family Archives – www.jocajic.com

SIMPLE TIPS FOR STRESS-FREE COOKING AND LESS CLEANUP

January 22, 2026 No Comments

Hello Everyone!

I hope you’re all having a great week and finding ways to make the most of your time amidst the busy days.

If you’re anything like me, you absolutely love eating great food, but sometimes the actual process of cooking—the chopping, the timing, the endless cleanup—feels like too much work. I want delicious, wholesome meals without the effort of a professional chef! I deserve comfort food that doesn’t lead to hours of scrubbing. I’m all about finding the easiest path to a good result. I’ve figured out that the secret to cooking more often is just making it less messy, less intimidating, and less complicated. It’s about efficiency, not fancy techniques! Here are four simple kitchen tips and mindset shifts for making weeknight dinners stress-free:

HOME, LIFESTYLE

5 SIMPLE WAYS TO TURN YOUR HOME INTO THE ULTIMATE SANCTUARY

January 15, 2026 No Comments

Hello everyone!

I hope you’re all doing great. I’m doing well, just trying to enjoy these new year days as the UK has decided it’s time for some icy chilly weather.

I don’t know about you, but as soon as I feel that chill in the air, I get the urge to nest. It’s like my home instantly changes from a bright, airy summer space to a cosy cave I never want to leave. But sometimes, getting ready for that shift can feel like a huge task, especially after warm weather.

If you read my tips on spring cleaning the lazy way, you know I’m all about finding the simplest way to get things done without getting frustrated. Transitioning your home should feel warm and welcoming, not stressful.

So, here are five super simple steps I take to cosy up my home for the season without having to overhaul everything!

1. The Great Textile Swap

This is the fastest way to change the mood in a room. Put away those light linen throws and airy cotton pillow covers! Pull out all your thick, chunky knit blankets and toss them strategically over the back of the sofa or on an armchair. Swap out a few decorative pillows for ones in richer textures (velvet, faux fur) or deeper colours (mustard, rust, forest green) for the extra touch. It instantly makes the living room feel like a hug. It’s such a quick fix, and you can store the summer stuff away until next year—one less thing to look at!

2. Embrace the Kettle and the Mug Pile

Winter means hot drinks are back on the menu. But don’t just grab any old mug. Make it a ritual and pull out your absolute favourite, biggest, heaviest mugs. I swear, a hot chocolate or a simple cup of tea tastes better when the mug feels substantial. Arrange your tea caddy, coffee pods, and hot chocolate mix in a cute little corner next to the kettle. Having a designated “cosy drink station” makes those afternoon breaks feel special and organised.

HOME, LIFESTYLE

5 HEALTHY KITCHEN ACCESSORIES TO ACHIEVE YOUR WEIGHT LOSS GOALS

February 17, 2023 31 Comments

Hello Everyone,

I hope you are all doing fine and ready for the weekend. January is already underway and very soon it will be over. If one of your goals this year was to maintain good health or even achieve some weight loss goals, then this post is just for you. I am also trying to take care of myself and avoiding sugar is one of them so far, I can’t complain. Today I am here with 5 healthy kitchen accessories to achieve your weight loss goals this year and hopefully, none of you has given up already. Also, save yourself some money with these few tips.

HOME, LIFESTYLE

10 SIMPLE DAILY HABITS THAT WILL CHANGE YOUR LIFE

August 2, 2022 18 Comments

Hello Everyone,

I hope you’re all having a great week so far, I wrote a post a year ago on how I was going to let the universe guide me and how I had no set goals for the year. I also said that I would go with the flow and see what happens, well I am here now to tell you the results. Let’s just say that after a few months of being mindful and happy, life happened and I was back to setting goals and following routines all over again. I ended up coming up with daily habits that I made sure to stick with and so far so good. To be honest, it was hard at first but with little tweaks here and there, I am able to do them now. I decided to come and share with you these 10 simple daily habits that will change your life.

What is a habit?

Simply put, a habit is something that you do all the time and regularly without knowing that your doing it sometimes. Now that we’ve taken care of that, it makes you to start thinking of what you’ve been doing without even knowing it right? No need to worry you can be able to rectify that with these simple daily habits that will change your life.

