Chocolate Lush

My friend Nicole T. gave me this recipe for the holiday's.  I tried it and it was the BEST! She said she never used the nuts, so I decided not to either, it was great without them =D I also used lemon pudding instead of chocolate.  You can also use banana, and put sliced bananas on top before you spread on the cool-whip.

Ingredients:

2 Cup flour
2 Stick margarine or butter
3/4 Cup chopped walnuts
1 Cup confectioners sugar
1 Cup Cool Whip (from a 12 oz. container)
1 8 Oz pkg. cream cheese, softened
2 small Pkg instant chocolate pudding
3 Cup milk

Directions:

Combine margarine, flour and walnuts. Press into bottom of a 9" x 13" baking pan. Bake at 350 degrees 1/2 hour until lightly browned.

Beat softened cream cheese with confectioners sugar. Blend in 1 cup Cool Whip. Spread on top of cooled crust.

Mix pudding with milk with electric mixer. Let stand until thick. Spread on top of cream cheese filling. Spread remaining Cool Whip over top and sprinkle with nuts if desired.

I really wished I had taken a picture of it! If I make it again I will be sure to post one!

Egg Drop Soup

I never really liked the recipes I have found for egg drop soup, so I basically read over dozens of them and came up with my own.  But its not too original!

Ingredients:

Large sauce pan 3/4 of the way full with chicken broth

3 Tablespoons Soy Sauce

2 Tablespoons Sesame Seed Oil

Dash of salt and pepper

1 Teaspoons of dried ginger

4 beaten eggs

3/4 cup rice optional

Diced Onion optional

Directions:

Bring broth and first 5 ingredients to a simmer.  Add the rice and onion, and cook until rice is tender.  Then slowly pour the eggs into the simmering pot, turn off heat.


Serve with dinner rolls =D

Middle Eastern Rice Bowl

 

I got this recipe from Rachael Ray's cookbook, "Cooking Rocks! Rachael Ray 30-minute meals, for kids" .  I used to make this dish all the time! I haven't made in a long while, but I will post the recipe because it is so good!

Serves 4

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons butter

3/4 pound chicken tenders, cut into bite-size pieces

freshly ground pepper to taste

2 (6oz ea) Near East brand rice pilaf mix

3 cups chicken stock

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leafed parsley (dried works great also)

1/2 cup slivered almonds

2 cups store-bought hummus, for serving (optional)

1 bag pita chips-corn tastes just as good with this dish, for serving

Scallions, red bell pepper, and cucumber, for serving (optional )

 

Instructions:

Heat a medium pot over medium heat; add extra-virgin olive oil and butter.  When butter has melted into the oil, add cut-up chicken tenders.  Season the chicken with salt and pepper.  Sauté the chicken, stirring, until lightly browned.  Add the rice pilaf and cook another minute or 2.  Add the chicken stock.  You do not need to use the seasoning packets included in the rice mix; you'll get your flavor from cooking the rice in the stock.  Put a lid on the pot and raise the heat to high to bring the stock to a quick boil, then reduce to a simmer.  Cook until the rice is tender, about 15 minutes.

Take off the lid and stir in cinnamon, parsley, and almonds.  Serve rice in bowls with veggies, chips, and hummus on the side.

 

 

Chimichanga's

This recipe is so simple! My mom made this for dinner tonight and it was a hit!

Ingredients:

Pork Roast

One bottle of your favorite BBQ Sauce

Cheddar Cheese

Tortillas

Two Cups Water

Butter

Put the roast, BBQ sauce, and water in the crock pot on high all day.  When its done, shred and put in tortilla's with cheese, and some of the leftover BBQ Sauce.  Roll them up and place on a baking sheet,  brush them with butter.  Let cook in the oven on 350F until light brown.

Serve with refried beans.  Enjoy!

Red Beans

I know I have a lot of rice recipes on my blog, but when you have 13 people to feed, rice goes a long way!  This is like the best red bean recipe ever, and I made it up!  I hope you enjoy this as much as my family does.

