Jason saw Chef standing near the recipe screen.
"We're having a baking contest today," Chef said.
Jason's eyes lit up. "That sounds fun!"
"What are we baking?" Izzie asked.
Chef pointed to the screen. "A simple brownie recipe with only four ingredients."
"I love chocolate!" Nina said.
Bobby grinned. "I'm going to win this contest!"
Jason frowned. Bobby always wanted to win everything.
"Izzie and Bobby—you'll be Team 1," Chef said. "Jason and Nina will be Team 2. I'll be the judge."
"Our brownies will taste better!" Izzie said.
Bobby gave her a high-five.
Jason kept quiet. He loved cooking, and he wanted to do well.
Chef had two cooking stations ready. The kids took their places. Chef preheated the oven to 180 degrees Celsius.
Jason looked at the bananas, peanut butter, cocoa powder, and chocolate chips. "Amazing! We only need four ingredients to make brownies."
Nina nodded. "First, we mash three bananas in a bowl."
She and Jason took turns mashing them with a fork.
Team 1 did the same thing.
"We're Number 1! We're Number 1!" Bobby chanted.
"Don't worry, Team 2!" Izzie laughed. "We'll share our winning brownies with you."
"Team 1!" Chef frowned. "Mix your brownies and leave Team 2 alone."
"Sorry, Chef," Bobby said.
Izzie scooped peanut butter into a measuring cup. Then she tried to dump it into the bowl. But the peanut butter stuck to the cup.
"Ugh!" she said.
"Izzie didn't use cooking spray," Jason whispered. "Remember when we made peanut butter dog treats? We learned that tip!"
"Right!" Nina said.
She got the cooking spray and sprayed the measuring cup. Jason measured one-half cup of peanut butter. When he dumped it into the bowl, it slid right out.
"Good job!" Nina said.
Jason bowed. "Thank you."
Nina added cocoa powder next.
At Station 1, Bobby dumped in the cocoa powder too fast. A cloud rose up from the bowl. Izzie had some on her chin.
"Watch it, Bobby!" she said.
"Now we mix everything together," Jason said. He saw Chef watching them closely.
Nina started the mixer and blended the ingredients into a thick batter. Jason folded a half cup of chocolate chips into the batter.
Bobby started shouting. "I can do it!"
"You're making a mess!" Izzie pulled the mixer away from Bobby.
Jason was glad Nina was his partner. Nina greased the baking pan. Jason poured the batter.
Chef put the two pans in the oven. "Team 1's brownies are on the left. Team 2's on the right."
The kids were quiet as they cleaned up. When the timer beeped, Chef took the pans out.
Jason's shoulders slumped. "They look exactly the same. How will you pick a winner?"
Chef smiled. "They probably taste the same too. But that's okay because I declare Team 2 the winner. Nina and Jason, you worked very well together."
Jason and Nina grinned at each other. "Yes!"
When the brownies were cool, Chef cut them into squares. Everybody took one.
"Congratulations, Team 2!" Bobby high-fived Jason.
"Great teamwork," Izzie said.
"Great brownies too!" Jason said.