Freezer meal frenzy!

About 4 1/2 years ago I discovered the wonderful world of making freezer meals! I was a new mom to Jack and pregnant with Lucy. I decided I should learn how to make fabulous freezer meals in case of those emergencies. Sometimes emergencies are in the form of an evening where I am just too tired (or lazy) to cook), while others are true emergencies like I (mom) is sick so there are wonderful freezer meals for Chad (my hubby) to make quickly! Knowing that I have a few meals already prepped and assembled also puts my anxious mind at ease.

Prepping the Freezer bags paired with their Recipes

My favorite vegetable chopping knives!

I hadn't made many freezer meals in the past year other than large batches of spaghetti sauce, meatloaf, and sometimes soups. Of course I did make a ham and cheese quiche using my leftover Christmas ham (see Holiday Happenings post) But my slow cooker meals are the ones I like the best! Most of them are a lot of freshly chopped vegetables with a sauce and a protein. The best part is you can dump them into the slow cooker (even from a frozen state) and just let them do their magic! 

This past week I was down for the count with a horrible sinus infection. I had no interest in cooking dinner because I couldn't taste them anyways. My main goal last week was to breathe through my nose and to not go through an entire Kleenex box in one day.  While I was resting one day I came across some new freezer mealswhen perusing Pinterest. So I decided to make 5 new freezer meals which come in extra handy during the winter (especially on weeks like last week). By Saturday I was feeling much better so I took the afternoon to prep 5 relatively healthy slow cooker freezer meals. 

LOVE the look of freshly peeled carrots!

I LOVE recipes from New Leaf Wellness because they use very little (if any) processed foods and LOTS of fresh vegetables. None of their freezer meals listed as healthy contain condensed soups, added sugar, or anything that you can't find in your local supermarket. They are simple and delicious. 

I chose this link 31 Healthy Freezer Meals - New Leaf Wellness to check out what was on their list of 31 recipes. I only chose 5 because for us that is a sufficient number of freezer meals to have in the freezer. 

Here are the five recipes I chose from their list.

1. Crockpot Red Pepper Chicken Recipe

Yields: 3 servings per pound of meat

Ingredients

• 1-2 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts, fat trimmed
• 1-2 medium-sized red bell pepper, sliced
• 1 small yellow onion, sliced or diced
• 4 large garlic cloves, minced
• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

Directions

• Combine all ingredients in crockpot and cook for 3-6 hours, or until chicken is cooked through and tender.

To Freeze and Cook Later

• Combine all ingredients in a gallon-sized plastic freezer bag. Remove as much air as possible and freeze for up to three months. To cook, thaw and add to crockpot. Cook on “low” setting for 3-4 hours in a 6-quart crockpot or 6-8 hours in a 4-quart crockpot.

Serve with brown rice and broccoli or a salad.  You can also shred the chicken and serve on a tortilla with cheddar cheese.  YUM. 

Crockpot Red Pepper Chicken (link)

2. Slow Cooker Cranberry Pork Roast

Yields: 4 servings

Ingredients

• 2.5 pound bone-in pork shoulder (sometimes labeled as a “Boston butt” or “pork butt”)
• 15oz can whole berry cranberry sauce (or half of this homemade cranberry sauce recipe)
• 1/4 cup honey
• 1/4 cup dried minced onion

Directions

1. Combine all ingredients in your slow cooker and cook on “low” setting for 6-8 hours or until pork shreds easily with a fork.
2. Remove bones and shred meat.

To Freeze and Cook Later

Combine all ingredients in a gallon-sized plastic freezer bag and freeze for up to three months.  When ready to eat, thaw overnight in refrigerator.  Add to slow cooker and cook on “low” setting for 6-8 hours or until pork shreds easily with a fork.  Remove bones and shred meat.