This is a awesome crock-pot dish = D

Ingredients:
Red Beans - 1 lbs

Tomato Paste - med size cans

Onion - 1

Garlic - 4 cloves

Salt - 3 tea

Pepper - 2 tea

Paprika - 2 tea

Chili Powder - 2 tea

Sugar - 2 tab

Water - just enough to cover the beans

Soak the beans overnight in water.

Put all the ingredients in a large pot and boil until tender, around 4 hours.  You can also cook it in the crock-pot all day on low.  This dish is really good served on rice and sour cream.

Mac N' Cheese Idea

Make your favorite homemade mac n' cheese, and add peas, bacon bits, spread in a pan sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and broil for 5  minutes. =D

Grandmother's Buttermilk Cornbread

(www.allrecipes.com)

This has to be the best cornbread on earth! I hate when cornbread is all dry and crumbly, don't you?  Well not this cornbread! It's very moist and stays together nicely.  It's sweet and buttery.  Delicious! 

Makes one  full 9 by 11 inch pan.

ingredients:

1 cup and 2 tablespoons butter

1-1/2 cups white sugar

4-1/2 eggs

2-1/4 cups buttermilk

1 teaspoon baking soda

2-1/4 cups cornmeal

2-1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease an 9 by 11 inch square pan.

Melt butter in large skillet. Remove from heat and stir in sugar. Quickly add eggs and beat until well blended. Combine buttermilk with baking soda and stir into mixture in pan. Stir in cornmeal, flour, and salt until well blended and few lumps remain. Pour batter into the prepared pan.

Bake in the preheated oven for 30 to 40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Beef and Rice

This dish is so good!

ingredients:

1 Green Pepper

1 Yellow Pepper

1 Green Pepper

1 Onion

1 Clove of Garlic

1 1/2 pounds of beef

4 cups of uncooked rice

Butter

Salt/Pepper

4-5 Packets of Brown Gravy

Chop the peppers and place it in a pan with the Beef, Cook until the meat is cooked.



 Place the meat into a separate bowl and try to save the drippings from the beef for the gravy.  After you have done that start the rice and dump the beef mixture into the water with the rice.  Put salt, pepper, and a pat of butter into the rice.  Cook until the rice is tender.  When the rice is almost done start the gravy, pour the grease from the beef into a pan, then follow the directions on the back of the gravy packet. 



After the gravy is thickened place rice on individual plates and spoon gravy over them.  Serve hot. Enjoy!

Whole Wheat, Oatmeal, Flax, and Banana, Pancakes

I made this for dinner tonight and I think it's the best Pancake recipe ever!

Serves: 15

ingredients:

• 2-1/2 cups uncooked rolled oats


• 2-1/2 cups whole wheat flour


• 1-3/4 cups and 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour


• 1/2 cup and 2 tablespoons brown sugar


• 1/4 cup flax


• 1 tablespoon and 2 teaspoons baking powder


• 1-1/4 teaspoons baking soda


• 1-1/4 teaspoons salt


• 2-1/2 egg


• Blueberries optional


• 5 cups milk


• 1/4 cup and 1 tablespoon vegetable oil


• 2-1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract


• 2-1/2 banana, mashed

1. Place the rolled oats into the jar of a blender and blend until the texture resembles coarse flour. Whisk together the blended oats, whole wheat flour, all-purpose flour, flax, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a bowl; set aside.


2. Whisk together the egg, milk, vegetable oil, and vanilla. Stir in the mashed banana. Pour the egg mixture into the flour mixture and stir just until moistened. Let the batter stand for 5 minutes.


3. Heat a lightly oiled griddle over medium-high heat. Drop batter by large spoonfuls onto the griddle, and cook until bubbles form and the edges are dry, about 2 minutes. Flip, and cook until browned on the other side. Repeat with remaining batter.

Chicken & Rice Casserole

I guess you can say I sort of made this dish up....I got the idea though from the one and only Paula Deen on the  food network website. 

ingredients:

Makes two 9 by 11 baking dishes.

