Sofia2017 planning asked about this song from Pippi Longstocking, so enjoy your request! I thought if would be fun if Sofia, Amber, James and Tilly paid a surprise visit to Orillia where they find their friend Sandra working on a new culinary treat. They offer to help her, and. If anyone is interested in the lemon coconut bars, which were also mentioned in my story How to Have a Jazzy Good Time With an Akuma, or any of the other recipes mentioned, PM me. I only own my original characters Sandra, Zoe, Robert, Aleena, Sir Nathaniel, Sir Steven, Sir Avery, Sir Peter, Sassy, Shadow, and Pretty Kitty. Pippi Longstocking is not mine.
Sofia, Amber, James, and Tilly followed their noses to the kitchen in Orillia Castle. It was no surprise to them that they saw their friend Sandra working on yet another treat. She'd told her father that since this Knights' Lunch also fell on Sir Peter's birthday, she'd make him one of his favorite desserts. The knights were especially excited about this; they knew that Sir Avery loved her apple Danishes, Sir Steven loved her mint chocolate chip muffins, Sir Nathaniel loved her pretzel rolls, and so Sir Peter was in for a treat when she promised him a plate of her lemon coconut bars.
"Hi, Sandra!" Sofia greeted her.
"Hi, Sofia, James, Amber, and Duchess Tilly," Sandra smiled back. "I'm just about ready to start my next dessert for the Knights' Lunch. Did you want to help me?"
"I think we all know the answer to that!" James grinned.
"Great! I'll need lots of help with the desserts," Sandra smiled as she pulled the finished crust out of the oven. She also kept an eye on her new kittens as they played on the floor.
"How are Sassy, Shadow, and Pretty Kitty adjusting to castle life?" Sofia asked.
"Pretty well," Sandra's smile faded. Her cat Ambre had died a few months ago, but she and King Robert had adopted three of the new kittens from the stable. "Sassy loves jumping up on the table along with jumping up on Dad's and my shoulders, Pretty Kitty loves helping me write, and Shadow loves to cuddle. Ambre would be proud that his legacy as castle kitty is in good paws."
"And they know you can talk to them, right?" Sofia continued.
"Oh, yes," Sandra smiled. "Sassy found out when I brought her in to get her eyes cleared up from something, then Pretty Kitty and Shadow learned about me being able to talk to animals when I brought them in the castle. They love singing with me as much as Ambre did!"
"And if cats weren't meant to sing, that musical would have never been composed, right?" Amber smirked.
"You know me so well," Sandra smirked back.
"Just make sure you make enough of those lemon bars for everyone!" James smirked. "When Sir Alfred heard that lemon bars were going to be on the menu, he practically ran out of the knights' barracks without his armor! Sir Maxwell had to chase after him with it!"
"Don't worry, I made sure to make enough for them," Sandra smirked. "I know how much Sir Alfred liked it the last time I made it. He and Sir Peter almost came to blows over the last piece!"
James nodded, laughing at the memory. "But before that could happen, Sir Bartelby and Sir Steven took it and split it between themselves!"
Sandra nodded. "And at least I gave King Roland the recipe so your chefs can make it whenever they want!"
"Whiz-bang! And I made sure to copy that recipe too!" Tilly smiled. "We all enjoy your recipes, Sandra! And I'm glad you keep the recipes I give you so you can make them as well!" Whenever Tilly stopped by Orillia, she and Sandra, and sometimes Zoe, would go on an adventure, and she and Sandra would swap recipes before Tilly left.
"Now, before we start this new baking marathon, let's remind Sassy, Shadow, and Pretty Kitty of the rules," Sandra said as she turned to the kittens. She felt the fluffy white and tortoiseshell blur that was Sassy jump up on her shoulders. "First, Sassy, you don't do that, especially while I'm cooking! Put those claws away!" she scolded gently. "You'll get the chance to taste the dessert when it's finished."
"Good things come to those who wait, Sassy," Sofia added.
"Yes, Sandra. Yes, Princess Sofia," Sassy agreed as Sofia got her off of Sandra's shoulders.
"Can we stay and watch you?" Shadow, a little gray kitten, asked.
"As long as you don't jump on any shelves, or on anyone's shoulders, or on the oven while we're working," Sandra agreed. "You know how I got hurt when I was cooking and wasn't wearing shoes."
"We'll be good!" Pretty Kitty, a little gray and black kitten, promised, Sassy and Shadow voicing their agreement.
Amber, James, Sofia, and Tilly nodded. They knew the story of how Sandra had burned her foot when she spilled hot liquid on it when she was sick, and nobody wanted that to happen again.
Sofia and Sandra got the kittens settled with some of Ambre's old toys to keep them busy, with the warning that they'd have to leave if they became too rambunctious, then everyone got to work.
All too soon, Tilly said, "It's getting much too quiet here. Amber, James, what do you say we teach Sandra that song we used to sing when you were little and used to help me bake my pies?"
"I kind of remember that," James agreed.