Slow Cooker Cranberry Pork Roast (link)

3. Slow Cooker Meatball Vegetable Soup

Yields: 8 servings

Ingredients

• 1 pound small meatballs (store bought or homemade)
• 24oz jar of pasta sauce (about 2.5 cups)
• 4 cups low sodium chicken broth
• 1 pound carrots, peeled and chopped
• 3 cups green beans, ends cut off and cut into bite-sized pieces
• 1 medium-sized zucchini, ends cut off and cut into bite-sized pieces
• 1 medium-sized yellow onion, diced (about 1 cup)

Directions

1. Combine all ingredients in slow cooker.
2. Cover, and cook on “low” for 8 hours or until veggies are soft.

To Freeze and Cook Later

Combine all ingredients (except chicken broth) in a gallon-sized plastic freezer bag.  Remove as much air as possible, seal, and freeze for up to three months.  When ready to cook, thaw in the refrigerator overnight and add to slow cooker with chicken broth.  Cook on “low” setting for 8 hours or until veggies are soft.

Slow Cooker Meatball Veggie Soup (link)

4. Make Ahead Freezer Chicken Fajitas

Yields: 6 servings if you use two pounds of chicken

Ingredients

• 1-2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into strips
• 3 medium-sized sweet bell peppers (I like a mix of red, orange, and yellow), sliced
• 1 large sweet yellow onion, sliced
• 2 large cloves of garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon honey
• The juice from 1 lime
• 1 tablespoon chili powder
• 2 teaspoons cumin
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

To Freeze and Cook Later

1. Combine all ingredients in a gallon-sized plastic freezer bag and freeze for up to three months.
2. When ready to eat, thaw overnight in the refrigerator (or in warm water, if you forget).
3. Cook in large pan on stovetop for 10-15 minutes or until chicken is cooked through and peppers are tender.

Serve on tortillas or rice with your favorite fajitas toppings, like shredded cheese, salsa, and guacamole.

Make ahead chicken fajitas (link)

5. Slow Cooker Asian Chicken Lettuce Wraps

Yields: 6 servings

Ingredients

• 2 pounds of ground chicken (you can also substitute ground beef or ground turkey when they’re on sale at the grocery store)
• 1 medium-sized red bell pepper, diced
• 2 large carrots, grated (1 cup)
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce
• 1/4 cup ketchup
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

Directions

1. Add all ingredients to your slow cooker and cook on “low” setting for 4-6 hours or until chicken is tender.
2. Break apart chicken and serve.

To Freeze

Add all ingredients to a gallon-sized plastic freezer bag.  Remove as much air as possible, seal, and freeze for up to three months.  Thaw in refrigerator overnight and then cook in slow cooker for 4-6 hours on “low” setting.  Break apart chicken and spoon onto lettuce.

Serve on big pieces of iceberg or Boston bibb lettuce.  YUM.

Slow Cooker Asian Chicken Wraps (link) 

FINAL PRODUCTS! 5 finished freezer meals! 

Ratatouille.... Beyond the movie!

We all have those weeks where we have good intentions of making all of the meals on our meal plan. Yes... I am that nerd that likes to plan a week out and have all of my groceries purchased the weekend before. But there are just some nights like some last week where I have no desire to cook OR where we have so many leftovers there is no need to cook. We had a little of both going on in our household along with a horrible cold shared among the four of us. So some of my recipes had to be put on hold.

One of these recipes I was really looking forward to making because it was very healthy, utilized vegetables we haven't used in a while, and it was the dish in my favorite Pixar/Disney movie Ratatouille! I mean how cute is it to take a rat called Remy through Paris to a 4 star restaurant where he creates the most delicious dishes! It's adorable and a dream of mine. Not having a rat cook with me... but to be able to go to Paris to try all of the delicious food!

I found a recipe when researching Paleo/clean eating recipes for my weekly meal plan. Since we bought a quarter of a cow last year and are waiting on our next one to be delivered any day now I decided we needed to use up the last of our ground beef. So I came across this "Americanized" version of Ratatouille with ground beef in it. YUM! I purchased all of the colorful vegetables that we don't often find in our house such as eggplant, red bell peppers, and zucchini (which we use often in the summer but rarely the winter). I was ready... until last week happened and I just didn't get to it. So Monday for lunch I decided to chop up the veggies and make this delicious dish. It was a hit with Lucy as she scarfed it down quickly. (Jack is my picky eater and rarely eats meat unless it's bacon... but he ate some of the veggies out of it).

