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!

A New Thanksgiving Tradition

We are officially in "Holiday Season" everyone!  Personally, I love the holidays.  This is the time when I can really let my creativity flow freely and not get crazy looks.  Speaking on creativity, that is the topic of discussion.

Typically we go to my Aunts house for Thanksgiving and she prepares the feast and everyone brings side dishes.  This year that is not the case so it will just be my family and my Mom for Thanksgiving.  This is why I have decided to do a pretty different dinner. 

Here is the planned menu (so far):

• Individual Cornish game hens prepared two ways; half brine and roasted, and the other half wrapped in bacon.  These will be topped with a bacon gravy.
• Pomegranate & honey glazed ham.
• The real deal green bean casserole made entirely from scratch.
• Individual au gratin potato casseroles.
• Ginger & orange spiced cranberries
• My Mother's fruit salad with my twist of toasted coconut on top.

Dessert will be a surprise but there will be at least one buttermilk pie included!

Remember my motto, "follow my food" and never be afraid to try something new in the kitchen!

Be sure and check out the JBistro Style Website!

My First Radio Appearance!

Guess what everyone!?  Today was my first live radio appearance on The Cleverley Show on CBS Sports Radio Houston AM 650.  It was exhilarating and intimidating all at the same time.  We talked about my audition for MasterChef, then talked about me, and about JBistro Style and our food.  It was truly a great experience and I will remember it forever!  If you had the opportunity to listen, thank you.  If you were unable, hopefully there will be future opportunities for me!

Thank you again for all the support and remember to visit me here for all the great deals, recipes, and more! 

 

 

Happy 3rd Birthday JBistro Style!

 

Celebrate with me...today JBistro Style turns 3!!!  It has been a great 3 years, and I'm looking forward to 30 more!!  Help me celebrate by taking advantage of our birthday deal, Buy 1 pound Get 1 pound Free of our almost famous "3 Bean Chili!"  This chili is available any way you want it: vegetarian, beef, chicken, or turkey!  

More exciting news.  I will be featured on CBS Sports Radio Houston AM 650 with Cleverley Stone!  Be sure and tune in or stream live!!  Just go here.

Thank you to everyone that is helping me realize my dreams and remember to Follow My Food at JBistro Style!!

Seasonal Eating in Texas!

Today we're talking seasonal eating.  Well, more specifically, seasonal fruit eating here in the great state of Texas.  I bet you are wondering why I decided on this subject.  Yesterday I made mini cheesecakes (pictured below) and topped one with caramel apples and the other with strawberries that were saturated in rum and orange juice.  They were both amazing tasting but a fellow foodie commented that while he attended culinary school, he was thoroughly trained to never mix seasons!  Of course, being that I have never been trained I had no clue about this "forbidden" rule, and I was very thankful he shared this information.  So now I'm sharing this information with you.

I did a little research and I'm going to give you a reasonable list of fruits and what months they are in season.  I found the information here on Ask.com and here.

• Apples, July through November
• Blackberrries, May through July
• Cantaloupes, May through December 
• Cherries, June and July
• Figs, June and July, second crop in fall
• Grapefruit, October through April
• Grapes, August through October
• Honeydew, May through January
• Oranges, October through June
• Peaches, June through Sept
• Pears, August through November 
• Plums & pluots, May (red and yellow) and July through September
• Pomegranates, October through December
• Strawberries, June through August
• Watermelon, May through November

This is just a preliminary list, so I encourage you to visit the two links mentioned above for a more detailed list.  Other things you want to keep in mind is when you purchase fresh fruit it is at its cheapest when its in season.  Of course we all know you can buy frozen fruit year around, and that is perfectly okay, but if you are expecting to wow a culinary expert you might want to keep this in mind.  Or you could become a culinary rebel (of sorts) and break all those rules...just because you can!  Just imagine the first person to bring sweet & salty together, or the creator of savory cupcakes...they broke the rules and became successful.

Here are a few more of my fruitful delights just for your viewing pleasure:

      

MasterChef Here I Come!

Good morning everyone!  So I have super exciting news that I just had to share with y'all.  Last night, around 8:30 pm, I got a phone call.  Unfortunately I was giving my son a bath so I couldn't answer the phone.  After he was done with his bath and dressed, I sat down and started listening to this amazing message:

"Hi, this message is for Jennifer.  This is Kelsey, a casting producer for MasterChef...."

I quite literally couldn't listen to the rest of the message from shear excitement.  The words casting producer for MasterChef made my entire body shake!  Of course I had to call her right back.  When she answered my heart started racing but I was fairly calm.  It was a pretty straight forward conversation.  She said they were setting up open appointments for those that preregistered to try and do crowd control and move people thru a little quicker.  She asked me what time I would like and I simply said the earliest the better.  I can get in and out the sooner the better.  

