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 recipeโฆโฆ..and to you.
Thank you for posting the recipe. I canโt 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! ๐
Jill Edwards says
I saw the recipe on the site just the other day & was excited!! Some of my step-father's family was from Poland & introduced me to the Polish Christmas Cookies. I loved them! Sitting in their apartment in the Bronx & watching some movie while having those cookies was great family time. I can't wait to make them this year to share with my husband & neighbors.
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! ๐
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 ๐ Happy Mother's Day!