I thought this would be a fun family night...... Make Beefy Ratatouille, followed by watching the movie, and in the middle of the movie making a delectable French pastry for dessert! It's on my to-do list before we head to Disney World next time! Themed family movie nights are always fun!

Enjoy this recipe friends!

Absolutely a must make for your family!

Recipe: Beefy Ratatouille

Sourcer: https://www.ourpaleolife.com/recipe/beefy-ratatouille/
 Prep: 15 mins
Cook: 25 mins
Yields: 4 servings .

Ingredients
 1 lb Grass-Fed Ground Beef
 3 Tbsp Ghee or Grass-Fed butter
 1 Yellow Onion, halved and thinly sliced
4 Garlic Cloves, peeled and thinly sliced
1 small Eggplant, cut into 1/2-inch pieces (about 3 cups)
1 small Zucchini, cut into small cubes
1 Red Bell Pepper, cut into slivers
4 Plum Tomatoes, coarsely chopped (about 1-1/4 cups)
1 tsp Sea Salt
1 tsp Dried Basil
1 (8 oz) can Tomato Sauce
Fresh Ground Black Pepper, to taste

• In a large skillet of medium heat, melt the ghee/butter. Add the ground beef, onion, and garlic and cook until the beef is browned and the onions have softened, about 
•  8-10 minutes. Break up the beef with the back of a wooden spoon while cooking. 
• Add the eggplant and cook, stirring occasionally, for about 
•  8 minutes or until the eggplant has softened. 
• Stir in the zucchini, bell pepper, tomatoes, salt, and basil and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, for 
• 10-15 minutes or until the vegetables are tender. Stir in the tomato sauce and add black pepper to taste. 3 Serve hot. 
• Add low-fat skim mozzarella on top for garnish!

Turkey and pasta soup

At Christmas time I am one of those gals that likes a good Christmas ham. However my husband gets a free fresh turkey from Yordy Turkey farms from his company. So the past few years we have had both! Typically we only have my parents over for Christmas Day and the kids don't eat that much. So I have to use the leftover turkey and ham meat in creative ways, as well as freezing a good portion for future meals! 

For the past two years I have been making a soup that is absolutely delicious! It uses some of the leftover turkey for a comforting, home cooked meal! In fact the first time we ate it was when our power was out for 5 days (in which I became very thankful for a generator). My parents came to stay with us for a few days since they didn't have a generator and this was the perfect hot meal to host them with. Because I couldn't find the pasta it called for (and I was sick of orzo) I substituted ditalini which is found in many minestrone soups. So choose a cold evening, pour yourself a hot bowl of this soup, and curl up by the fire! Enjoy! 

Turkey Pasta Soup

This is how you'll want to use your leftover turkey or chicken! Wee ones love this soup, and grownups almost always request second helpings.

Author: Chris Scheuer

Source: http://thecafesucrefarine.com/2014/11/turkey-pasta-soup/

Recipe type: Soup

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• ¾ cup finely chopped shallots, about 3 large shallots
• 3 medium celery stalks, diced
• 8 medium carrots, peeled and diced
• 12 cups low sodium chicken broth
• 2 medium bay leaves
• 1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh rosemary
• 1 teaspoon sea salt, if you're using regular salt, start with a half teaspoon and add more, if needed.
• ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 ¼ cup Acini Di Pepe pasta*, You can also use pastina, orzo or Israeli couscous, also known as pearl pasta.
• 4 cups leftover turkey or chicken, diced, rotisserie chicken works great
• 1 teaspoon each finely chopped fresh parsley, rosemary and thyme

Instructions

1. Heat olive oil over medium heat in a large Dutch oven or pot. Add chopped shallots and cook for 2 minutes, stirring frequently. Add celery and carrots and cook for another 3-4 minutes, stirring frequently.
2. Add the 12 cups of broth, bay leaves, 1 teaspoon fresh rosemary, salt and pepper. Bring soup to a boil then reduce to a steady simmer and cook, uncovered for 20 minutes.
3. Remove bay leaves and add the Acini Di Pepe pasta. Stir and return to a simmer. Cook for 8-10 more minutes, or until pasta is tender.
4. Add diced turkey (or chicken), parsley, rosemary and thyme. Stir well and remove from heat. Taste and add more salt and pepper, if needed. Cover and allow soup to sit for 15 minutes before serving. This allows the flavors to meld.

