My Quick Version Banh Mi Dinner

There are still a few warm days left, but the weather is changing fast so make these light delicious sandwiches soon! I ended up not following the recipe exactly because I was using what I had in the kitchen, feel free to adapt to your tastebuds!

Oven-Fried Chicken Katsu Banh Mi

Adapted from The Banh Mi Handbook by my colleague Andrea Nguyen

*Makes 6 banh mi

Hint, ask your butcher to pound the chicken thinly so you don’t have to!

Marinate the carrots about 1/2 hour or longer before serving

2 cups of panko breadcrumbs

1 1/4 pounds of boneless, skinless chicken breasts

salt and freshly ground pepper

2 large eggs

1/4 cup of canola oil

1/2 cup all-purpose flour, for dredging the chicken

6 Soft white rolls (Traders Joe’s hamburger buns worked great)

Mayonnaise

Trader Joe’s Green Dragon Hot Sauce

Carrot Pickle (recipe below)

Cucumber slices

Thinly shredded cabbage

Preheat your oven to 475 degrees F and foil a baking sheet.

Add the panko to a large skillet and heat it over medium-high heat. Toast the panko, stirring it frequently and lowering the heat if needed, until it is golden brown (about 4-6 minutes). Remove the skillet from the heat and pour Panko into a low bowl

Chicken. Remove the long breast tenderloins, Place one piece of chicken in a zip top bag or between plastic wrap.

If your butcher hasn’t pounded them yet, lightly pound out each slice using a meat tenderizer or heavy sauce pan to about a 1/4 inch. Cut each breast half horizontally

Season the chicken with salt and pepper.

Add the eggs, oil, and 1/2 teaspoon of salt to a bowl and whisk to combine. Add the flour to another small bowl, and bread crumbs to another.  Line bowls up in this order, flour, egg and bread crumbs.

Dredge each slice of chicken in the flour, shaking off any excess, then dip in the egg, and last  in the panko, gently pressing the breadcrumbs into the chicken.

Place the breaded chicken on the prepared baking sheet in a single layer and bake for about 8-10 minutes, or until fully cooked, but not over cooked. Wait five minutes before transferring the chicken to a cutting board.

While waiting for the chicken to cool put 2 teaspoons of oil into a large skillet and toast the buns open cut sides down on medium heat until crisp and brown.

To arrange your sandwich: spread a generous layer of mayonnaise and desired hot sauce on both cut sides of the bread. Working from the bottom up, layer your fillings: chicken, cucumber, cabbage, pickled carrots.

Carrot pickles

1 cup of packed, shredded carrots (bagged are fine)

1 1/4 teaspoons of kosher salt

1/8 cup of light brown sugar

1 small pinch cayenne pepper

1/4 cup of water

1/4 cup apple cider vinegar

Add all ingredients in to covered dish or zip top bag. Taste for tartness, adjust seasonings shake, or mix let sit room temperature for 1/2 hour or longer in the refrigerator.

Rainbows and Unicorns

Yes it happened, my toddler turned 12 and with that came a love of all things rainbow. I can remember when I was 12 and we had our sticker books filled with rainbow stickers. It’s the same but different now…our Pinterest feed is filled with rainbows instead of the sticker album. We used to schlep or sticker books to each others houses and now they bring their ipads.

In any case you are only 12 once so let the rainbows shine….Here is a pictorial of our party and all things rainbow and unicorn.  

Cake batter waiting to be baked and finished cakes    It is important to have a bowl of unicorn farts (flavored popcorn)

Unicorn bacon is good, but maybe not for vegetarians 🙂  

Little peanut butter sprinkle sandwiches for snacking.  Unicorn tears can be sour but they will give you magical powers.

And then there is cake….I used Duff Cake mix and just layered the batter in pre buttered jars. They came out perfectly. I added buttercream frosting, sprinkles and lids, It is such an easy way to serve cake!          Teeny tiny little favors from Etsy, we bagged up in favor bags from Easy too!…

Strawberries with gold star sprinkles for snacking.

