Chef greeted the kids in the farmyard. "We're making strawberry shortcake today. Please pick some strawberries in the garden. I'll get things ready inside."
Nina bounced up and down. "I love strawberry shortcake!"
Bobby chuckled. "Of course you do!"
"Hey!" Jason said. "That's a great nickname for you—Shortcake!"
Nina glared at him. "Don't call me that."
Bobby and Jason laughed. Izzie frowned at the boys.
The kids picked the strawberries and took them to the kitchen.
"Let's get started," Chef said. "First, we'll wash the strawberries and remove the leaves."
Next, everyone sliced the strawberries. Izzie preheated the oven while Chef greased a square pan. "We need a large mixing bowl. Would someone get one, please?"
"I will!" Nina said. The bowl was on a high shelf. She stood on a stool, but she still couldn't reach it.
"Need some help, Shortcake?" Bobby stretched up and got it.
Nina frowned. "I don't like that nickname!"
Jason was reading the instructions. "We have to mix soft butter and sugar in a large bowl."
Izzie mixed the butter and sugar until it was fluffy. Then she added an egg and vanilla.
"I'll get the dry ingredients ready," Jason said. He mixed flour, salt, and baking powder together.
"Now, mix in half of the dry ingredients and milk," Chef said. "We only do half at a time. This keeps the shortcake from getting too thick."
Jason and Bobby added their ingredients, and Izzie stirred.
"And repeat!" Izzie said.
Jason and Bobby added the rest of the dry ingredients and milk. And Izzie stirred again.
Nina was watching everyone make the batter. "Cooking isn't fun today," she thought.
"Everything is well combined," Chef said. "Nina, please spread the batter in the pan."
"Okay," Nina said softly.
Chef put the pan in the oven. "The shortcake bakes for 25 minutes. Let's make the whipped cream."
"We need heavy whipping cream, sugar, and vanilla," Izzie said.
Bobby whipped everything with a mixer.
"Whipped cream is ready when it forms peaks," Chef said.
He put a whisk in the mixture to check it. When he lifted it, Nina saw peaks in the cream.
Bobby grinned. "It's perfect!"
While the shortcake finished baking, the kids cleaned up. Then they took the food scraps outside.
"The boys keep teasing me today," Nina whispered to Izzie.
"I noticed," Izzie said. "Maybe—"
"Woof!" Cinnamon was pacing near the chicken coop.
"What's wrong, Cinnamon?" Jason asked.
Bobby looked under the coop. "A baby chick is stuck." He reached for it but couldn't get it. He was too big to fit under the coop.
"I'll try." Nina slid under the coop and pulled the tiny chick out.
"Wow!" Bobby said. "Nina saved the day!"
Nina grinned. "Sometimes it's good to be short!"
Back inside, the shortcake was ready. Chef cut it into squares. The kids put strawberries and whipped cream on each serving.
"Mmm. This is yummy!" Nina said.
Bobby patted her back. "Of course it is. We like shortcake."
Jason grinned. "And we like Nina."