4 cups of uncooked rice-cooked

2 28oz can green beans

5 cups of shredded chicken

1 onion

2 cups mayo

salt/pepper

Cream Sauce:

1/2 cup oil

1/2 flour

8 cups of milk

1 teaspoons celery salt

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoons garlic salt

Chicken flavoring

2 tablespoons cornstarch

1/4 block of velveeta cheese

Directions:

heat the chicken and green beans in a large sauce pan with some salt and pepper.   After that is heated though place the chicken and green beans in a large mixing bowl and coat with the mayo.  

Sauce:

heat oil until bubbly then add the flour and stir until no lumps.  quickly add the milk and whisk.  Add the chicken flavoring, and the salts.  Add the cheese, if it's not thickening after 5 minutes add the cornstarch.  

Spray the pans and spread the rice evenly in the bottom, mix in the chicken and green bean mixture.  Pour the cheese sauce over them and mix lightly so not to mush the rice.   Bake at 345F until light brown and bubbly.  Enjoy!

Jazz up your dishes.

Canned Tomato Soup

Add parsley, basil, and fresh garlic

Canned Green Beans

Heat a skillet with butter and garlic, add green beans, salt/pepper to taste.

Hint: Garlic makes everything better!

Boxed Mac 'N' Cheese

1. Add one cup sour cream, taco seasoning and a half  a pound of ground hamburger.

2. Add some color to your dish throw some thinly sliced peppers into it!

3. add hot dogs.

4. add whole milk and some parmesan cheese.

4. add cook chicken, buffalo sauce, salsa, and a little ranch dressing, and you got yourself buffalo chicken mac n cheese!

5. add a can of mushroom soup.

There are so many I could go on forever but these are the best!

Chocolate Chip Muffins

We have these for breakfast at least 2 or 3 times a week, they are quick, tasty, and easy.  You can also subtract the chocolate chips and add blueberries, or other fruits and veggies like sweet potatoes. 

Ingredients: makes 24 regular sized muffins.

2 eggs

2/3 cup oil

2/3 cup white sugar

2/3 cup brown sugar

2 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoon baking powder

1 tablespoon vanilla

2 cups milk

2 cups white flour

2 cups wheat flour

2 cups chocolate chips

optional:

1 cup sour cream

1 cup chopped walnuts 

Mix all the wet ingredients together in a medium bowl.  Add the dry ingredients.  Mix well.  Add the chocolate chips and walnuts if desired. Bake for 15 minutes at 345F or until golden brown.



Enjoy!

Beans

Serve this with cornbread and everyone will be your best friend.

ingredients:

enough dries pinto beans to feed your family

water

salt/pepper

bacon

cover beans with water, slice bacon and put it in the pot with the beans, and sprinkle with salt and pepper, add garlic if desired, boil for 4 hours, and there an easy YUMMY dinner!

Stir Fry

I just made this for dinner like two seconds ago, and it was a hit!

ingredients:

2 big slices of flank steak

1 onion

One head of broccoli and cauliflower

2 1/2 cup chopped carrots

3 cloves of garlic

2 bottles of stir fry sauce (found in the asian section of supermarkets)

One cup of beef broth

2 cups of flour

salt/pepper

Rice (enough to feed your family)

First what you want to do is slice the steak into thin slices and toss with flour, salt and pepper.  Then cut up all the veggies and set aside.  After all the cutting is done, place the steak in a heated oiled skillet and cook until done.  In a seprate pot heat some oil and place the garlic, onion, and carrots inside, cover.  After the carrots are soft, place the broccoli, cauliflower, sauce, and broth inside and mix until coated, cover. 

Now would be a good time to start cooking the rice.

After the veggies are soft put in the steak and stir, heat though, serve, and enjoy!

Request?

If you have any recipe requests for me to make just leave a comment and I will get to it as soon as I can.  My cousin Katie requested that I make my meat loaf, she just can't get enough of it I guess.  Thank You! :D

Shepherd's Pie

I made this dish tonight for the family, all seemed to enjoy it :)

Ingredients:
serves: 4

6 medium Yukon potatoes, peeled, and diced.

2 tablespoons oil

1 large onion

3 large carrots cut into chunks

2 stalks of celery

6 cloves of garlic

Freshly ground pepper

1 1/2 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

5 tablespoons butter

1/2 pound ground beef

2/3 cup milk or half-and-half

your favorite cheese to sprinkle on top.

