Build a Better Lunch

Good evening everyone!  

So I know some of you have been wondering where I went.  If you recall, my last post was about two new jobs I was starting in addition to my crazy life as a wife and mother of 2.  Well, it was a great run but I had to get back to what I loved most...being at home with my kids and focusing on www.jbistrostyle.com.  One of the great things about being at home has been the magnificant lunches I could provide my preteen daughter with.

With that being said, here we go with my "I'm back: Build a Better Lunch" post.  I had been thinking a lot about school lunches and just how unhealthy they really are, so that peaked my interest into "building a better lunch."  I spent countless hours looking at others ideas for the perfect lunch scrolling thru Pinterest, trying to gain a good understanding of what other mother's thought made for a perfect lunch for their kids.  Well, since all kids are different I knew that all the Pins I had viewed were okay but they weren't "perfect" for my kid.  There are 4 questions I asked myself before making her lunch and they are all very important to build the perfect lunch for YOUR kid!

Here are the steps I took to building the best lunch for my princess!  

Step 1  Is he/she a snacker?

Answer   Yes she is

Step 2  Adventurous eater or creater of habit?

Answer   Semi-adventurous

Step 3  Athletic or not?

Answer   Athletic

Step 4  Does he/she stay extended hours after school?

Answer   Yes

Now I'm sure you're wondering why these 4 questions are so important.  

If you answered yes to Step 1, then your plan should be to provide your child with many different small portion options.  If your kid is a big meal eater, chances are they don't eat a lot of snacks.  My daughter eats like a bird, little bits at a time.

If you have an adventurous eater, then I say go for it and give your kid new things they've never had before.  If you have a creature of habit, that's okay, just provide them with their favorites but try to put a small spin on them to see what they think.

If you answered yes to having an athletic child, their lunches need plenty of protein and probably electrolytes (like Gatorade).

Last but not least, and probably the most important question of all, does your child stay after school for extended times?  Well, in the case of my daughter, she is in performing band, she's in athletics and she attends after school tutorials a minimum of twice a week.  So she spends a lot of time after school with her own activities, and then every so often she attends the schools sporting event's which can last up to 8 pm!  If this sounds like your child you will need to pack a really hearty lunch box like myself!

Enough with the talking, lets dive into the good stuff!  Pictures of healthy and delicious lunches!

Lunch number one is garlic and lemon marinated shrimp with fresh made cocktail sauce, a tossed salad, edamame with sea salt, black grapes, and a protein bar. 

Lunch number two is tuna & crackers with pickles, peanut butter crackers, venison snack sticks & cheese, fruit bar, and mixed fruit with a honey yogurt dip.

Lunch number three is a cobb salad (minus the corn), hard boiled eggs, graham crackers and a banana.

And lunch number four is her "Friday Favorite" lunch.  Every Friday I give her a snack of her choice that typically is not healthy at all but it just makes her happy!  

This is pizza pasta salad, peanut butter crackers, roasted sunflower seeds, orange, protein bar, and mini oreo cookies.

These are just some ideas to get y'all started and the basics of what you need to build the best possible lunch for your kid and most importantly that your kid will actually enjoy.  My daughter has all of her friends begging for me to send extra food for them!

And as always remember to tell your friends, family and kids all about www.jbistrostyle.com!

Happy lunching and see y'all soon!

I got this in the "Bag"

Zip Top Bag Omelet

 

We all know that sounds crazy, but you can make a fantastic omelet in a zip top bag!  A few years back my Aunt was making breakfast for a big group of us and she brought us, what looked to be like a salad bar, and told us to put what ever we wanted into this bag and add two eggs to it.  We all shook our head and questioned her but we all ultimately complied.  What a great choice on our part!  This method produced the lightest and fluffiest omelet I had ever had.  A bonus for this omelet is kids will LOVE being able to pick whatever they want AND they can help squishing eggs and help with the cooking.

 

Let me walk you thru this process:

 

Things you will need:

• Quart size freezer zip top bag/bags  (It MUST be freezer for the thickness)
• Pot of boiling water (Choose your size based on how many you will make at a time)
• Your favorite ingredients to put in your omelets
• Two or three eggs per omelet/bag

How-to:

 

Bring a pot of water to a boil

 

 

Chop up your favorite veggies

 

 



Add everything to your zip top bag.  Crack two or three eggs into a bowl and add to bag and season to taste.

 

 

Seal bag squeezing out as much air as possible.  Squish eggs and filling until everything is incorporated and place into boiling water.  Flip from side to side every 4 minutes or so, boiling for a total of 12 to 15 minutes.

 

 

Remove bag from water and let rest until cooled enough to handle.  Open bag and your omelet will slide right out onto your plate.

 

 

Enjoy!

 

I love almost any kind of hot sauce on my eggs.  How about you?

 

 

Thank you again for stopping by and walking with me on my journey to culinary genius!  Tell your friends about JBistro Style Chef Services!



Following My Food...What have you learned?

Good morning my faithful followers.  It's been a while since I thanked everyone, so we'll start with that.