Notes

* Acini Di Pepe are tiny, round Italian pasta, commonly found at many larger grocers. Acini Di Pepe are often used in Italian wedding soups and are also wonderful in salads. For this Turkey Pasta Soup, the Acini Di Pepe are cooked right in the broth and add a magically delicious and comforting flavor and texture. If you can't find Acini Di Pepe, pastina, Israeli couscous or orzo will also work, though our favorite is definitely the Acini Di Pepe.

Holiday Happenings 2016

As usual the holidays were busy and full of family with an enormous amount of food. My jeans are definitely a little more snug around my waist but the journey was worth it! Of course there will be a change in how we will be eating post holiday.... a lot healthier and watching what kinds of food we will be eating. Even though it is now the new year 2017 I wanted to share with you some of my holiday happenings from December 2016! We had many family and friend gatherings that we attended usually with a plate of food in hand. My goal is always make it as simple as possible as long as you aren't sacrificing flavor! And as always the presentation is half of the battle.... make it look spectacular! 

We will begin with the simplest dish I took to our Small Group party. It was a going away party for some very dear friends and everyone was supposed to bring snacks and appetizers. It was on a particularly busy weekend so I went super simple. My husband had received a gourmet cheese and meat box from one of his vendors. I cut up a few varieties of cheese along with summer sausage then surrounded it with beautiful, fresh rosemary! I added the crackers on the cute mitten plates and voila! 

Every year I have intended to make the Pioneer Woman's cinnamon rolls for our neighbors. If you know me at all you know I am a superfan of Ree Drummond, The Pioneer Woman. So naturally these rolls are a part of Christmas! They are also convenient for a quick and delicious Christmas morning breakfast! I made 10 pans of cinnamon rolls and made deliveries to our neighbors mid-December. They were so delicious and now a tradition for our family! I will do the baking and my family can help deliver!

Recipe: Pioneer Woman Cinnamon Rolls

Each year since the kids have been born I have wanted to be diligent about making a Happy Birthday Jesus cake. Having a birthday party for Jesus on Christmas Day makes it more of a focus for the kids. I want them to know the real reason for the season. Because I want them to know how special His birthday is I always make a cake from scratch. The effort and love put into this cake is how I hope they someday will love Jesus! 

This year I went to Tammy Maltby's Christmas Kitchen Cookbook. I made her Red Velvet Sugared Cranberry Cake with a few modifications. I knew time was of the essence that day so I substituted a simple powdered sugar/milk frosting in place of the cream cheese frosting. This cake not only tasted AMAZING but the presentation speaks for itself! Look at these beautiful sugared cranberries below! I had to restrain myself from eating them all before they went on the cake. What I love about Tammy Matlby's cakes are that they look so fancy and beautiful but they aren't as hard as you would think! 

Recipe: Red Velvet Cake with Sugared Cranberries

This year on New Years Eve my wonderful in-laws took the kids for the evening so we could have one last hurrah with our friends who have now moved to St. Louis. We had fancy appetizers and yummy drinks. I made a simple appetizer that looked pretty and tasted great. The best part was it only took 5 minutes! Place one cherry tomato on a toothpick with one mozzerella cheese ball. Sprinkle the platter with parsley for effect. I added a basil pesto sauce for dipping and YUM!!!! 

What were you favorite holiday recipes this year? 

Slow Cooker Tuscan chicken and white bean soup

You know that feeling when the nights become cooler all of a sudden? The evenings get darker earlier... all signs pointing to fall approaching! I had a night like that the other night. When that happens the first thing that I want to eat is a comforting homemade soup. I really want to expand my soup repertoire this year so I chose a new recipe called Slow Cooker Tuscan Chicken White Bean soup. Any soup I can make in the slow cooker is a win-win in my book. If I put the work in at the beginning then I get to just sit back until the final step in serving it up. I am also win with the slow cooker because I can smell the deliciousness coming from it throughout my house all day! YUM! This recipe delivered that satisfying comfort food feel without the unhealthy elements. It was a very nutritious filling soup. The recipe calls for fresh Parmesan cheese on top but I substituted fresh shredded mozzarella from my cheese grater. It was definitely a good choice.  You can also prep this ahead of time into a delicious freezer meal!