Preheat the broiler. Cover the potatoes with water in a pot; season with salt, cover and boil until the potatoes are fork-tender, 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat the oil in a stovetop casserole dish or shallow enamel pot over medium-high heat. Add the onion, carrots, celery, and garlic. Season with salt and pepper and cook until the vegetables brown, 8 minutes. Add 1 1/2 cups cooking liquid from the potatoes to the casserole dish. Lower the heat and scrape up any browned bits with a wooden spoon. Cover and simmer until the vegetables are tender, 8 minutes. Stir in the Worcestershire sauce, 2 tablespoons butter and the ground burgers and warm through, 5 minutes.

Drain the potatoes and mash with the remaining 3 tablespoons butter and the milk; season with salt and pepper and spoon over the casserole. Sprinkle with parmesan, if desired. Broil until golden brown, 5 minutes.

This recipe came from the October issue of the foodnetwork magazine.

Red Velvet Cake

This is Ree Drummond's (aka The Pioneer Woman) recipe for Red Velvet.  My sister made this for my brother's birthday and it was really good, it is not as sweet as other cakes and has a different texture, in a good way.

On the menu: Red Velvet Cake

ingredients:

1 cup shortening

1 3/4 cups sugar

2 1/2 cups of cake flour

1 1/4 teaspoons salt

2 large eggs

1 cup buttermilk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 1/2 teaspoons vinegar

1 1/2 teaspoons cocoa powder

1 ounce red food coloring (2 ounces if you like a deeper red)

Cream Cheese Icing:

1 1/2 8-ounce cream cheese at room temperature

3/4 cup softened unsalted butter

1 1/2 pounds powered sugar

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Preheat the oven to 350 F.  Spray two round 10 inch cake pans with nonstick cooking spray.  Blend together the shortening and the sugar in a mixing bowl, use an electric mixture.  Set aside.

Sift together the flour and salt.  Set aside.

Mix the eggs, buttermilk, vanilla, baking soda, and vinegar in a separate bowl.  Alternate adding the flour mixture and the buttermilk mixture to the shortening mixture in a mixing bowl, mixing after each addition.

In a small bowl, mix the red food coloring and cocoa powder.  Pour into the mixing bowl.  Mix until just combined.  Don't overbeat.

Pour the batter evenly into the cake pans and bake for 25 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.  Allow to cool in the pan for 20 minutes before removing the cakes from the pans.  Cool completely before frosting.

Now beat the icing.  Place the cream cheese and the butter in a mixing bowl and whip until smooth.  Sift the powdered sugar and add it to the bowl.  Add the salt and mix.

Add the vanilla and mix until smooth.  Place one layer face down  on a cake plate.  Plop a large spoonful or icing in the center of the layer.  Using a offset spatula, spread one-third of the icing evenly on top of one layer, making sure to get the icing all the way to the edges.  Place the other cake layer on top, face down.  Ice the top.  And ice the sides with the remaining icing, being careful not to loosen crumbs as you go along.  refrigerate the cake for 2o minutes before cutting and serving. Our cake was more pink because we don't like a lot of red 40 in our food. ;) But it was just as good without it! Enjoy!

Ooey Gooey Blueberry "French Toast"

This is one of the best things I have ever tasted!  I just tried it out this morning and it was a hit!  This recipe is from Emeril Lagasse's "There's a Chef in My Family".

On the Menu: Ooey Gooey Blueberry "French Toast"

Ingredients:

Serves 10-12

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

14 slices or white or wheat bread

2 (8ounce) cream cheese

1 cup frozen blueberries

10 large eggs

2 cups half-and-half

1/3 cup maple syrup

1/4 cup freshly squeezed orange juice

Ingredients for blueberry sauce:

1 1/2 cups sugar

1 1/2 cups water

1/2 cup fresh orange juice

3 tablespoon cornstarch

2 teaspoons orange zest

1 1/2 cups frozen blueberries

1 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter

Butter a baking dish with the tablespoon of butter.  Cut the bread into cubes.  Arrange half of the bread cubes on the bottom of the baking dish.  Cut the cream cheese into cubes and top the bread with them, sprinkle the blueberries over the bread crumbs and top with the blueberries.

