Christmas 2016

Christmas Eve we had our traditional English fry-up. Eggs, baked beans, tomatoes and mushrooms, bacon, sausage, and toast. Hot English mustard was the condiment of choice. 

Christmas morning or should I say... late Christmas mid morning I made these scrumptious raspberry puff pastries with vanilla sugar on top. Easy to make and sweet; they kept us going along with the buck fizz until dinner was ready.  

Christmas Day dinner... we kept it very simple this year with a herbed beef and vegetable stew, dumplings and stuffing with bacon. Also a selection of Fortnum & Mason Christmas marzipan were enjoyed for dessert. 

And the fun didn't stop there, Boxing Day was celebrated with friends and all sorts of nibbles. 

Of course our guests left with a selection of my holiday baking.  

Hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas... Holiday! - JD  

Dancing Leprechaun

The Dancing Leprechaun. Refreshing and crisp with a twist of lemon and lime. This cocktail does not guarantee that you will be doing a jig however you will absolutely enjoy its sparkling celebratory flavour. 

Dancing Leprechaun

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1 1/2 oz. Irish whiskey

3/4 oz. Drambuie

3/4 oz. lemon juice

Ginger ale to taste

twist of both lemon and lime

Shake together the liquid ingredients with ice. Strain into a glass filled with ice cubes. Add a twist of lemon and lime. 

OR...

Shake the Irish whiskey, Drambuie and lemon juice together, with ice. Strain into a tall glass filled with ice cubes. Top up with the ginger ale. Add a twist of lemon and lime. 

Food Photo of the Day ~ Rum Balls

My husband and I had fun making these last night. Ran out of chocolate sprinkles therefore the remaining rum balls were dressed with multi coloured dots. The baking continues...

This week sure is flying by. Stay warm. - JD 

One Smart Cookie

I know quite a few people who have a copy of this cookbook and enjoy it and I know quite a few people who have heard of this cookbook and want to own a copy. I guess it has reached a form of baking cult like status among the home cooks and foodies. The inspiration behind this book is a sweet one and who out there would not want to curb their sugar and fat intake without sacrificing taste. Then I can not recommend this book enough! 

I have enjoyed making recipe after recipe from this cookbook with delicious results. If it's a classic recipe I have made many times or trying a new one, I have never been met with disappointment. The first time I made meringue, the recipe came from this book and due to a good recipe... and my willingness they turned out great on the first go! This cookbook will satisfy those sweet and savoury cravings and help create satisfying treats around this time of year. 

The One Smart Cookie discusses some general nutritional strategies about ingredients and also offers Nutritional Facts on: calories, fat, calories from fat, carbohydrates, cholesterol, protein, and fibre per recipe. Almost each section offers 19 recipes and they cover drop cookies, shaped, cookies, rolled cookies, icebox cookies, biscotti, squares and bars, brownies, no bake, Christmas treats, icing, frosting and drizzles! The multigrain shortbread is a favourite of mine. That being said I thought I would share this recipe from the book...

Fruitcake Brownies

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Makes 16 brownies

1 cup fresh or frozen cranberries, coarsely chopped

1/2 cup golden raisins

1/3 cup rum, brandy or orange juice

1/3 cup chopped walnuts or pecans

1/4 cup butter or non hydrogenated margarine, melted

1 1/4 cups sugar

1 large egg

2 large egg whites

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 teaspoon instant coffee granules, dissolved in 1 teaspoon water

1 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 cup cocoa

1/4 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

In a large bowl or container, combine the cranberries, raisins and rum, and let soak for a least a couple of hours, or overnight. When you're ready to bake, drain them and preheat the oven to 350ºF.

In a large bowl, mix together the butter and sugar, then add the egg, egg whites, vanilla and coffee and stir until thoroughly blended and smooth.

In a medium bowl, stir together the flour, cocoa, baking powder and salt. Add to the egg mixture and stir by hand just until almost blended; add the soaked fruit and nuts and stir gently just until combined.

Spread the batter in an 8x8-inch pan sprayed with non-stick cooking spray. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until the edges just begin to pull away from the sides of the pan, but the centre is still slightly soft. Don't overbake. Cool in the pan on a wire rack.