Slow Cooker Tuscan Chicken and White Bean Soup

Didn't this turn out to be a delicious looking soup?!

PREP TIME

20 mins

COOK TIME

8 hours

TOTAL TIME

8 hours 20 mins

Serves: 6

INGREDIENTS

·                        2 (15-oz.) cans white beans, drained and rinsed

·                        1 (15-oz.) can fire-roasted diced tomatoes (do not drain)

·                        2 cups sliced carrots

·                        1.5 cups diced celery

·                        ½ cup diced white onion

·                        1 garlic clove, minced

·                        2 bay leaves

·                        1 tsp. dried oregano

·                        1 tsp. dried thyme

·                        1 tsp. dried rosemary (crush in hand)

·                        ½ tsp. salt

·                        ¼ tsp. pepper

·                        1 (32-oz.) box chicken broth

·                        1.5 lbs. boneless skinless chicken breasts

INSTRUCTIONS

To make this into a freezer meal:

1.                Place everything into a gallon-sized Ziplock bag, squeeze out air before sealing. Freeze for up to a month. Thaw in fridge for 36 hours, then follow cooking directions below.

Cooking instructions:

1.                Add everything to the slow cooker. Cover and cook on LOW for 8 hours. Discard bay leaves. Shred the chicken with two forks right in the slow cooker. Serve topped with parmesan cheese. Enjoy!

One Pan Autumn Chicken Dinner

It's finally fall!! Fall is my favorite time of the year. It's not just the cooler temperatures, changing colors, and the fall festivities... but the smells and tastes of the season! I love apple, pumpkin, and cranberry everything!!!! For the last few weeks I have been working in my kitchen already delighting in apple pumpkin dishes. We have made pumpkin-apple butter, pumpkin muffins, pumpkin spice cake, and homemade apple sauce just to name a few. But it's more than just apples and pumpkins. Last week I made a one pan dish that was the very essence of fall flavors -- and very easy to make! The recipe is from one of my favorite food blogs called Cooking Classy. 

How beautiful is this dish?! So many beautiful colors!

One Pan 

Autumn 

Chicken Dinner

Yield: About 4 servings

Ingredients

• 4 - 5 (6 - 7 oz) bone-in, skin on chicken thighs
• 4 Tbsp olive oil, divided
• 1 1/2 Tbsp red wine vinegar
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 Tbsp each minced fresh thyme, sage and rosemary, plus more for serving
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 large sweet potato (peeled if desired), chopped into 3/4-inch cubes
• 1 lb Brussels sprouts, sliced into halves
• 2 fuji apples, cored and sliced into half moons about 3/4-inch thick
• 2 shallot bulbs, peeled and sliced about 1/4-inch thick
• 4 slices hickory smoked bacon, chopped into 1-inch pieces

Directions

• Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Pour 2 Tbsp olive oil, red wine vinegar, garlic and herbs into a gallon size resealable bag, add chicken, season with salt and pepper then seal bag and massage mixture over chicken while working to evenly distribute herbs. Set aside and let rest while chopping veggies.
• Place sweet potato, Brussels sprouts, apples and shallot on a large rimmed baking sheet. Drizzle with remaining 2 Tbsp olive oil then toss to evenly coat and season with salt and pepper to taste. Spread into an even layer then set chicken over veggie/fruit mixture. Sprinkle bacon (separate any pieces that stick together) evenly over veggie/fruit mixture. Roast in preheated oven until chicken and veggies are golden brown, about 30 minutes (chicken should register 165 in center). Broil during last few minutes for a more golden skin on chicken if desired. Sprinkle with more herbs and serve immediately.
• Recipe source: http://www.cookingclassy.com/2015/10/one-pan-autumn-chicken-dinner/