Beautiful Henna tattoos really made the party extra fun! And of course some rainbow flowers!

2014 Cool Stuff for People

I realized recently that I know a lot of amazing people who create things like books and products and experiences. I want to share of the amazing things they have created with you. When I put the call out for my colleagues and friends to remind me what they have been doing I was flooded with ideas for my Local-ish Holiday Gift Guide but I couldn’t add every item so if you have an amazing friend who makes cool food related stuff please add them in the comments below. I believe in sharing the love!  Of course a few of these goodies come from me and my husband and our crazy projects!
I have no shame!

Be on the look out for my Gingerbread House Cookbook Kit in 2016~

Happy holidays to you!

ox, Jennifer
Pretty Little Baking Kit Jennifer Carden Author / Matthew Carden Photography – My latest project this adorable kit of petite cakes to make and give.

The Toddler Cafe Jennifer Carden Author / Matthew Carden Photography – An oldie but a goodie, getting your kids to eat more foods the fun way

These books below are all projects from Matthew Carden Photography/Jennifer Carden Food Styling / Author Lara Starr
Wookiee Pies, Clone Scones and other Galactic Goodies Comes with Yoda, Darth Vader, and R2-D2–shaped cookie cutters to create 30 sweet and savory treats!

Ice Sabers 30 Chilled Treats Using the Force of Your Freezer

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Chef Olivia Cookbook and Cookie Cutters Kit

 

 

 

 

 

The Very Hungry Caterpillar Cookie Cutter Cookbook

 

Featuring Eric Carle’s The Very Hungry Caterpillar™, this cookbook contains 25 delicious recipes as well as 3 shaped cookie cutters: the beloved caterpillar, a circle for the caterpillar to crawl through, and the beautiful butterfly. Recipes range from breakfast and snacks to beverages and sweets. Perfect for everyday fun as well as book-themed parties, very hungry kids will rejoice in cooking and eating as well as immersing themselves in the world of their favorite characters.

 

 

 

Giving Thanks Poems, Prayers, and Praise Songs of Thanksgiving illuminated with the exquisite illustrations of cut-paper artist Pamela Dalton, this picture book offers a stunningly beautiful photos by Matthew Carden 
World of Doughnuts by Stephanie Rosenbaum Who doesn’t love a doughnut? With 50 mouth-wateringly delicious recipes from around the globe, these sweet treats are universally loved no matter where you go. 
Whoopie Pies Amy Treadwell s it a cake? Is it a cookie? With such deliciously soft and sweet cream-filled snacks, does it matter? The Internet is abuzz with recipes and stories of whoopie pie folklore, while customers everywhere are descending on bakeries in droves demanding these delectable treats.
Sodium Girl Cookbook Jessica Goldman Foung – Hilariously funny gal who can teach you how to eliminate salt from your diet.

How about a subscription to…

Edible Marin Wine Country Contributors Jennifer Carden and Matthew Carden

or a gift certificate for a local culinary tour with

West Marin Food and Farm Tours with Elizabeth Anne Hill see what is amazing right around the corner.

Or a very local visit to

Super Fresh Gallery ART ART ART Food art is where it’s at and we carry photography, painting and much more including all the cookbooks mentioned above by Matthew and Jennifer (that’s us) purchase online 

Heidrun Meadery in Point Reyes for a glass of Mead!

Teeny Cake Seriously the best cupcakes around Marin.

Trek Winery began as a family owned and operated winery in 2007 after years experience in the wine business and amateur winemaking. Opening its first public tasting room in September 2012 in Downtown Novato, Trek Winery has become a premier venue for live entertainment including professional stand up comedy and live music, as well as a venue for private gatherings, weddings, and other large events. As Trek continues to serve the greater Marin community by making excellent wine at an affordable price, we invite you to take the first step and experience the adventure that is Trek Wine!

 Orion’s Kitchen A caterer for your next party, Orion’s Kitchen offers a wide range of personalized culinary services including event catering, one-on-one or group instruction, and an on-demand market place.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

or

Fantastic Food Jewelery by Carrie Tilly at our Square shop!
The Warm Kitchen Cookbook Amy Benigno Fothergill Amy’s book is a fantastic guide for Gluten free goodies of all kinds!