In a large bowl whisk together the eggs, half-and-half, syrup, and orange juice.  Pour the egg mixture evenly over the bread mixture.



Cover with aluminum foil and refrigerate for at least one hour or overnight.  Remove baking from the fridge and allow to come to room temperature at least twenty minutes.  preheat the oven to 350 F.  Bake the "French Toast" with the foil for thirty minutes. Then take the foil off and cook another thirty minutes.  Let cool 15 minutes.  put in bowls and pour blueberry sauce over it.



Blueberry sauce:

In a small saucepan over medium-high heat, stir together the sugar, water, orange juice, cornstarch, and orange zest.  Cook stirring occasionally, until thickened, about five minutes.  Stir in blueberries and simmer for five minutes.  Add the butter until melted.  Remove from heat and ladle over ooey gooey blueberry french toast. This sauce can be ladled over a number of things.

And the ending result is:

Foodnetwork Magazine

The foodnetwork puts out the best magazine ever!  My sister and I get it, and I have learned a lot from it.  Here is the link to their website:

http://www.foodnetwork.com/

Fun, Strange, and Trivia, about food

A typical American eats 28 pigs in his/her lifetime.

Americans eat 20.7 pounds of candy per person annually. The Dutch eat three times as much.

Americans spent an estimated $267 billion dining out in 1993.

Aunt Jemima pancake flour, invented in 1889, was the first ready-mix food to be sold commercially.

For more wacky food facts:

http://www.bitoffun.com/fun_facts_food.htm

Mini Egg Sandwiches.

You can either have these for breakfast or dinner, either way they are just as good :)

[caption id="attachment_32" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="Delicious!"][/caption]

On the menu: Mini egg sandwiches

Ingredients: Biscuits

4 cups of white flour

4 cups of wheat flour

3 tablespoons sugar

1/4 cup 2 tablespoons backing powder

2 teaspoons salt

1 1/2 sticks of butter

enough milk to coat dry ingredients (around 5 cups or so)

Preheat oven to 375 F.

Blend dry ingredients together.

cut butter into small pieces and place them into the bowl with the dry ingredients.  Using clean fingers squish the butter into the flour until it resembles crumbs.



Pour milk into the mixture just until you can handle it without it sticking to your hands.  You might need more flour or milk it just depends.  Sprinkle a little flour on a clean counter top and put the dough on top. Sprinkle a little more flour.  Using a rolling-pin, roll out the dough 1 inch thick.  Do not over work the dough too much or the biscuits will be tough, believe me do not over work them!

[caption id="attachment_35" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="Roll out 1 inch think"][/caption]

With a cup or a round cookie cutter cut out circles of dough. This would be a great time to preheat the griddle for the eggs.

[caption id="attachment_36" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="Cut into circles with a cup."][/caption]

Place them on a buttered pan and cook them for around 15 minutes of until they are not doughy.  I don't really time things, I just keep an eye on them.

[caption id="attachment_38" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="Place them in the oven."][/caption]

Ingredients:

an egg for each person in your family

salt and pepper for eggs

sausage patties

sliced cheese, (chipotle cheese is really spicy but super good on these sandwiches.

Tomato optional

Biscuits that you just baked

While the biscuits are in the oven crack the eggs onto the buttered griddle.

[caption id="attachment_39" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="Crack the eggs onto the buttered griddle"][/caption]

while those are cooking you can cook the sausage.

After the biscuits are done, cut them in half and place half of an egg, half piece of cheese and a half piece of sausage in the middle and last but not least place the top on and enjoy! Serve with hash browns and fresh fruit.

Green Beans.

My family likes canned cut green beans so this recipe is for tasty canned beans.

On the menu: Green Beans

Ingredients:

2 large cans of cut green beans

2 tablespoons salted butter

2 cloves of garlic (cut each one in half)

salt and pepper to taste

Place the green beans into skillet, I like to leave about 1/2 cup of the canned juices from the beans.  Put the butter, salt, pepper, and garlic into the pan with the green beans and cook on medium heat until heated.