Nutrition Facts:

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Calories: 170

Fat: 5g 

Saturated: 2.1g

Monounsaturated: 1.4g

Polyunsaturated: 1.2g

Carbohydrates: 28.6g

Cholesterol: 21.2mg

Protein: 3g

Fibre: 2.3g

Calories from fat: 26%

Hope everyone is having a good week. Trying to get last few remaining things done before Christmas is in full swing. Stay warm and focused! - JD 

The Weekend and Blueberry Pancakes

Got a new pancake/crêpe pan just in time to make blueberry pancakes this weekend. The pan itself is heavy and sits very low and flat. Which is great because it gives even heat and there are no sides to get in your way while flipping pancakes or crêpes.     

Beautiful golden pancakes every time and such a breeze to clean too.  

Hope everyone had a great weekend. Things are warming up temperature wise. - JD  

Food Photo of the Day ~ Lemon Shortbread with Vanilla Sugar and Hibiscus Flowers

These lemon shortbread are divine. Gilded with vanilla sugar and dried hibiscus flowers on top these biscuits are bursting with lemon flavour. 

Make whatever shortbread recipe you like except add lemon extract to the butter and add the grated rind of 1 lemon to the dry ingredients. Add the butter to the dry ingredients. When dough has been shaped and flatten; sprinkle with vanilla sugar then the dried hibiscus flowers before baking. Enjoy because these will disappear fast!

I have made my infamous chocolate and chili shortbread which disappears fast too!  

Almost one week before Christmas so we are trying to accomplish many things. Baking and preparing are the priority. Which leads me to this quote... 

The colder temperatures are hanging on. Stay warm and have a great weekend everyone!  - JD 

Buttery Walnut Biscuits

The rum and walnut flavour create a rich biscuit and the dark chocolate just furthers the richness. You could omit the chocolate and serve them plain with a cheese selection, if you wish. However,  I like to crumble a bit of blue cheese over the top of the chocolate laden biscuits before serving. Which make these very rich and decadent for this time of year. 

Buttery Walnut Biscuits

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1 cup butter, softened

1 teaspoon rum extract/flavouring

1/2 cup caster sugar
1 cup finely chopped walnuts

2 cups flour

good quality dark chocolate, melted for drizzling on top

Preheat oven to 350ºF. 

In a large bowl combine the butter and rum extract. Blend until smooth. Add the sugar, walnuts, and flour and blend until combined. You can use you hands, if you wish. The dough maybe a bit crumbly; not to worry as the warmth from your hands will be able to form the dough into walnut size balls. Place the dough rounds on a baking tray. Press down gently with a floured fork or the bottom of a smooth glass. If the edges crack just tidy them up the best way you can. Homemade biscuits should not look like manufactured ones!  Imperfections are fine. 

Bake for 10 to 12 minutes. They should be set but not brown. The bottoms however maybe nicely brown, that is fine. When done remove, from the oven and while the biscuits are still on the baking tray, gently press down with the back of a lifter or spatula. Let set for a minute then remove to wire racks to continue to cool.

Once completely cooled. Melt the dark chocolate and drizzle over the top of each biscuit. Let the chocolate set before serving. 

Hope everyone had a good weekend. Extreme temperature/weather was in effect... nothing like -40ºF to put a pep in your step! Stay warm! - JD   

Almond Poppy Seed Loaf

Another loaf recipe to add to your baking repertoire. Delicious with a subtle hint of almond flavour plus the added bonus of a bit of fibre. This is irresistible with a cup of tea!    

Almond Poppyseed Loaf

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1 1/2 cups all purpose flour

1/2 cup coconut sugar

2 teaspoons baking powder 

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon poppy seeds

1 cup All-Bran cereal

1 cup milk

2 eggs

1/3 cup vegetable oil

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/4 teaspoon almond extract

1/2 cup chopped almonds, toasted

Preheat of to 350ºF (180ºC). 

Butter and flour a loaf pan. Line the loaf pan with baking parchment paper. Set aside.

In a bowl, blend together the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and poppy seeds. Set aside. 

In a large bowl, mix together the cereal and milk. Let stand for 5 minutes until the cereal has softened. Stir in the eggs, oil, vanilla, and almond extract. Add the toasted almonds and then add the flour mixture, stirring until just combine.

