Welcome!

About Jas
I'm a Bosnian ex-pat living in Northern Indiana since the summer of 1998 following a six-year exile in Germany.
I grew up in a traditional European family, the kind of family that sits together for big weekend lunches. Those lunches always began with some kind of soup. It isn’t a big lunch unless you begin it with a spoon.
Fun fact: as a child, food didn’t interest me in the least and actually disgusted me. I would eat enough just to survive, and even then, it would be just a few things such as bread and soup….rather, broth. And there better not be anything floating in it, or I wouldn’t touch it.
I suffered from anorexia throughout my childhood, but not because I had issues with my weight. It’s not that I didn’t WANT to eat food; I just physically couldn’t. I can’t even say that I actually ever felt hungry.
Anorexia has two definitions:
an·o·rex·i·a
ˌanəˈreksēə/
noun
1. a lack or loss of appetite for food as a medical condition [me]
2. an emotional disorder characterized by an obsessive desire to lose weight by refusing to eat. noun: anorexia nervosa [not me]
Besides not feeling hungry, most foods made me gag. Researchers now call extreme picky eating a food neophobia or Selective Eating Disorder (SED).
Now I'm the opposite and can't stop eating. 😆
Whether you're a novice in the kitchen or a seasoned cook, I have one piece of advice: BE ADVENTUROUS! Try new foods. Life is too short to only have apples and peanut butter & jelly.
Nothing compares to a homemade meal! It almost feels like magic when you prepare a delicious dish yourself. It is also THE best way of bonding with family and friends and such an ego booster.
My goal is to help you learn a few tricks and skills to create new family favorites without traveling the globe.
I believe know that you can make quick and tasty meals with only a handful of ingredients. Food is meant to be enjoyed, but I believe moderation is the key to a healthy lifestyle.
The tour
- In the Recipe Index, you will find different categories and then more categories. For your convenience, everything is sorted like a suitcase, ready to travel to foreign lands. By the way, I love packing and especially unpacking suitcases.
- NEW FEATURE: Interactive Map - Taste the Globe through the map of countries we cooked on All that's Jas.
Making connections
See my CONTACT page.
As seen on:
All that's Jas has been featured on: Dishing with Delishes Podcast, BuzzFeed, Eat, Darling, Eat, and Chef Knives Expert, among others.
Jas is the author of the Balkan Comfort Food cookbook.
Helen Arvesen says
Oh my goodness!
I have been searching for the Polish Christmas cookie (Kefli ) recipe for years.
I grew up in South Bend and was give the recipe from a Hungarian woman I worked with back in the 70s. Over the years I moved several times and eventually lost the recipe. Oddly enough, my daughter and I were out pumpkin hunting and stopped by a pumpkin/apple orchard with a bakery. And there they were, keflis, or kiffils as they are called in PA Dutch country.
Of course I had to buy some. They taste exactly as I remember.
That stop sent me on the quest once again to find the recipe……..and to you.
Thank you for posting the recipe. I can’t wait to add it back into my Christmas baking tradition and share it with my grandchildren.
Jas says
I'm so happy you found them too! Chrismas traditions with grandkids are the best! 😀
Marina says
Hi Jas, I sent you message. I came upon this side looking for UN Diet eating plan, and little did I know, we share something so special, I am Bosnian and so passionate about cooking, especially our Balkan food. I share this with all friends and family here in America. Baklava is my specialty, just like pita and cevapi, gulash, sarma, punjene paprike to name only few. Thanks for sharing your love for cooking and looking forward to connect with you.
Jas says
Hi Marina, I got your lovely email. So glad to connect with a fellow foodie and countryman. Looking forward to exchanging recipes and tips! 😀
Stephanie L. Robertson says
Hi Jas! It's so nice to "meet" you! I always enjoy browsing recipes that will help feed a picky young eater. Thanks for sharing, and I hope you'll visit me at my little north Alabama blog.
Blessings,
Stephanie
Jas says
Hi, Stephanie! Thank you for stopping by, it is nice "meeting" you as well. You have a lovely blog 🙂 Happy Mother's Day!
Chep says
HI Jas, great blog!!. I live in Michigan but have family in SB. My husband is Bosnian from Banja Luka! I love Bosnian food and cannot wait to try your receipe.
allthatsjas says
Hi, Chep! WOW, small world 😀 I'm so happy you found me. Where in Michigan do you live? I have a friend in GR and visit often. next time you are visiting SB, let's have coffee! Say hi to your husband - perhaps I know him or his folks if he's younger generation, although BL is not a small town...
Barbara says
It's so nice to meet you, Jas. I meet the nicest bloggers through Lisa's site.
allthatsjas says
Thank you so much for visiting! I love meeting new bloggy friends! 🙂
Rebecca says
I wondered when you said northern Indiana....I went to Bethel in Mishawaka, then lived there a few years after. My daughter really wants to go to Notre Dame next year. And we have family there. Small world. Do you like Hacienda? We used to love it years ago, but were back a couple of years ago and found it wasn't quite the same.
allthatsjas says
Yep, South Bend in my new home 🙂 We just had students from Bethel come for a community service day to our office. They do it every day. Small world, indeed. I haven't been to Hacienda in quite some time...there are always new places to check out. Thanks for stopping in!!!
Mary-In the boondocks says
It is nice to meet you Jas. I live in Greece, but wish I was in USA right now. Nice to meet another European in blogland. I really enjoy looking at your photos. Come and visit me if you have a chance. My blog is Intheboondocks.weebly.com.
allthatsjas says
Thank you for stopping in, Mary! WOW, Greece! Lucky you!!! I love meeting bloggers all over the world! Will visit your blog for sure 😀
Ann GrubbsnCritters says
Hello, Jas! Just wanted to give you a shout-out and in case the pingback didn't work, here's for you! 🙂 Definitely no obligation!
allthatsjas says
Aw, Ann, thank you sweetie! I am honored! 🙂
Ann GrubbsnCritters says
🙂 🙂 🙂
Jasna says
Hi Jas, My name is Jasna. I was born in Bosnia, living in Australia. Happy to follow your blog!
allthatsjas says
Hi, Jasna, so nice to meet you! 🙂 My full name is Jasminka and my Bosnians call me Jasna. I'm from Banja Luka and you? Happy to follow you back and try some of your recipes 😀
Vintage Mama says
Hi Jas - just now discovered that you live in northern Indiana. So do I! now that we are co-hostesses for the Thursday Favorite Things Blog Hop at Katherine's Corner, thought it would be fun to get to know you. We are west of FW in Columbia City . . . . perhaps we are neighbors??? Have a good week! Nina @ Vintage Mama's Cottage
allthatsjas says
Small world, Nina! I live in good ole South Bend, just over an hour north from you. I would love to get to know you! Let's plan something in the near future 😀
Megan @ Our pinteresting family says
Looks so delicious!!
allthatsjas says
Thank you Megan, No one ever told me I look delicious before, but I'll take it, LOL