[caption id="attachment_18" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="Place everything into the pan."][/caption]

Enjoy!

Smashed Potatoes

This is my family's favorite mashed potato recipe.

On the menu: Smashed potatoes

Ingredients:

10 pounds of potatoes

1/2 stick butter

1/2 cup cream cheese

2 cups milk

Salt and pepper to taste

Put a pot of water on to boil.  While the water is heating, peel and cut the potatoes and place them into a colander, rinse.

[caption id="attachment_13" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="Peal and cut potatoes."][/caption]

Place the potatoes into the boiling water and cook until a fork slides nicely in and out.

Drain.

Place potatoes back into the pot, add butter, cream cheese, and milk.

[caption id="attachment_14" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="Place butter, cream cheese, and milk into the pot."][/caption]

Mash until desired consistency.  My family does not like ours lumpy, so I mashed mine until smooth.

[caption id="attachment_15" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="Mash."][/caption]

Enjoy!

My first attempt to make fried chicken.

This is the first time ever I have made fried chicken. I think I did pretty well! It's really easy to burn the outside of the chicken so you have to stay close by.  I'm going to show you step by step (with photos) how to complete a filling, easy and delicious meal.

On the menu:  Fried Chicken

Ingredients:


2 bags of thawed fryer chicken (remember, I'm cooking for 13!)

enough buttermilk to cover chicken + 1/4 cup

5 cups of flour

3 tablespoons seasoned salt (such as Lawry's)

1 tablespoon black pepper

3 teaspoons dried thyme

3 tablespoon paprika

1/4 cup milk

Canola or vegetable oil for frying.

First things first.  Place the thawed chicken in a large bowl and cover with buttermilk. (If you do not have buttermilk then you can place about 1 tablespoon per one cup milk of vinegar or lemon juice into regular milk, let sit for about 15 minutes).  Seal the bowl and place it in the fridge for 24 hours.

[caption id="attachment_7" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="Place chicken in buttermilk for 24 hours"][/caption]

Heat oven to 350 F.

In a medium size bowl mix the flour and seasonings together.  Pour both milks- 1/4 cup of the buttermilk, 1/4 cup milk- into the flour mixture, and mix with a fork until lumpy, this will help the crust be crispier.  Next, fill a heavy skillet half way with oil, and heat to 365 F.  While that is heating up, its time to coat the chicken.  Take the chicken and evenly coat it with the flour mixture.  (You might have to press the mixture onto the chicken to stick).

[caption id="attachment_8" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="Coat chicken evenly with the flour mixture"][/caption]

Add the coated chicken to the heated oil, you only need 4 to 5 pieces at a time or else the outside will not be as crispy.  Cover the pot and fry for 7 minutes, checking occasionally to make sure they don't over brown (I made that mistake!). Turn the pieces over and cook them for another 4 or 5 minutes. Keep in mind that when they are in the oven they will continue to brown.

[caption id="attachment_9" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="Place chicken in the oil."][/caption]

After all the chicken is fried, place them on a foil lined pan and pop in the oven for about 15 minutes, or until clear juices are running out.

[caption id="attachment_10" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="Place chicken on a foiled pan."][/caption]

And that my friends, is how to make fried chicken.

In my (well my Mom and Dad's)... kitchen.

Hello!  I'm a sixteen year old homeschooled girl.  I have 10 brothers and sisters.  I play the fiddle and guitar (and would give up even cooking for it!).  Our kitchen is really small, 2 people can, at different stations, put their hands out and they would overlap arms.  Since there are so many people and animals in my family (13 people, 4 dogs, 4 cats, 1 hamster, and 1 fish), our kitchen can get pretty chaotic!  I love to cook so I cook pretty much every meal, with the occasional help of my sister.  I'm planning on going to culinary school in the fall of 2011,  and taking some community college classes this fall.  I hope you will find my blog helpful.  Be forewarned that I double, or even triple, my recipes because of the size of my family.  Please feel free to ask questions and leave comments!  Thank you!