Spread batter evenly into the prepared loaf pan and bake for 50 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in the centre comes out clean. Let cool for 10 minutes before removing from pan. Let cool completely on wire rack. 

Notes: You use caster sugar however the loaf would probably be more sweet. Coconut sugar gave richness with just a hint of sweetness and complimented the toasted almonds. I also thought chopped apple pieces might be a nice addition. 

Getting things done inside and outside of the kitchen. The temperature today is a balmy -29ºC! Stay warm everyone! - JD 

Food Photo of the Day ~ Oven Baked Potato Skins

What to do with potato skin peels when making mashed potatoes? Bake them! 

All the potato skins were placed in a large bowl of cold water to soak. They were drained and spun dry; I have a lettuce/vegetable spinner, which makes this possible. Then the skins were placed in another large bowl, drizzled with some olive oil over top, a bit of seasoning salt and pepper. Toss to coat place them on a baking tray and cook in a 425ºF oven until crispy and brown. Dip or dunk them or use them as a toping these taste better than french fries. 

Hope everyone had a wonderful weekend, we sure did! Temperatures have plummeted... -26 with windchill! I foresee getting a fair amount of baking done this week. Stay warm and cozy. - JD  

Buttermilk Bread

Making bread can acquire all the right elements. This recipe is pretty straightforward and doesn't require a lot of attention. Dense with a melt in your mouth lightness. This loaf is scrumptious served at any meal and is particularly lovely at breakfast with a cup of tea and a slathering of jam.

Buttermilk Bread

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Makes 1 loaf

2 cups flour

2 tablespoons sugar

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon cream of tartar

a pinch of salt

2 tablespoons butter

1 cup buttermilk or sour milk

Preheat oven to 350ºF.

Butter and flour a loaf pan. You may also line with a piece of baking parchment paper. 

In a large bowl blend the flour, sugar, salt, baking soda, and cream of tartar together with a whisk.

Add the butter and mix throughly with your hands for approximately 3 to 4 minutes until the flour mixture and butter together become a crumbly mixture. Add the buttermilk and form a soft dough. Place into the prepared loaf pan and bake for 45 minutes.  

Notes: If you do not have buttermilk or sour milk, add a teaspoon of lemon juice to a cup of whole milk.  

Hope everyone is having a good week so far. Temperatures are dropping... stay warm! 

- JD 

The Breakfast Cereal Gourmet

Since I featured the cornflake squares the other day I thought it was very fitting to feature this cookbook. Seemingly, a bowl of cereal is mostly consumed in the mornings before one is dashing off to start their day. Perhaps a weekend bowl while reading the news or watching TV, or a cereal snacker throughout the day. Cereal can enjoy it's place on the comfort food list.  

Much has changed in the world of breakfast cereals since it's introduction many years ago; including it's ingredients, consuming, and marketing. The notorious Cereal Café in London is not only a sign of the times; it proves breakfast cereal has a mainstream consumption and following and it is not just for breakfast anymore. Throughout the years cereal has been baked, twice baked, shredded, squared, granolaed, sugared, marshmallowed, healthier, sweetened, nutted, dried fruit and coconut added, seeded, fibre added, and vitamin and protein laden. One might say that throughout the years, cereal has been put through the mill! 

This cookbook is not disproving what cereal has become but rather to look outside the box; so that it may be enjoyed in everyday cooking and or baking. Cereals crunchiness makes it an ideal as a crust, topping, layer, stuffing or coating. Crushed or ground, cereal can work great as a substitution for flour, breadcrumbs, nuts, or cornmeal. Cereal just may give food great texture and change foods taste in interesting ways. Offering 31 recipes, from restaurants, chefs, and authors across America at the time of printing, a few caught my eye. Asian Grilled Chicken Salad, Curried, Pilaf, Hazelnut Chicken with Mustard Sauce, Caramelized Onion Tart, Black Bean Burger, and Peanut Butter Krispy Cocoa Chews.

The cookbooks heavy thick cardboard covers remind me of a box of cereal. Pages are adorned with retro pictures of cereal boxes and adverts. There are interesting facts and bite sized cereal history details to marvel at... and yes the first use of cereal on the culinary map was the rice krispie treat! 

