“You don’t like it,” he said, crestfallen.
“I do,” she said, with all the enthusiasm of a death-row prisoner contemplating his last meal. “I’m just a little”—a lot!—“disappointed.”
A little disappointed? Ha! She hadn’t even considered he might be doing anything other than feathering a nest for her. “Do you realize that as of Friday I have no home?”
“I told you—you can live with me.”
“We’ve been over this a million times. I will not give up my cats—not even for you. And I don’t want to and can’t afford to board them for any length of time.”
“I’m not asking you to. I’m going to hate myself for even suggesting this, but… they can stay here until you find a place.”
Katie squinted up at him, trying to gauge his sincerity. “Really?”
Andy smiled. “Yeah.” He grabbed her hand, pulling her into a snug embrace.
Dear, sweet Andy didn’t realize the Pandora’s box he’d just opened. “What about my stuff?” Katie asked, all innocent.
“You can put it in storage.”
“Not the upholstered pieces. I’ve heard about mice infestations in those places. Can I bring them here—just until I find a place?”
Andy pulled back, scrutinizing her face. “Uh… sure.” But he didn’t sound entirely convinced.
Katie nestled her cheek against his shoulder, closed her eyes, and enjoyed the sensation of his arms encircling her.
Yes. First the cats.
Next, the upholstered pieces, including Katie’s bed frame and mattress.
Then perhaps a dresser with just a few clothes in it.
Add a couple of gallons of paint—in warm colors… pretty new curtains… some new appliances…
Possession was nine-tenths of the law, after all.
Andy heaved a weary sigh and kissed the top of her head. “Aw, hell. Welcome home, Katie.”
Recipes
Katie’s Banana Bread
2 ½ cups flour
1 cup sugar
3 ½ teaspoons baking powder
1⅓3 cup oil*
¾ cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 egg
1 cup chopped walnuts (optional)
1–2 cups mashed bananas (the more you use, the moister it will be)
Preheat oven to 350° F.
Spray 2 loaf pans with cooking spray, dust with flour.
Measure all ingredients and place them in a large bowl. With an electric mixer, blend on medium speed and scrape the sides of the bowl often. Pour into the pans. Bake 55–60 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool on a rack. Slice to serve.
(*For fewer calories, you can substitute unsweetened applesauce for the oil—it’ll taste just as good!)
Freezes well.
Katie’s Peanut Butter Cookies
1 cup shortening
1 cup peanut butter
1 cup sugar
1 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 ½ teaspoons baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
Preheat oven to 375° F.
In a large bowl, combine shortening, peanut butter, sugars, and eggs. Mix well.
In another bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Slowly stir into the sugar-butter mixture until a dough forms. Chill the dough for at least an hour.
Shape the dough into 1¼-inch balls. Place about 3 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheet. Flatten in a crisscross pattern with the back of a fork. Bake until light brown, 9–10 minutes. (For chewier cookies, bake at 300° F for 15 minutes.) Cool on baking sheets for a minute; transfer to a rack to cool completely.
MAKES ABOUT 3 DOZEN.
Andy’s Cinnamon Buns
3 ½ to 4 cups all-purpose flour
1 package active dry yeast
½ cup warm water (105 to 115 degrees)
¾ cup lukewarm milk (scalded then cooled)
1⅓3 cup butter, softened
1⅓3 to ½ cup sugar (the more, the sweeter)
½ teaspoon salt
1 egg
Cinnamon Mixture
½ cup sugar
2 tablespoons butter, softened
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon cardamom powder
½ cup raisins (optional)
½ cup chopped walnuts (optional)
Glaze
1 cup powdered sugar
1 tablespoon milk
½ teaspoon vanilla
Dissolve the yeast in warm water in a large bowl. Stir in the milk, sugar, butter, salt, egg, and 2 cups of the flour. Beat until smooth.
Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface. Knead in enough remaining flour to make a moderately soft dough that is smooth and elastic, from 3 to 5 minutes. Place in a greased bowl; turn greased side up. Cover and let rise in a warm place until the dough has doubled in size (about 1 ½ hours—the dough is ready if an indentation remains when touched).
Punch down the dough. Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface, then roll the dough into a rectangle, about 9 by 18 inches; Once rolled out, spread with butter. Mix the butter, sugar, cinnamon, and cardamom powder together in small dish. Sprinkle over rectangle. If you are adding raisins and/or chopped nuts, sprinkle over the cinnamon mixture before rolling up. Roll up tightly, beginning at wide (18-inch) side.
Seal well by pinching the edges of roll together. Stretch the roll to make even. Cut the roll into 1½- to 2-inch slices. Place a little apart on a greased pan or cookie sheet. Cover and let the dough rise until double in bulk (about 35–40 minutes). Heat the oven to 375 degrees. Bake until golden brown, 25–30 minutes.
Glaze: Mix the powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla until the glaze is smooth and of desired consistency. If too thick, add a little more milk. Spread rolls with glaze while warm.
MAKES 12.
The Walleld Flower Page 26
