Holy Enchilada Page 9

  CHAPTER 25

  I DON’T MIND TELLING YOU, it was hard to say good-bye. I had only known Yoshi and his dad for two days, but by the time they left, it felt like we were old friends.

  Yoshi promised to write letters. I told him I wasn’t so good at letter writing, but I would send videos.

  The next day at school, Mr. Morimoto came up to me just before they got in the car to take them to the airport. He bowed, then reached out and shook my hand.

  “I must congratulate you, Hank,” he said. “You are a fine host. And you are a real chef, too.”

  “Not really, sir,” I answered. “I have to be honest with you about the enchiladas.” I couldn’t hold it in any longer. “The recipe was too difficult for me to follow because I have trouble with reading. I have what they call dyslexia.”

  It didn’t feel so bad telling him the truth now. In fact, it felt good.

  “A real chef cooks from his heart,” he said, “not from a recipe. In truth, the best things come from the heart, Hank.”

  Then he bowed once more, waved good-bye to Frankie, Robert, Emily, Ashley—actually to the whole school—and they were on the way home.

  All day long I thought about what Mr. Morimoto had said. I heard his words in my head. He thought I was a real chef. Wow. That felt good.

  And you know what? I was glad I hadn’t stuck to the recipe after all. I came up with my own recipe, my own way to do things. And look what happened. We made a killer batch of a little spicy, but really tasty, one-of-a-kind enchiladas.

  Maybe it’s not so bad having learning differences after all.

  CHAPTER 26

  A RECIPE FOR HANK’S ZINGY (BUT NOT TOO ZINGY) ONE-OF-A-KIND KILLER ENCHILADAS

  This recipe serves eight people. I make it for Frankie and Ashley all the time now. Make it for your friends. And remember: Great chefs cook with their hearts, so feel free to add your own creative touches. Let me know what you come up with.

  Ingredients:

  2 cups of tomato sauce

  1 tablespoon chili powder (for zing)

  ¼ teaspoon oregano

  ¼ teaspoon garlic powder

  ¼ teaspoon cumin (This stuff is really strong,

  so be careful!)

  ¼ teaspoon salt

  3 cups shredded cheddar cheese, or a blend of

  Mexican cheeses

  ⅓ cup chopped onion (Let your mom or dad

  knock these out.)

  16 small corn tortillas

  Instructions:

  In a saucepan, combine the tomato sauce, chili powder, oregano, garlic powder, cumin, and salt. Go get an adult to help you turn on the stove to medium heat. (Remember to get an adult to help you. Take it from me: You don’t want to burn yourself, inside your mouth or out. That is no fun.)

  Cook the sauce until it comes to a boil, then turn the heat down low and let it cook uncovered for 15 minutes. Stir it every once in a while.

  Meanwhile, in a small bowl, mix 2 ½ cups of cheese with the onions.

  Warm the tortillas in the microwave, then dip them into the tomato sauce mixture. Lay them in a greased 9-by-13-inch casserole dish.

  Fill each tortilla with the cheese-and-onion stuff. Roll it up. Keep filling and rolling until the dish is full.

  Sprinkle the leftover tomato sauce and cheese on top.

  Go get a grown-up to turn the oven on to 350 degrees. Let it warm up for a few minutes. While it’s warming up, you might want to bounce a ball or read this book again.

  Put the whole pan in the oven. Bake it for about 25 minutes or until the cheese is melted and bubbly.

  Eat your enchiladas and feel very proud of yourself. You just cooked a great meal.

  Hank

  About the Authors

  HENRY WINKLER is an actor, producer, and director, and he speaks publicly all over the world. In addition, he has a star on Hollywood Boulevard, was knighted by the government of France, and the jacket he wore as the Fonz hangs in the Smithsonian Museum in Washington, D.C. But if you ask him what he is proudest of, he would say, “Writing the Hank Zipzer books with my partner, Lin Oliver.”

  He lives in Los Angeles with his wife, Stacey. They have three children named Jed, Zoe, and Max, and two dogs named Monty and Charlotte. Charlotte catches a ball so well that she could definitely play outfield for the New York Mets.

  LIN OLIVER is a writer and producer of movies, books, and television series for children and families. She has written over one hundred episodes of television and produced four movies, many of which are based on children’s books. She is cofounder and executive director of the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators, an international organization of twenty thousand authors and illustrators of children’s books.

  She lives in Los Angeles with her husband, Alan. They have three sons named Theo, Ollie, and Cole. She loves tuna melts, curious kids, any sport that involves a racket, and children’s book writers everywhere.