FOOD, HOME

CROATIAN AJVAR RECIPE

January 7, 2022 4 Comments

Hello everyone,

If you’ve been reading me for a while now and stopped by my random facts about me post, then you already know that I lived in Croatia for four years and during my stay there, I was able to try out different authentic recipes which I loved. One of the recipes that stood out to me and I had to replicate was the Croatian ajvar recipe. A perfect accompaniment to cevapi/cevapcici ( grilled minced meat similar to kebabs), onions and lepinje (similar to pita bread). When I moved, I tried finding it everywhere but just couldn’t find one that tasted the same, so I decided to figure out how to make my own and one that I like the taste of.

What is Ajvar?

Simply put, ajvar is a condiment/dip from red peppers, eggplant and oil. My homemade version had roasted peppers and just tastes amazing. Another condiment widely used when having cevapi is kajmak, which is a white cream dip that complements everything well. Now that you know what it is, let’s get on with the recipe. You will need;

FOOD, HOME

EASY BAKED GARLIC PARMESAN CHICKEN WINGS

September 30, 2021 No Comments

Hello Everyone,

If you’ve been following my blog for a while now and have seen my recipes, then you already know that I tend to have more chicken recipes than other meats. That’s just because I love chicken and my most favourite will definitely have to be chicken wings. There is just something about eating chicken wings that make me super happy, I can have them plainly roasted, dry-rubbed, sticky, spicy and my recent obsession which are my garlic parmesan chicken wings. They are easy and baked to perfection and finally tossed in some parmesan cheese.

My son also loves chicken wings and as much as he used to make me have to debone them for him, he has now appreciated the satisfaction of eating it on the bone and asks for chicken wings every chance he can get. This recipe is super simple and the outcome doesn’t disappoint, with some small prepping time and the oven at your service, then you will love this recipe. You will need;

FOOD, HOME

PUFF PASTRY CREAMY CHICKEN AND VEGETABLE HAND PIES

September 28, 2021 No Comments

Hello Everyone,

Am I the only one who thinks puff pastry is God sent? I honestly don’t even know how I never used it before but thankfully all that has changed. Once I discovered store-bought puff pastry, there is no holding me back, I think my family is fed up with all the sausage rolls they keep finding me making but no complaint has been filed yet. Talking about puff pastry, how do some puff pastry creamy chicken and vegetable hand pies sound? Well, you don’t even have to answer that because I have the perfect recipe for you. Perfect for lunch, dinner, picnics, snacks you name it. They are delicious and with the help of some store-bought puff pastry, half of the work is done for you. For this recipe you will need;

FOOD, HOME

HEALTHY OATMEAL PANCAKES

September 27, 2021 No Comments

If you’re a breakfast person and are looking for a go-to filling breakfast, then these healthy oatmeal pancakes are the ones for you. How are you all doing by the way? I hope all is well and are still staying safe, today I am back with a breakfast recipe for you. I first made them when I told myself I was on a diet for like the millionth time and needed breakfast to keep me going for longer and handle my hunger during workouts.

The best part about these is that they are fun to make and if you have little ones who can help you, then they will love these. Not your typical shape since as much as you try to form a perfect circle, they go their own direction and as my mum said “butterfly pancakes” but the taste is worth it. Also once you make the mixture, you will think that it’s either too runny but don’t worry they turn out great. For this recipe, you will need;

FOOD, HOME

EASY ROASTED TOMATO SOUP RECIPE

September 24, 2021 No Comments

There is just something about warm, comforting soups that does it for me, especially in the chilly evenings. One of my favourites and most loved soups would have to be my easy roasted tomato soup recipe. Roasting them instead of boiling them just makes a great difference and you retain most of the flavour. If you haven’t tried this version before, then no worries because I am going to share with you my recipe and I know if you’re a soup lover, then ready up the garlic bread because this one is for you. Unlike my butternut squash soup, this one tends to be a lot simpler but very delicious at the same time. Lightly spiced, and all you need is your oven and an immersion blender to do all the work for you. For this recipe, you will need;

FOOD, HOME

FRESH HOMEMADE STRAWBERRY & MINT LEMONADE

August 10, 2021 4 Comments

Hello Everyone,

I hope you’re all doing great and all is just fine. It’s been a minute since I’ve been on here but what can I say, life happens. I have been struggling to get back to writing and as much as I tell myself to just start, something comes up and I end up entering my procrastinating stage which makes me cancel everything. Anyway, thanks to Pinterest, I overcame that today and just made myself do it. I don’t know about you but the heatwave these past week has been horrendous, I mean I hate the cold but I expected it to be slightly warmer and not scorching. Thankfully this fresh homemade strawberry & mint lemonade got us through some of it. Simply refreshing, can be made in advance and sorry to say this but it doesn’t last long, so make double. For this lemonade you will need;