Here is a lovely recipe to try...  

Pan-fried Ricotta Cakes with Shaved Proscuitto and Herb-Almond Oil

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Serves 6 

Ricotta Cakes:

2 1/2 cups whole-milk ricotta

1/2 cup finely ground Parmesan cheese

2 1/2 cups finely ground Rice Krispie cereal

2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped

4 egg yolks

Salt and black pepper

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

4 ounces finely sliced proscuitto

1. In a large bowl, place the ricotta, Parmesan cheese, 1/2 cup of the Rice Krispie cereal, and garlic and mix well. Add the egg yolks and season to taste. 

Form into 6 equal patties and dredge in the remaining Rice Krispie cereal. Chill until ready to use.

2. Julienne the proscuitto and refrigerate until ready to use. Reserve the olive oil until time to finish the dish. 

Herb-Almond Oil:

1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil

1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme

2 teaspoons chopped fresh parsley

1/3 cup toasted ground almonds

Sea salt 

In a blender or food processor, place the olive oil and herbs, and blend well. Add the almonds and salt, and set aside.

TO FINISH:

Heat a very large sauté pan with the reserved 2 tablespoons olive oil until very hot. Add the cakes and cook on each side until golden brown about 5 minutes. Remove the cakes from the pan and place each on a plate. Top with julienned prosecution and drizzle around the sides with the herbed-almond oil. Serve warm. 

Please note: When sharing a recipe from a cookbook I type it word for word, how it is written in the cookbook. There is a typo with the word Prosciutto, unfortunately it has been misspelt... the u has been put before the i, rather than after it. An unfortunate mis-print.  

Have a great weekend everyone! - JD 

Cornflake Squares

Keeping it simple... and quite frankly what to do with a large box of cornflakes that everyone has grown tired of. I think I prefer these over rice krispie treats. They have almonds, coconut, dried fruit, and cereal all mashed about in marshmallowy gooeyness with a touch of chocolate on top.    

Cornflake Squares

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1/2 cup of butter

1 package (400g) of mini marshmallows

1 cup sliced almonds

1 cup flaked coconut

1/2 cup dried cranberries, chopped

4 cups cornflake cereal

good quality chocolate, melted for drizzling over the top

9x13 inch pan buttered and lined with baking parchment paper.

Place the butter into a large saucepan and gently melt over medium heat. Stirring occasionally, add the marshmallows; allowing to melt and combine with the butter. Add the sliced almonds, flaked coconut and chopped cranberries, stirring to combine then add the cornflakes, stirring once again until nicely coated. Press into the prepared 9x13 inch pan and allow to set for about 1/2 an hour. 

When set, melt the dark chocolate and drizzle over the top. Allowing the chocolate to cool and set then cut into squares. 

Notes: You can toast the sliced almonds and coconut if you like. 

Hope everyone is having a great week. A bit on the chilly side here. - JD 

Stewed Apple Pudding

Here is a quick winter warmer that has all the comfort and familiarity needed in one dessert. Delicious sweet apples nestled in pudding.  

Stewed Apple Pudding

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Serves 8

6-8 apples, peeled, cored, and sliced

4 oz. caster sugar

2 oz butter

2 tablespoons water

1 egg

1/2 cup flour

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

pinch of salt

2 tablespoons of milk

grated rind of 1 lemon

Preheat oven to 350ºF.

Cook the apple slices in water until just soft.

Place in a buttered oven proof pie dish and sprinkle with a bit of sugar.

Cream the butter and sugar together and add the beaten egg.

Then combine the flour and milk with the baking soda and lemon rind. Mix well and spread over the slices of apples. Sprinkle with cinnamon and bake for 20 minutes or until golden. Serve. 

Notes: I stewed the apple in Earl Grey tea which gave them a bit more flavour. It is as simple as adding 2 tea bags to the water that stews the apples.


Have a great weekend everyone! - JD  

Food Photo of the Day ~ Cranberry Shortbread Biscuits

It has been one of those weeks so far where nothing else will do but to hit the kitchen and  get started on the Christmas baking! This year, I start with shortbread biscuits. It is my tradition to always bake a few batches... or many batches. These shortbread have chopped dried cranberries and a sprinkle of golden vanilla cane sugar on top. It is organic and has 100% ground vanilla beans. As they baked the aroma emitting from the oven smelt of cherry vanilla.  