Vinaigrettes and Other Dressings Michele Anna Jordan  Radio host, writer, chef  
In Jennies Kitchen fab culinary shop and recipes too to make cooking simple

Cooking for Isaiah Sylvana Nardone New Gluten free flour blends born out of the need to cook for her son
Erika Lenkert Just came out with a beautiful, very cool quarterly magazine, GFF (Gluten Free Forever)
Trick Dog Treats  Liz Smith -Wholesome tasty treats for your dog

The Foobler Dog treat dispenser for when you have to leave your pet alone

Natures Habit Granola Matthew Carden and Jennifer Carden produced the labels and recipes for this yummy snack.
Hive Napa Julia Scanell Hive Napa is a passionate creative/culinary resource to the food and wine industry, offering savvy, appropriate packaging design; honest, down-to-earth recipe development; and inspired cookbook design solutions.
Barn Raiser Eileen Gorden – From healthy and artisanal foods to community kitchens and organic farms, when we put our collective support behind these innovators, we create a healthy food future for us all. Crowd funding for the food world!
Rancho Gordo Steve Sando features glorious heirloom bean varieties, corn, rice and herbs and spices

Melt the Art of Macaroni and Cheese Melt isn’t your average mac and cheese cookbook. I’m cooking withreal cheeses here, combining nostalgia of the old-school dish with high-quality ingredients to produce recipes that are both classic and chic. In Melt, you’ll find dishes that comfort and intrigue.

Whole Spice Company kosher artesian freshly ground in house spices certified Kosher

The Veggie Queen  Author, Chef Jill Nussinow is a cookbook author and Pressure cooker expert!

Parini’s Chocolate Cakes These gluten-free cakes are truly flourless and loved by all, even those who are free to eat gluten.
They are made from four locally sourced, organic ingredients (chocolate, butter, eggs and cream) and contain no added sugar.
Flavors: Chocolate, White Chocolate, Chocolate Espresso, Chocolate Peppermint and White Chocolate Peppermint.
Sizes: 9-inch ($45), 6-inch ($25) and Minis (sold by the dozen for $30).
Can be picked up in San Rafael. Contact information: Christine at 415.306.4796 or christineparini@me.com

Chicken and Butternut Squash Tortilla Soup Under Pressure

I love soup! The warmth and comfort you can get from a bowl of soup is unsurpassed. Making soup for a crowd is a great way of showing the love too! This is a super easy brothy flavor packed meal. If you have a pressure cooker then you know the ease and speed at which you can pump out meals. If you are making this on the stove top is will be just as easy but takes a bit longer. Either way, enjoy.

Chicken and Butternut Squash Tortilla Soup Under Pressure

1 tbsp. olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped fine
4 cloves garlic, minced
4 6-inch corn tortillas, cut into 1-inch squares
2 tbsp. fresh cilantro, chopped
1 very large ripe tomato, diced
1 15 oz. can pinto beans, drained
1 cup frozen corn
6 cups chicken broth (homemade is best)
2 tsp. chili powder more to taste
2 tsp. ground cumin more to taste
2 tbs oregano
1 bay leaf
2 whole boneless skinless chicken breasts
2 tbs tomato paste
2 cups diced peeled butternut squash
Limes

To serve:
Crushed tortilla chips
fresh cilantro
Green onion
Fresh avocado
fresh lime juice
Lactose free sour cream

Instructions:
Add broth and all ingredients to pressure cooker except the beans. Cover Pressure cooker and set to sealing position. Select Soup Mode and manually adjust the time to 15 minutes.
Do natural release when soup is finished.

Remove the chicken breasts to a plate cut in half and and use two forks to shred the meat apart. Return the shredded chicken to the pot and stir to combine. Add the drained beans. Check for seasoning, add more chili powder or salt and pepper. Ladle the soup into bowls and serve with fresh cilantro, a squeeze of lime juice, and the crisp tortilla and avocado.
(To cook on the stove top, follow directions, cover and simmer on medium low for 45 minutes.)