Slow Cooker Pumpkin Spice Chex Mix

I absolutely love fall! It is my absolute favorite time of year!! There is just something about the crisp cool air, the beautiful colors around, festivals, and of course pumpkin-spiced EVERYTHING! My husband runs the Libby's pumpkin plant so we have our fair share of pumpkin recipes around here, but I love just the flavor of pumpkin spice as well! Starbucks revolutionized pumpkin spice flavor with their Pumpkin Spice Lattes and since then the market has grown! Pumpkin spice cheerios, pumpkin spice oatmeal, pumpkin spice chocolate kisses, etc..... the desire for pumpkin-spice is HUGE!
I love Chex Mix as much as the next person, especially when I can make it in my slow cooker! I love the basic original recipe with the brown sugar, Worcestershire, butter, etc. But I came across a new recipe for slow cooker pumpkin spice chex mix. With September starting this past week I couldn't resist making it to taste the flavors of fall! So yesterday I decided to make this delectable snack mix with my daughter Lucy. She loves to help me pour all of the ingredients into the slow cooker and stir it. So it was a good activity for the two of us to do together. After the mix had cooled so we could try it we were in love! The snack mix won't last long around here but at least it's easy to make. If you make it you won't be able to stop!
So here is our new fall staple snack in our household..... will it be part of yours???
NOTE: There are several things you can add to this mix or leave out making it a custom snack for your family. I used Rice Chex, Whole Wheat Chex, Plain peanuts, Ancient Grains Cheerios, pretzel sticks, raisins, and cherry craisins for my mix ins.

CROCK-POT MAPLE PUMPKIN SPICE 

CHEX MIX

My Chex Mix in a gallon ziplock. 

Recipe courtesy of: 

http://www.averiecooks.com/2014/10/crock-pot-maple-pumpkin-spice-chex-mix.html

YIELD: about 8 cups

 

PREP TIME: 5 minutes

 

COOK TIME: about 2 hours

 

TOTAL TIME: about 2 hours, overnight is better for drying

INGREDIENTS:

6 cups Chex cereal (I used 3 cups each Rice Chex and a storebrand honey-nut Chex; try Cheerios, Golden Grahams, etc.)
2 cups dried fruit (I used 1 cup each dried cranberries and dried cherries; try (golden) raisins, etc.)
1 1/2 to 2 cups nuts (I used 3/4 cup each honey-roasted cashews and honey-roasted peanuts)
1 1/2 to 2 cups pretzels
1 1/2 chopped graham crackers, diced in large 1-inch pieces (about 5 full-size graham crackers)
1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
1/2 cup maple syrup (I used sugar-free pancake syrup)
1/4 cup light brown sugar, packed
1 to 2+ tablespoons pumpkin pie spice
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
salt, optional and to taste

DIRECTIONS:

1. In a 5 to 6-quart Crock-Pot, add cereal, dried fruit, nuts, pretzels, and graham crackers. Recipe is very flexible. If you don't have something, don't like something, etc. use something you do have on hand or omit.
2. In a microwave-safe measuring cup or bowl, melt the butter, about 1 minute on high power.
3. Add the maple syrup, brown sugar, pumpkin pie spice (I used 1 tablespoon but recommend at least 2 tablespoons if you want a more pronounced pumpkin flavor), vanilla, optional salt, and whisk to combine.
4. Slowly and evenly drizzle wet mixture over the dry ingredients in Crock-Pot and stir very well to combine. I use a silicon-tipped spatula so I don't break the cereal.
5. Cook covered on high power for about 2 hours, stirring well every 15 to 20 minutes. Start keeping a more careful eye on mix at about 1 1/2 hours to make sure pieces on bottom don't start burning. All slow-cookers and ingredients vary, and cooking times will vary. Cook until there's no visible liquid pooling and pieces have dried out. They will not be 'dry' and will be more on the sticky and tacky side even when done, but do dry out more as they cool. Note - Although I haven't tested it, you could probably bake in a 250F oven, with the mixture divided between two baking trays. Keep a very watchful eye on it and toss every 15 minutes until it's done.
6. Turn mixture out onto baking tray and allow to dry for at least 2 hours, overnight is better. Mix will keep airtight for up to 5 days.

Recipe from Averie Cooks. All images and content are copyright protected. Please do not use my images without prior permission. If you want to republish this recipe, please re-write the recipe in your own words, or simply link back to this post for the recipe. Thank you.