Hope everyone had a great weekend and that your week has been a good one, so far.
- JD 

Food Photo of the Day ~ Cake Pops!

This weekend our baking task was cake pops. What fun did we have turning the kitchen into an ensemble line of chocolate cake, melted chocolate and an array of sweet decorating toppings. The kidlets were in this from the start and right to the finish. They enjoyed themselves quite a lot. The cake pops in this photo were dipped in dark chocolate and sprinkled either with crushed M&M's, flaked coconut, crushed chilies or edible flowers! 

I didn't have a recipe for cake pops so I did a bit of research and decided to just wing it a bit. I made a chocolate cake which was crumbled into bits in a large bowl; then I added softened light cream cheese and my son mixed it in with his hands until there was one large sticky dough like ball. From there we broke off pieces and rolled them to create small walnut sized balls and placed them in the refrigerator, for about 30 minutes, to firm up. Once firm, I melted some chocolate and then we rolled the tip of a lolli stick in the melted chocolate and place the cake pop dough ball onto it, repeating until all were done. Sticking them onto a block of styrofoam as you complete each one. They went back in the refrigerator to let the chocolate set, for about 30 minutes. When set, both milk and dark chocolate were melted and coated each cake pop with the melted chocolate and then each were sprinkled with whatever sweet toppings we had on hand. Placing them back on the the styrofoam block as you go and yes! back into the refrigerator to let the chocolate set for a final time. Over all the flavour was a lovely rich chocolate and the texture was that of a chocolate brownie. 

The kidlets decided to dipped these in milk chocolate and they either sprinkled them with crushed candies, flaked coconut, chocolate sprinkles or multi-coloured sprinkles.  



It was a great afternoon of fun and chocolate! - JD 

Roasted Vegetable Penne

Looking for a quick mid-week... weekend meal this roasted vegetable penne has everything plus a few minutes to spare. Oven roasted vegetables are well paired with this cheesy, garlic pasta and will quickly gather family and friends around the dinner table.   


Roasted Vegetable Penne 

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Serves 6 

500g penne

4 peppers, any combination of red, yellow and orange

2 zucchini
1 pint of brown mushrooms, thickly sliced

2 shallots, diced
1 tablespoon of vegetable oil
1 tablespoon of balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon mixed herb seasoning mix

1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup of reserved pasta water (water from the cooked pasta)

2 cloves of garlic, crushed
1/2 cup grated Asiago cheese 

Preheat oven to 400ºF and line the baking tray with a piece of baking parchment paper.

Place the prepared peppers, zucchini, mushrooms and shallots into a large bowl. Toss with the 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil, balsamic vinegar, and mixed herb seasoning mix. Once nicely coated place on the prepared baking tray and roast in the oven until tender and brown... about 20 to 25 minutes.

In a large pot cook penne according to package. Before draining reserve 1/4 cup of the pasta water.

Place the drained pasta back into the pot over no heat. Stir in the reserved water, the 1/4 cup of olive oil, and the crushed garlic while the pasta is hot. That way it will cook the garlic a bit. Stir in the roasted vegetables and cheese. Sprinkle with a bit more cheese. Serve.

Have a good weekend everyone! - JD 

Broccoli Salad

The ingredients are few, which lends to bending the recipe rules with this one. Adding a few other ingredients to compliment this simple yet delicious salad may be considered. However the crisp broccoli, smoky bacon, and cheese do not go a miss and would certainly be lovely served over a jacket potato. Nonetheless this makes for a very satisfying side salad. 

Broccoli Salad 

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Serves 4 - 6

2 bunches broccoli, washed and chopped into smaller florets

1/2 cup extra sharp cheddar cheese, grated

1 shallot, peeled and finely chopped

10-12 strips bacon, cut into pieces and fried

For the Dressing:

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3/4 cup light mayonnaise

1/3 cup white sugar

4 tablespoons white vinegar

In a large bowl combine the broccoli florets, cheese, shallot and cooked bacon.