Puffy Pumpkin Pinwheels

Do you need an appetizer in a pinch? These will get gobbled up at any Thanksgiving gathering! Slice them frozen and bake them off at the party or make just as you are heading out so they stay warm, best eaten warm.

Also for a cute and speedy floral arrangement, hollow out a mini pumpkin, line with foil. Add a few florets and there you have it!

1 can pumpkin purée
1 8oz package cream cheese, softened (fat-free or light is okay)
2 sheets puff pastry, thawed but still cold (see note)
2 Tbsp. all-purpose seasoning blend see below*
Salt and pepper, optional
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 egg
1 Tbsp. water

Directions

Preheat oven to 400° F Line a cookie sheet with parchment or non stick foil.

In a medium bowl, stir together the pumpkin purée and cream cheese, set aside.

Unwrap puff pastry , if it comes rolled in parchment just un roll it on the parchment or place on a clean, lightly floured counter or work surface.

Spread pumpkin and cream cheese mixture over the puff pastry, leaving a half-inch margin on all sides.

Sprinkle seasoning blend evenly over the top.

Sprinkle with a small amount of salt.

Evenly sprinkle Parmesan cheese over the top.

Roll up the puff pastry in an as-tightly-wound cylinder (log) as possible.
Wrap log with plastic wrap and freeze until almost frozen.

Unwrap log with a very sharp knife slice the log into 12 equal-size pieces. Let thaw on cookies sheet until very cold but not totally frozen.

In a small bowl, lightly beat together the egg and water to create an egg-wash. Brush egg-wash over pastry slices, distribute evenly until it’s gone.

Bake for about 20-30 minutes, or until puffs are golden, puffed, set and done.

Allow puffs to cool in pan for about 5 to 10 minutes before removing. Serve immediately.

*All purpose seasoning
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon thyme
1 teaspoon parsley
1 teaspoon sage
1 teaspoon black pepper

School Lunch Flashback

I’m bringing back this article I wrote for Edible Marin Wine country in 2012. This continues to be an easy fun lunch for my kiddo!

If you have a rice cooker, set it the night before to cook fresh rice in the morning before you get up. Use whatever is on hand, leftovers, nuts, veggies , chicken, steak, whatever you have on hand.

We are all getting ready for school and being prepared for lunch making is a real time saver. Good luck!

By Jennifer Carden / Photographed by Matthew Carden

If it’s day one of 200 or so school days to come and you’re already out of ideas, you are not alone. It feels like kids’ school lunches have been the same since the ’50s. Does this sound familiar: PB&J with the crust cut off, an apple and juice? My own mom used those waxed bags that never quite closed, so one side of the sandwich was dried out by the time lunch rolled around. I almost never ate them. Sorry, Mom.

I consulted with my daughter when I was writing this piece and she provided some useful food for thought on why kids don’t finish their lunch at school. “I like to get through my lunch fast so we can go out to recess,” she divulged. I think that’s pretty universal. So give this sleight of hand a try to spice up your child’s lunchtime with a game of handball… sushi, that is!

Temarizushi is Japanese for “hand ball,” and these small jewel-like rice balls, formed by hand, are traditionally served in the spring for young children’s parties. They are actually great year-round, changing the toppings with the seasons, and a perfect way to use the leftovers in your refrigerator. Three rice balls that include a protein have around the equivalent nutritional value of most lunchbox sandwiches, making them the right kind of fuel for all that playing and learning. The balls are easy and fun for kids to make the night before school.

TO PREPARE HAND BALL SUSHI:

Tear or cut a dozen 4- by 4-inch squares of plastic wrap and set aside on a clean, dry work surface. (Note: If you lay them down with half extending over the edge of the counter it makes them easy to grab when you need them.) Place a small amount of your chosen ingredient on a sheet of the plastic wrap. Drop approximately 2 teaspoons of room-temperature sushi rice on top of your *Toppings of choice. If it is sticky, dampen your hands with a bit of water.