For me time will be my enemy.  The more time I sit and think about it, the more nervous I will get.  I laughed and told her "I have to get in and out so I don't overwhelm myself!"  She laughed and asked me what I was thinking about bringing.  That question struck pure panic in me!  

Oh my goodness, what AM I going to make?  This is probably the most important dish I will ever make.  This dish is my ticket to a journey that will change my life, my families life, forever!  Even if I didn't win, this would still be a life changing experience!  I can now say that I was called and asked to go before the MasterChef judges and cook for them.  That is just amazing!  

Now onto the hard part of deciding what I'm going to make and what I'm going to wear!  Wish me luck and keep me in your prayers!

MasterChef....get ready for me!!!!  And remember to stop by my website for all the latest and greatest updates and recipes!    

Special starts TODAY! Free Food!

Good afternoon everyone.  This is going to be short and sweet.  I wanted to get the word out that our monthly special begins TODAY!

Be sure and stop by here to view this current special that will be available for the full month of October.  Just a reminder this special is good for future orders but it must be placed BEFORE November 1st!

Moving Forward...Good things coming

Good morning everyone!  First, let me say that my next video is almost done.  I do wish I could get them done quicker, but I am the one and only shooting, editing, etc, so it takes a little longer than I would like.  But patience is a virtue, and a virtue never hurt you!

Yesterday I had a small event to cater and the feedback was fantastic.  It was only for 30 people, but those 30 had nothing but good things to say.  If you recall in my first video I said that even though I'm not a millionaire I consider myself and my company to be very successful because I have only satisfied customers and that's what matters most.

Now onto my next exciting venture.  These bottle pictured above are a representation of the next step for JBistro Style, and I am beyond excited about it.  I can't give you full disclosure, but I will say that I am working on bottling a product that I'm hoping to sell.  I will start by doing this at Traders Village and see how well it goes (Market research) and then hopefully pitch it to grocery stores.

I want to remind all of my readers to go for it!  Whatever your dream is, just do it.  Recently I was reminded of this by an incredible woman, Martie Duncan (pictured below), the runner-up of last season's Next Food Network Star!  It was so exciting meeting her and I asked her if she had any words of wisdom for me.  She took both my hands and faced me and simply said, "Never give up because the people you surpass did, and never lose confidence.  I applied for Food Network Star with no culinary experience at all and I came in 2nd place out of 60,000+ applicants."  Those are the most inspiring words anybody could have ever said to me and I will remember them forever, and I hope you will too!

See y'all very soon with the next video!  Want a hint about it?  It features my garden!

Video #2 Pancake Muffins!

 

As promised, this video is all about a family favorite in my household.  Its easy enough to make any day of the week so the entire family can enjoy a delicious and healthy breakfast even on the go.

I even included the "bloopers" for your enjoyment (and mine).  The finished product is featured here:

 

On to the next one...Video that is.

Hey everyone!  I know its been a while since I posted my video but better late than never.

Originally I was hoping to post at least one video a week but life altered that plan.  Back to school readiness, multiple projects, etc have consumed most of my free time. 

Speaking of back to school, I have decided my next video will be how to prepare homemade healthy breakfast options that you or your kids can grab and go any morning no matter how much time you have.  I know this is cliche, but breakfast really is the most important meal of the day and this is especially true for kids.  Have no fear, I am here to help you get ready so you never have to worry about them not starting their day off right.

If you recall my previous post title "Back to School," I included some really great pictures/recipes on things that are easy to put together and just stick in the oven while everyone is getting ready.  The next video will be an extension of that post and showing you step by step what you will do and you will be able to see first hand how quick and easy these recipes are.  If you have any requests, please feel free to contact me or comment on here.

As always, remember to follow the food with me! 

The First JBistro Video!

Well, it only took a couple hundred practices and a LOT of convincing and viola!  My first video to the world.  Just so everyone knows, I am a truly silly person (hence the still shot chosen) and you will get a true sense of who I am.

Thank you again for helping me realize my dreams for myself and JBistro Style!

More video's, cooking demonstrations, and highlights to come!

Back to School!

It is that time folks.  The time most kids avoid thinking about all summer.  The time most kids dread.  That's right, whether we like it or not, its time to get our brains out of summer fun time mode and into learning mode.  But have no fear we're not talking math on here, we are all about fun food for school!