"So do I," Amber smiled.
"She'll love that!" Sofia agreed, having learned it while on her first adventure with Tilly.
When she saw Sofia wave her wand and start the music, Tilly grinned as she began, First we'll start with a happy heart
And mix with good intention
A pinch of charm can do no harm
And a dream is good to mention
Stir it all up in a great big cup
And shake it with emotion
Then we'll top it off with love
And that's the magic potion
Then try it out to see if we should some more
There's really nothing to it
Sofia, Amber, and James joined in, There's really nothing to it
As Sandra put the crust in the oven, Tilly finished the verse, All you do is follow
All you do is follow this recipe for life
"Oh yeah, I remember this," Sandra agreed. "The chefs here used to sing this too!"
Sofia and Tilly nodded as they sang, Life is so much better when you flavor it with travel
Season with adventure and your dreams will soon unravel
As she mixed up the lemon filling, Sandra joined in, Why don't we go to Borneo, ingredients there are warmer
Toss 'em in and add something from the land of Monday Humors
James measured out the coconut as he sang, Things do fine if we make a run to Scotland for a party
And after that, you can chew the fat and you can find where it is Harty
Amber smiled as she joined in, And with not much cash, we can add a dash of weekend in Tahiti
Life is just a piece of cake
And I'm its little sweetie
James and Sandra scoffed. "Yeah, right!"
Sofia frowned. "Be nice!"
She and Pretty Kitty sang with Amber, Life is just a piece of cake
And I'm/she's its little sweetie
As she tossed a toy to Shadow, Tilly stroked her and sang, Then try it out to see if we should some more
There's really nothing to it
There's really nothing to it
All you do is follow
Sofia, Sandra, and Shadow joined in, All we do is follow
As Sofia kept the kittens away from the oven, Tilly watched as Sandra put the lemon bars in as the two of them continued, All you do is follow this recipe for life
From Zanzibar to Singapore
From Fiji to Calcutta
We're sure to take the spice of Life
And make it like no other
We'll borrow some from Java and Cairo until Bali
We'll shoot the moon from old Rangoon and dilly while we dally
"Thanks, Sofia!" Sandra called.
At the same time, Sassy joined Amber and James, Shoot the moon from old Rangoon and dilly while we dally
Tilly kept the kittens busy with some small toys from her bag as she joined in, We'll stir the pot with Belarus
And throw in Yokohama
We'll go for more in Bangalore
and soak in Sabalanore
If you stick your neck out
And you slap it all together
Life will never let you down
It'll keep you up forever
James held the oven door open for Sandra as they sang together, Life will never let you down
It'll keep you up forever
"Thanks, James!" Sandra said as she set the timer.
"No problem!" James grinned back.
As she watched her, Tilly stroked Pretty Kitty as they sang together, Then try it out to see if we should add some more
There's really nothing to it
There's really nothing to it
All you do is follow
Sofia and Amber joined in, This recipe for life
As they started cleaning the kitchen, Tilly continued, There's really nothing to it
There's really nothing to it
All you do is follow
Amber, James, Sofia, and Sandra sang together, This recipe for life
Tilly nodded as she took the last part of the chorus, There's really nothing to it
There's really nothing to it
All you do is follow
Everyone finished the song together, This recipe for life!
"That was fun!" Sassy purred.
"I've never had so much fun!" Shadow purred.
"I like that song!" Pretty Kitty purred. "And the toys were fun to play with too!"
"Then you can keep them, sweetheart," Tilly smiled.
"Thank you, Duchess Tilly, and like I said before, kitties love to sing!" Sandra grinned as she took the lemon bars out of the oven a few minutes later.
"And they were so well-behaved too!" Sofia smiled.
When the lemon bars had cooled and Sandra had cut them, the kitchen doors burst open. Sir Peter and Sir Alfred ran in with King Roland and King Robert right behind them. "Sandra, we could smell your lemon bars all the way from the throne room!" Robert smiled.
"The way to your father's heart is through his stomach!" Patricia chuckled.
"That's for sure!" Miranda agreed.
"And I remember that song you were all singing," Roland smiled. "Tilly used to sing that with me when we worked in the kitchen when we were children!" He was able to stay in the kitchen, since Aleena had put the potion that rid cats of their allergens on Sassy, Shadow, and Pretty Kitty when they first came into the castle.
"And before I forget, your majesty," Sir Avery added, pulling Sandra forward as he stole a taste of the lemon bars, "This is the best dessert I've ever tasted! Your majesty, your daughter needs to be knighted immediately!"
"Oh, very well," Robert chuckled. He took a wooden spoon from the counter and tapped her shoulders with it. "It's been a long time coming, but today, I dub thee Dame Sandra, First Cook of Orillia Castle!"
"Sandra! You've just been made a knight, of sorts, of Orillia! What are you going to do next?" James grinned.
Sandra grinned back as she turned to another one of her cookbooks. "I'm going to make another treat for the Knights' Lunch!"