*Toppings of your choice such as: toasted sesame seeds; nori (toasted seaweed), cut out with a hole punch or cut into shapes; carrot, zucchini or cucumber ribbons; cooked fresh pumpkin; corn; sliced black olives; tofu, cut into animal shapes with small cookie cutters; leftover chicken, salmon or scrambled eggs; edible flowers; or thinly sliced deli meats like turkey or ham For a sweet option, add cinnamon sugar to the rice and top with thinly sliced apples.

Gather the plastic wrap up around the rice ball, then twist the plastic wrap tightly, firmly pressing the rice into a ball shape. Continue with new ingredients until you have used up all the rice. Wait at least 15 minutes to unwrap the balls and serve. If you make these ahead of time, leave in the wrap and store in the refrigerator. Bring to room temperature to serve. For lunch boxes, leave them wrapped for safekeeping and your child will have fun unwrapping them at lunchtime.

How to make perfect sushi rice every time.

Ingredients for Perfect Sushi Rice

2 cups sushi rice

2 cups water

4 tablespoons rice vinegar

3 tablespoons sugar

2 tablespoons mirin

2 teaspoons salt

Ingredients

Toppings of your choice* (examples below)

Instructions

TO PREPARE PERFECT SUSHI RICE:

Do not follow the directions on the bag of rice! Rinse the rice only 3–4 times— the water does NOT have to run clear as it will instruct on the bag. Allow rice to drain thoroughly.

While rice is draining, combine vinegar, sugar, salt and mirin in a bowl and mix well. Set aside.

Add the rice and water to a pan and bring quickly to a boil over high heat. Once it reaches a boil, reduce to a simmer. Cover the pot and cook for 15 minutes before removing the pot from the heat, keeping the lid CLOSED. Abso- lutely no stirring or sneaking a peek!

Let rice rest for 10 minutes, then remove the cover.

Spread the rice in a wide glass or ceramic dish to cool and lightly fan the rice while adding the vinegar mixture. Mix rice gently, being careful not to break or mash it.

Cook’s note: If you have a rice cooker, follow the directions for “sushi rice” and add the vinegar and other seasonings after cooking.

Yields 4 cups of rice.

Chocolate and Coconut Heaven (and almost healthy)

News Flash, I love brownies. I really can’t get enough of the gooey chocolate deliciousness. We grew up on Betty Crocker boxed brownie mix.  Seriously, back then those were the bomb, all fudge with that extra fudge pack you’d add just in to really make sure thy were fudge-y enough. Times have changed and we try to stick to a healthier diet of wholesome ingredients so when I crave chocolate I scour the internet in search of the perfect treat. I stumbled upon Paleo Grub and a particular recipe by REBECCA BOHL jumped right out at me. Yes it is a brownie recipe and yes I made them twice in two days, and yes I ate most of them!

the cool thing about these is that they have no grain, the star of these is almond butter, who knew? They don’t taste like almonds and the texture is very brownie like. As good as these are I needed a bit of sweet on top so I went a step further, yes I did. The brownies were so delicious but I needed more, I was having a bad sweet tooth. I created this dairy free recipe for icing using the Kelapo Oil. It does have sugar so it is not entirely Paleo but you can create your own from this base recipe, go for it!

Recently I received a bunch of Kelapo Coconut oil and I’d been thinking of using it but hadn’t quite put my finger on anything. (lightbulb moment coming) Frosting for these healthy brownies, what a great way to test out the new coconut oil. We use a lot of coconut oil on our house from skin and hair moisturizer to sweet and savory recipes. The Kelapo oil is so coconut-y, it is very delicious and I can’t wait to use it again in another recipe.

All I can tell you is beware because this icing is way too easy to just eat by the spoonful!

Dairy Free Coconut Icing

Makes approximately  1 1/2 cups

2 Tbs Kelapo Extra Virgin Organic Coconut Oil

2 Tbs room temperature Earth Balance or Butter (if you are not dairy free)

3 Tbs coconut butter

pinch salt

2 Tbs almond milk or milk (if you are not dairy free)

1 1/2 cups organic powdered sugar

 

Mix the butters and salt in a bowl with an electric mixer until very smooth. Add sugar a half cup at a time mixing until smooth.

