About Johanna

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Chicago/Aurora, IL, United States
I am just like so many busy moms out there. I want to create great meals for me and my family where the food brings us together at the end of a long and hectic day. I want to empower moms to feel like they are able to make Great Everyday Meals by using simple, accessible, and inexpensive ingredients and basic cooking techniques. It’s more about family and less about slaving away in the kitchen cooking. I have been a restaurant industry professional for about 10 years and have a great passion for cooking. I will share tips, recipes and techniques that I have learned to arm everyday cooks with the foundation to simple yet great tasting cooking! Johanna M. Cook
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Monday, September 27, 2010

Product Review: Jewel-Osco Professional Cookware for a PENNY

"Jewel-Osco Puts a New Twist on Loyalty Rewards Programs, Enabling Shoppers to Collect Professional Cookware Pieces for Just a Penny Each"

Rewards cards are all the rage as consumers are more conscious about which stores they will get the best deals. Everywhere I go, I am offered a rewards card. Rewards cards usually give customers free items after spending a certain amount, or give incentives for their next shopping trip. It's a win-win situation, especially if it's a place where you shop often.

Jewel-Osco is currently running a program in the 175 Jewel-Osco stores in Chicagoland. Under the program, customers who shop with their Jewel-Osco Preferred Customer Card between August 26 and January 12, 2011 will receive a reward sticker for every $10 spent on eligible purchases. As the stickers are collected, they can be redeemed at the participating stores for eight different peices of Thomas Professional Cookware at the cost of only a penny each! The stickers can be redeemed through January 26, 2011.

Chef Jason Paskewitz of Gemini Bistro in Lincoln Park is also participating in the promotion, providing shoppers with cooking tips and recipe ideas for the various cookeware pieces. "When you cook for your family, you create memories that last a lifetime,"Chef Paskewitz said. "Many of the things I love to cook today are inspired by the wonderful foods I grew up with - from simple fish dishes to spaghetti and meatball paninis on garlic bread to everyday classics like roasted chicken with mashed potatoes. The cookware available at Jewel-Osco is easy to maintain; it lets you cook the foods you love like a professional without having to worry about the upkeep."


The piece I was able to cook with was the 11" non-stick stir fry pan w/ lid. Although it is called a "stir-fry" pan, I used it to make chana-masala, an Indian dish using chick peas braised in spicy and traditional Indian spices. It's a very versatile piece of cookware as you can use it to deep-fry, braise, stir-fry and even to make a smaller batch of soup. The cookware is also oven safe for up to 460 degrees without the lid, and 350 degrees with the lid. For those who religiously shop at Jewel-Osco for their grocery needs, this program is for you!

Wednesday, September 8, 2010

Food Company Review: Jewel-Osco and Wild Harvest chicken tortilla soup recipe



As more and more consumers are becoming aware and conscious of the food products they are eating and feeding their families, food companies are responding to the demand by providing people with more natural and organic choices in supermarket shelves and restaurant menus.

The wild harvest® brand of organic and natural foods from JEWEL-OSCO addresses consumers’ growing preference for organic and natural products, as well as their demands for value, selection and convenience. The wild harvest brand includes many products across numerous grocery categories, including dairy, eggs, fresh produce, meats and dry grocery items such as pasta and sauces, cookies, crackers and cereal.

Wild Harvest® is one of Jewel-Osco's private brands. Consumers used to think of private brands as the "generic" store brands. However in today's economy, people are finding that purchasing private brands vs the "designer" brands are more cost effective and in reality have the same high standards of the leading brands. Brand managers work closely with consumer focus groups and food scientists to create brand experiences that continually over-deliver on consumers’ expectations for quality and value, leading them to seek out JEWEL-OSCO stores for its Private Brand products.

For more information on Wild Harvest® Organic, visit www.wildharvestorganic.com

CLICK HERE FOR THE WILD HARVEST CHICKEN TORTILLA SOUP RECIPE