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!!