THANK YOU FOR BEING MY INSPIRATION

 

If it wasn't for my fans, I wouldn't be inspired to try new things and share my experiences with others like me.  If you are new to my world, let me give you a brief background on me.  I am 100% self taught home cook who had a dream to share my food and experiences with others that want to enter the culinary field.  So after so careful consideration I started JBistro Style Catering in October of 2010, and I have been loving the ride ever since.

 

What is my style of food...is the most common question I hear when I tell people what I do.  The best and most informative way to answer that questions is this: "Comfort food of many styles, modernized!"  I offer a wide arrange of food, from Mexican Carnitas to Italian Meatball Casserole, and American classics like Country Fried Steak and Chicken  Nuggets we all love.

 

My motto for food is "Simply Scrumptious."  No fussy food allowed out of my kitchen!

 

Why do I do what I do?  One day in the near future I hope to have a quaint little bistro where I can delight the world with my food.  I would call it "The Smiling Bistro," since my food always makes you smile!

 

I encourage everyone to get involved, ask me questions, or share your ideas.  I learn and grow as a cook from you! 

   

Starting Fresh

Hey everyone!

So I know it's been a LONG time since my last post but there are good reasons why.  I took 2 new jobs, one is a great 9-5 in an office and the other is a part-time assistant chef at a cooking school.  I love both but they do fill up my days, along with (as you know) my two rambunctious kids.  So with that being said, let's dive right into today's topic.

Eating fresh food is is revered as being the absolute best.  So why is that?  Is that really true that fresh is best?  Well actually, no, that is not the case.  When produce is picked fresh, it's generally picked before it has reached its peak. They do this because it ensures a "prettier" product when it reaches it's final destination, which in most cases is days past the time it's picked.  

So what are your other options? My personal choices are either straight from the farm or a local farmers market, or good 'old frozen vegetables. Frozen veggies are, in my option, the best choice for any working family.  Frozen vegetables are always available, unlike a farmers market, and they are always picked at the the prime ripeness and immediately frozen. The process "freezes" all the beneficial nutrients our veggies have to offer. Not to mention, frozen veggies are cheaper than canned and fresh, so it's a win situation!

Now, we all know I love gardening (as seen in the pictures below), and I love growing all my own herbs and veggies so I would encourage everyone to consider doing that. You always know what's happening to your own food and you can grow things anywhere! I started my container gardening in my apartment and it's grown with me into a full garden!

Throwback Thursday..1st Blog Post

In honor of Throwback Thursday...I'm reporting my first blog post!  Read, enjoy, share!

 Future Storefront...To be or not to be

Yesterday, my Mom treated me to lunch at a Restaurant that was featured on one of my favorite Food Network shows, Diners, Drive-ins and Dives.  Lankford Grocery & Cafe.  What an absolute fabulous place!  I loved everything about it.  It was not fancy, the decor was like being at my Grandparents country home, but the food and the atmosphere was AMAZING!  It was the place I imagine (and hope) JBistro would become in the near future.  My food is by far not fancy, I am not fancy, therefor I would not want to represent myself or food as something its not.  I imagine a place that feels like a home.

So, as my Mom and I are enjoying our lunch, we start discussing how great it would be if JBistro could have a storefront, and it got me very excited. My mind was racing about all the things I would have in my own restaurant.  It also caused a lot of anxiety for me.  Why you ask?  Well I started thinking about how most start-up restaurants fail.  I'm not sure on the exact percentage, but I do know its very high and very intimidating.  I look at my very minimal success of JBistro Style Catering in the three years that I have owned it.  I consider how in three years I only have 85 people that "Like" us on Facebook.  I look at the stats for this website and the most visitors we've had is 31.  I see the most "Likes" we have here on the blog entries is 7.  Anyway, you get the point.  Numbers don't lie, unfortunately, so it is very difficult to see past those numbers and feel confident that JBistro would be a successful restaurant.  BUT, despite all this, I still remain hopeful that one day I will have my dream!

At this moment, I would like to personally thank everyone for taking the time to support us, in any manor!  We would not have our success, minimal or not, without the support of you.  Help me keep my dream alive and thriving and spread the word about JBistro Style Catering!  If you haven't tried our food, let me know, and I will arrange a FREE tasting for you!

Now Offering Personal Chef Services!

Hi everyone!  I'm a little excited today.  I'm excited that I've had 1150+ readers, the new year, and that JBistro is now offering Personal Chef services!  WOOHOO!  Okay, I know I'm being silly but it's the little things in life that excite me.

Last week I was at a girlfriends house, enjoying margaritas and snacks and right around midnight we all got a little hungry.  So naturally I went straight to work, only using what she had available.  Left over bow tie pasta in marinara, various cheese, and eggs.  I transformed these ingredients into a pasta fritatta, and it was amazing!  While I was prepping and cooking a few pictures were taken (seen below) and it really struck me.  "I should be doing this on a regular basis!"  So here we are.

Thanks to my new found love, JBistro Style has added a new tab to the website that includes the hourly rates and what those rates are based on.  I'm a big believer in explaining what you're paying for.  Basically, I look at you hiring me to be your chef like when you're buying a car.  You want to see a detailed list on all the perks of having a personal chef.