In another bowl whisk together the mayonnaise, sugar and vinegar. Pour over the broccoli mixture and toss to coat. Chill for a few hours then serve. 

Notes: Try using different cheese, and or a different vinegar. Add dried cranberries or chunks of grilled chicken, a handful of spinach. Diced red pepper. Add a teaspoon of curry powder to the dressing or a squirt of Sriracha for some heat.

Hope everyone is having a good week so far. - JD 

Food Photo of the Day ~ Sunday Roast

After such a lovely weekend, it was quite rewarding to cook up a classic Sunday roast for the masses. Roast beef, Yorkshire puds, oven roasted potatoes and carrots, lashing of gravy and a spot of sun dried tomato and smoked chilli chutney on the side. A nice comforting way to ward off the rainy day and cozy up into the evening. 

Hope everyone had a fabulous weekend! - JD  

Easy Oven Beef and Vegetable Stew

There is something refreshing about placing a mountain of ingredients into one pan, placing it into a roaring oven and letting it stew for a few hours. The results are a delicious and hearty meal. 

Easy Oven Beef and Vegetable Stew

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Serves 6

1 1/2 Ibs. stewing beef

1 1/4 cups low sodium beef stock

1/4 cup flour

1 can (796ml) low sodium crushed tomatoes

1 large onion, peeled and chopped

2 large potatoes, diced

3 large carrots, chopped

3 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed

2 cups turnip, peeled and diced

3 cups water

fresh thyme or 1 teaspoon dried thyme 

fresh oregano or 1 teaspoon dried oregano

1/2 teaspoon pepper

pinch of salt

1 bay leaf

Preheat the oven to 350ºF.

Combine all the ingredients into a large roasting pan.

Bake for 3 hours. 

Serve with Irish soda bread, dumplings or dinner rolls.

Notes: With 1 hour remaining of the cooking time I added 1/2 cup of frozen peas. You may also try this recipe using chicken or turkey.    

Food Photo of the Day ~ Halloween Hearts

Halloween is a few days away and creating spooky and scary treats is a must. These heart shaped cookies were a snap to make plus I really wanted to use my copper heart shaped cookie cutter. Make whatever sugar cookie recipe you prefer, cutting the dough into heart shapes; when ready icing with different colours such as violet, black, and red then further decorate making ribs, stitches and bone motifs. It takes a steady hand however imperfections are fine besides it adds to the appeal. Make a more runnier icing to re-create the look of blood splatters and droplets. 

Have a great weekend everyone and enjoy the Halloween festivities! - JD

   

Chinese 5 Spice Chicken Tray Bake

Short on ingredients and prepared the night before; this chicken tray bake is an easy one. An overnight marinade that is oven roasted with carrots is a delicious healthy meal which is great served with a super green salad or brown rice. 

Chinese 5 Spice Chicken Tray Bake

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6 large skinless, boneless chicken thighs

3 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 - 2 garlic cloves, crushed

2 tablespoons rice vinegar
1 tablespoon low sodium soy sauce

1 tablespoon dark brown sugar

1/4 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon Chinese 5 spice

1 onion, peeled and quartered 

3 - 4 large carrots, peeled and roughly chopped, add these when chicken is ready to go in the oven.

chopped cilantro or parsley for garnish

In a medium bowl whisk together the oil, garlic, rice vinegar, brown sugar, 5-spice and salt.  Place the chicken pieces and onion slices into a large resealable plastic bag and pour the sauce over top; seal the bag and coat chicken with the sauce. Chill for at least an hour or overnight.

Preheat oven to 400ºF. Line baking tray with baking parchment paper. Remove the chicken from the refrigerator and arrange the pieces on the prepared baking tray. 

Take the prepared carrots and place on the baking tray with the chicken and onions. Roast until the chicken is cooked through and slightly browned, about 30 to 50 minutes.

Remove the tray from the oven and let stand a few minutes. Sprinkle or as I like to call it dress with the chopped parsley or cilantro. 

Notes: I had double the amount of chicken thighs with bone and skin therefore I doubled the recipe although I did cut back on the amount of oil because of this. You may also try adding a selection of chopped veggies as well.   

Hope everyone is having a good week so far. - JD