Use immediately. To store chill for up to a week. To use from refrigerator let sit at room temperature for 30 minutes to soften and stir vigorously for easy spreading.

 

 

 

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Breakfast Isn’t Boring Anymore

In our house we do breakfast every day, I mean a full breakfast. My daughter isn’t a big lunch eater so we try to pack in the nutrition in the AM as best we can. I make a mean poached egg and slamming Matzoh Bri, the occasional Hash or the ever popular Chilaquiles. Over the years my husband has become quite the breakfast maker, he started off on the weekends and He even took over school weekday breakfast for a whole school year. He’s got his own funny recipes like the Framble, and the Encharadia.
Weekday breakfast is back on my plate now and we are board! I’ve made it my mission to try and make breakfast new again. It doesn’t take much effort to make it fun or different. The night before I set out bowls and chopsticks so when they sat down they had a surprise!
Today I made Breakfast Fried Rice, they ate it up, I will be a staple on our breakfast menu from now on. You can use brown rice and add frozen peas and carrots and anything else you can dream up. We like Applegate Organic Bacon, it’s thin and not too salty. You can add a sliced orange to finish the meal with just like at a Chinese restaurant!

Breakfast Fried Rice

When making fried rice it is best to use leftover rice, it clumps and soaks up the flavors well. Make your rice the night before and you can even make and chop, the bacon the night before. For ease I crack and scramble the eggs in a separate container. In the morning I just add the eggs to a pan scramble, and then add the rice.
Serves four

2 cups cooked white rice
5 slices bacon, cooked and chopped
Three large eggs
Salt
Pepper
Soy sauce
2 Tbs. grape seed oil or coconut oil
1 avocado, sliced

Heat oil in a pan on medium heat. Eggs, scramble until almost dry, remove from pan, set aside.
Add rice and chopped bacon to pan (you may need more oil if not using a non stick pan)
Fry rice until hot, stirring rice until cooked through, add eggs back to pan with rice. Season with salt and pepper.
Add soy-sauce and sliced avocado to taste.
Serve in boxes or bowls.

My Other Life

Carolyn Tillie Sushi Ring made from Gachapon toys

Matthew Carden – Cauliflower Farmers

Cara Brown Watercolor

Victoria Mimiaga Broccoli in Plastic

Many of my readers may not know about my other life.  For years my husband, photographer Matthew Carden and I dreamed of having some kind of food related art business. We weren’t sure how it would take shape but two years ago in April it was suddenly born as Super Fresh Art Gallery. It only made sense, I’m a chef and cookbook author and he’s a fine art food photographer. Just by chance we stumbled upon a fantastic light open space on the Main Street in Old Town Novato,  just four blocks from our house. We weren’t quite ready,  but are you ever really ready for a new adventure?

Carolyn Tillie Broccoli Earrings

We rented the space and  took off from there. We opened the world’s first all Food Art Gallery, all our art has some relationship to food. It’s funny, people walk by and I can hear them saying “food art, that’s weird” or they get all excited and love what we are doing! At first we opened as an appointment only showroom for my husband’s art work but in the last year and a half we find ourselves moving in to being a full blown gallery. Dividing  my time between the gallery,  my cookbook and food styling have been a challenge.

We started selling on the new Amazon Art site when it launched this summer and that has been really fun!I do love running the gallery and I love when my clients get so excited about the art. Recently we have a very nice article written about our crazy life, focusing on the gallery. It was wonderful for us because it brought so many new food artists out of the woodwork and to our attention. Since the article I have acquired four new artists and two more on the way. I am really excited that we can represent artists who document our culture through food and some who just find it the subject they love to work with. Thank you to all my readers for the support and positive energy you always seem to throw my way.

Click to read article

Check out our other artists too:

Jim Bachor – Humorous mosaics

Caren Alpert – Amazing Magnification photography