

“Real bakers start at dawn,” Katie Lynn said. “Besides, I want to surprise my mom and dad at breakfast.”

“Cookies for breakfast?” Tina said. “Hmm. That actually sounds pretty good.”

The girls made a beeline for the kitchen.

“First things first,” said Katie Lynn. She read the ingredients for the Oatmeal Walnut Chocolate Chunk Cookie recipe out loud.

Tina took an egg out of the refrigerator and dropped it on the floor. Katie Lynn could tell that her friend was still half asleep. She searched the pantry for the rest of the ingredients.

“Believe it or not, we have everything,” Katie Lynn said finally. “Grandma must have bought this stuff the last time she was here.”

At that moment, Mrs. Cooke came into the kitchen. “What are you two doing down here so early?” she asked as she turned on the coffeemaker.

“We’re baking some of Grandma’s cookies,” Katie Lynn explained.

Tina giggled. “Cookies for breakfast.”

“Why are
you
up so early, Mom?”

“Your father and I couldn’t sleep,” Mrs. Cooke replied. “So I came down to make some coffee. I might as well stay and help you bake your cookies.”

“No, really, Mrs. Cooke! You don’t have to do that!” Tina turned to Katie Lynn. “We want to do it all by ourselves, don’t we?”

Katie Lynn nodded. “It’s very important that young people learn to be independent, Mom. We … uh … learned that in school last year.”

“Well, okay. If you’re
sure
you don’t need my help. But don’t forget the secret ingredient,” Mrs. Cooke added.

Katie Lynn frowned. “Secret ingredient?” It sure wasn’t written on the recipe card. She had no idea what her mother was talking about.

Mrs. Cooke opened the refrigerator. “I think it was something unusual. Something you wouldn’t expect.” She took out a bottle of ketchup and set it on the counter next to the ingredients. “Try this.”

“I really don’t think Grandma would put ketchup in her cookies, Mom.” Katie Lynn put the bottle of ketchup back in the refrigerator.

“Well, you have to use the secret ingredient,” her mother said. “It’s what makes your grandmother’s cookies so special. Call Grandma if you don’t believe me.”

Katie Lynn picked up the phone and punched in the numbers she knew by heart. Her spirit sank when the machine came on.

“Hi, Grandma, it’s me. When you get this message, call me immediately. Mom says we’re nowhere without the secret ingredient. I wish you were here!”

Katie Lynn hung up and turned to Tina. “Let’s get started. Maybe she’ll call back before we bake.”

Shaking her head, Mrs. Cooke poured two cups of coffee and left the kitchen.

Katie Lynn rolled her eyes. “That was a close call.” She finished reading the instructions, then turned on the oven to
350 degrees Fahrenheit. Tina got out the measuring cups, the measuring spoons, a mixing bowl, and a cookie sheet.

One by one, Katie Lynn measured out the shortening, brown sugar, granulated sugar, egg, water, and vanilla into the mixing bowl.

Tina beat everything together with a wire whisk until it was creamy.

Katie Lynn mixed in the oats, flour, salt, and baking soda.

Tina picked up the cup of walnuts, then put it back down. “Sorry, but I just don’t like nuts.”