I don't want it to stop there either.  A Personal Chef can be a great gift for almost anybody.  Husbands, would your wife enjoy time off from having to plan and prepare meals?  Wives, would your husband enjoy time off from having to plan and prepare meals? Do you have elderly parents that would benefit from having nutritious meals prepared for them?  Bachelors and bachelorettes, is there a special night you want to impress your significant other?  A personal chef is the perfect answer to all of these scenarios, and very budget friendly.  Personal chefs are not just for the rich & famous anymore!  

Stop by here for all the details about my new venture, and remember the next time you want to live like luxury...hire Chef Jennifer with JBistro Style!

Top 10 Recipes of 2013

Wow, can you believe the end of 2013 is already here!  I know i can't believe it. As history depicts, everyone always does a recap of their favorites from that year and I'm following suit.  I have compiled my absolute favorite dishes of 2013, and I promise your mouth will be watering after reading this.

Ready? Here we go:

Favorite dish #10 

Bruschetta Burger Bites

The picture angle makes these petite eats look full-sized burgers but they were actually two-bite wonders!  They were so simple to make, which is my favorite kind of recipe!  Made from left-over bruschetta bread and topped with parmesan or cheddar cheese.

Favorite dish #9

Spinach & Artichoke Stuffed Mushrooms

I reinvinted a much loved JBistro dip by stuffing it into baby portabella mushrooms, topped with bacon & japanese bread crumbs, and baked to perfection.  These were simply amazing and a wow factor for any party!

Favorite dish #8

Roasted Tomatillio Salsa with Fresh Tortillia Chips

This is not your ordinary green dip you get at your favorite Tex-Mex restaurant.  My take on this Tex-Mex classic takes it to the next level.  Fire roasted veggies, chicken stock, and a dash of cumin makes this salsa incredible!  Paired with with freshly fried flour tortillia chips is the ideal compliment.  The crunchy exterior and pillowy inside makes it the perfect chip.

Favorite dish #7

Mini Chocolate Chip Cheesecakes

I was experimenting with a new cheesecake recipe and used what I had in my pantry; chocolate graham craxkers, unflavored gelatin, and chocolate chips.  And so these mini delights were born!  Topped with chocolate ganache was the perfect finish.

Favorite dish #6

Chicken Roll-ups with Bacon Gravy

My family (and myself) were bored with plain "chicken & rice" dishes, so I had to create something new and exciting.  I saw a picture on Facebook of these cream cheese stuffed chicken breasts and thought I'd give it whirl but just adding my own touches.  Instead of cream cheese I stuffed them with a garlic & herb Swiss cheese spread and then wrapped tightly in bacon. Pair this with simple but always delicious buttered rice and salad then top with bacon gravy and you have a comfort meal you will never forget!

Favorite dish #5

Home-made Pizza

This year I had the opportunity to teach myself how to make pizza dough from scratch.  I was so happy when it turned out almost perfect.  I definitely need to perfect my recipe but it was still delicious. Topped with my spicy marinara, venison, and a multitude of cheeses made my Family happy!

Favorite dish #4

Orange scented Blueberry Upside-down Cake

Inspired by the pineapple upside down cake, this blueberry upside down cake was scrumptious.  Plain yellow cake gets a dose of flavor with orange zest & juice and then topped with fresh whipped cream.  Perfect for a light dessert enjoyed pool-side.

Favorite dish #3

Herb Crusted Chicken Pot Pie

In my family, chicken pot pies are the #1 requested dish, so it does get made quite a bit.  So I decided to jazz it up by adding fresh herbs (straight from my garden) to the pie crust, and it was a match made in Heaven.  Fresh thyme, sage, and oregano made this otherwise boring crust a little piece of heaven!  Needless to say, now all pot pies are made this way!

Favorite dish #2

Strawberries & Cream Napolean

I'm betting you could not guess what these are made with!?  I made these for my Ladies Night In party and they were an instant hit!  Fresh made vanilla whipped cream, orange juice macurated strawberries, and fried wonton sheets is a combination most people wouldn't think of.  The wonton wrappers were covered in pumpkin pie spice, and once assembled, topped with chocolate ganache.  This dessert was amazing & light.

...and my #1 Favorite dish of 2013 is

Pocket Pizza's

I had the honor of being the in-home chef for one of my best friends daughters birthday party and these little pizza's were devoured by the adults and the kids!  Wonton wrappers were stuffed into muffin tins and filled with marinara, italian seasoning, pepperoni, and topped with mozzarella cheese, then baked till golden brown.  These are PERFECT for any party, adult or kid-friendly!

Well JBistro fans, these are my picks for my favorite dishes of 2013.  Is there a specific recipe you enjoyed?  I'd love to hear from you!  My dream for 2014 is to see JBistro Style and this blog TAKE OFF to new heights never even imagined.  Remember to join me on my tour of culinary exploration and Follow My Food!

Happy New Year to everyone and see you next year!