Breakfast Bites

We will start with healthy, fast, and easy breakfast ideas.  We all know most families do not have a seemingly endless amount of time to fix a large breakfast Monday-Friday, so I have made it a mission to create what I call JBistro's Breakfast Bites.  I take many components of everyone's favorite breakfast items, and perfect a muffin recipe out of them (pictured below).

Starting from the top: fruit stuffed pancake, mini frittata, pastrami popper, and egg & potato muffin.

The common denominator of all these dishes is the muffin pan.  My muffin pan is my best friend in the kitchen.  You can cook almost anything in the muffin pan, and the best thing about it is that you can put your hearts desire into it, stick it in the oven and walk away.  Intrigued yet?  Recipes can be found here.

Lunch Essentials

Let's move on to lunch packing essentials.  Best advice: keep it simple, healthy, and fun food!  You do not have to send sandwiches and chips every day.  My first and most important rule for lunch making is include the kids!  They always love having input into their own lunches.  My second rule, little food for little fingers.  I have found with my daughter that she loves anything that is bite sized.  Personally I think this is because it doesn't seem so overwhelming like a big sandwich.  I noticed a few years back that she would never finish an entire sandwich and that just added to the wasted food.  My last, and one of the most important, rules is keep the food fun.  If you're going to make a sandwich, try using a cookie cutter to make shapes.  Both of my kids love it when I take the normal sandwich fixings and roll them up in a tortilla.  The sky is the limit on what you can put into a tortilla, and when you slice them up in fun size bites it makes them even more enticing!  Here are a few of my substitutions ideas:

• Sandwich bread: hot dog bun, tortilla, pita pocket
• Chips: "french fry" style veggies, small tossed salad, make your own mix & match trail mix
• Cookies: fruit salad, fun-cut fruit, fruit skewer (kids love anything on a stick!), animal crackers

Snacks here, snacks there, snacks everywhere

You remember always looking forward to coming home from school and having some great after school snacks, and that is still the case with our kids.  Even if your kids go to after school care and not home to you doesn't mean you can't give them a great snack.  If you have to pack their snack here are some fun tips:

• use a dark colored storage container and put a "Top Secret Snack" post-it note on the top of it.  Tell your kid(s) not to open until school is out.
• Provide the daycare or sitter with your snack and put a "made with love" or "scavenger snack" note on it.  Tell the sitter to have the kids "scavenger" for their snack to make it fun.

Now if you're able to be home for your kids, the after school snack ideas are almost endless.  Here are some easy and fun food ideas:

• pizza bites, pictured to the left: wonton wrappers, fill with your favorite toppings, and bake for about 15 minutes at 400 degrees.

   

• keep it old school with "ants on a log." Celery stick, filled with 
• peanut butter and topped with raisins or update with mini chocolate chips.
• my kids personal favorite, "smore bites" pictured to the right:

If you follow these easy rules, your kids will start to love their school lunches again, and get excited about healthy food!  Be sure and share your pictures and/or ideas with us on our Facebook page.

Keep following the food with JBistro Style!

Glorious 500!

I wanted to take a moment to say Thank You to everyone that is walking with me on my culinary adventure!  I know in today's world, video's reign supreme, so I will be working on one to post for y'all.  Stay tuned for more culinary knowledge and as always, I greatly appreciate the support!!!

Heirloom you say? Research & Development

Hello everyone, as usual I have been working hard in the kitchen and my garden.  Currently I am working on developing something very special to me and I hope it turns into my next venture.

During my childhood, my Grandparents had this "special spice" that they would add to a lot of different dishes.  When my Grandfather passed away last year my Mother was given this special spice and a portion of it was given to me.  Normally I would tell you what this "special sauce" was, but this is a family secret.  Inspired by this inheritance, I decided to add a Chile Pequin or "Tiny Chile" bush to my garden so I could create my very own special spice.  My goal for this venture, is to develop a new spice that people from all walks of culinary life will want to add to their go-to spice choice!

As you can see in the picture, this chile is very small in size (pequin means small;tiny), but packs a very powerful punch!  My research thus far has been very interesting, which is why I wanted to share it with the world.  Remember, as I learn new and exciting things I will share it with you in hopes of inspiring a new generation of home cooks!  During my research I discovered that these chiles are 10x hotter than a jalapeno.  They are closely related to the jalapeno and bell pepper, and they grow wild in Mexico.  I have also learned that you can preserve them by drying them.

This is just a few things I've learned but as I delve further into the research and then development I will share more exciting facts and finds about this unique chile.

Want to see more of my garden?  Visit JBistro Styles "My garden to your dishes" to see all that I have to offer.  And remember to Follow the Food with me!