Hello Chef Ellen

RECIPE TIME!

Caprese Pull-Apart Bread

A delicious way to use Summer's bounty!

INGREDIENTS (Serves 8)

15 o 18 frozen white dinner rolls, thawed but still cold
2 Roma tomatoes
4 oz. Fresh mozzarella cheese
3 T. olive oil
¼ C. finely chopped fresh basil, plus more for sprinkling
1½ tsp. minced garlic
½ tsp. salt (optional)
Black pepper to taste

Coarse salt for sprinkling

DIRECTIONS

Using kitchen shears or a serrated knife, cut each roll into four even pieces and chop the tomatoes (a Rada Tomato Slicer works great). Cut the mozzarella into bite-size pieces (hint: you can use the Cheese Knife for this). Set everything aside. Generously grease a 5 x 9″ loaf pan with cooking spray.

In a small bowl, whisk together the oil, ¼ cup basil, garlic, salt, and pepper. Dip the roll pieces into the oil mixture to coat, and layer half the pieces in the prepared pan. Push about ⅓ of the tomatoes and ⅓ of the cheese cubes between the dough pieces; set the remaining tomatoes and cheese aside. Top with the remaining dough. Cover the pan with sprayed waxed paper and let rise in a warm place until doubled in size, about 1 hour (see tips for getting dough to rise, below.*)

Once the dough has risen, preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Press the set-aside cheese cubes and tomatoes carefully into the crevices between the dough pieces.

Set the pan on a cookie sheet (to catch drips and ultimately help keep your oven clean) and bake 25 to 35 minutes or until golden brown and done in the center. Sprinkle with coarse salt and additional basil. Best served warm.

* Where can I put these (and any other doughs) to rise?
While many people put a towel over their bowl of rising dough, this doesn’t create humidity, necessary for keeping the dough soft and promoting a better rise. So how can you create this humidity?

Put the dough in a closed container with a plastic or snap-on lid to keep moisture trapped. Make sure the container is at least twice the size as your dough, allowing dough enough room to double in size.
Preheat your oven to 200 degrees; leave it for a minute or two to get it nice and toasty then turn it off. Place the dough in a greased bowl and cover with plastic wrap.
Bring a cup of water to a full rolling boil in your microwave. Once the water is heated, place the covered bowl of bread dough in the microwave with the water and close the door.
Try setting the covered dough near a heat source like a wood stove, radiator, or baseboard heater or on top of a running clothes dryer.
Wrap a heating pad set to low in a heavy towel and set the covered dough on top.

Summer is grill season!
If you're still working on your timing technique,(always tricky with a new grill) a meat thermometer is an invaluable tool.
Professional chefs use thermometers but rarely (pun intended) for meat. This is the technique they've mastered. Yes, it's accurate!

Thank you to all the wonderful folks who stopped by our booth at the Carnes fair this evening. It was great to see so many familiar faces. I'm happy you ♡ your RADA knives!

FUN FRIDAY!
JUNE 26th - 5 PM - 8 PM
Welcome Summer!
Farmer's Market and Vendor Fair!
Outside the historic Green Barn at Carnes Crossroads
17A at Goose Creek border.

Too hot to cook!
Mexican Coctel de Camarones
(Serve chilled.)
Jumbo shrimp (7 per glass) with fresh diced cucumber, cilantro, red onion, avocado, jalapeño, grape tomatoes and minced garlic marinated in clam, lime and tomato juice, hot sauce, horseradish and a splash of Worcestershire.
Finish with scallions and lime and serve with tortilla chips.

GERMAN POTATO SALAD
(Courtesy of Kitchn)

Baby red potatoes, chewy bacon, and lots of fresh herbs are tossed in a warm bacon dressing for a flavorful, potluck-ready potato salad.

YIELDServes 8 to 10, Makes 7 cups

PREP TIME15 minutes
COOK TIME40 minutes

INGREDIENTS

2 1/2 pounds
unpeeled baby red potatoes (no larger than 2-inches in diameter)

1 tablespoon
plus 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, divided

4 slices
thick-cut bacon (6 ounces), diced

1
small yellow onion, diced

1 to 3 tablespoons
vegetable oil

3 tablespoons
white wine vinegar

1 tablespoon
granulated sugar

1 tablespoon
whole grain mustard

1/2 teaspoon
freshly ground black pepper

2 tablespoons
chopped fresh chives

1 tablespoon
chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves

INSTRUCTIONS

Place the potatoes and 1 tablespoon of the salt in a large saucepan. Cover by 1 inch with cool water, then bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer until the potatoes are easily pierced with a knife, 30 to 35 minutes. Meanwhile, cook the bacon.

Place the bacon in a large skillet over medium heat and cook until the fat begins to render, about 8 minutes. Add the onion and cook until the onion and bacon brown and the bacon is crisp, 13 to 15 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the bacon and onions to a paper towel-lined plate. Measure the remaining fat in the pan. If there is less than 3 tablespoons, add enough oil to equal 3 tablespoons.

Drain the cooked potatoes in a colander and rinse under cold water just until they are cool enough to handle. If desired, peel potatoes with your fingers or a vegetable peeler. Slice into 1/4-inch thick rounds and transfer to a large bowl.

Place the vinegar, sugar, mustard, pepper, remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt, and the bacon fat in a jar, cover, and shake to combine. Add the chives, parsley, bacon and onion mixture, and dressing to the sliced potatoes, toss, and set aside for 10 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature.

RECIPE NOTES

Storage: Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 4 days.

Fire up the grill!
This summer, venture beyond hot dogs and burgers!
Prepare these recipes ahead of time, They cook fast with almost no clean-up, leaving you more time to spend with your guests. (Kids love kebabs and is a great way to introduce them to new foods.)
* Recipes courtesy of Food & Wine

Our 26 Best Kebab Recipes These spectacular kebab recipes include spicy chicken skewers, grilled shrimp satay, delicious yakitori and more.

A sweet start ro Summer!
These wonderful desserts are brought to you by Epicurious.
* Chef Ellen plans to make the Froze.
(Adults love frozen treats, too!)

37 Memorial Day Desserts for a Sweet Start to Summer Fire up the grill—but don't forget the sweets.

PREP TIP:
Your RADA pizza cutter is for more than pizza!

Use it to:
* Quickly dice your herbs and veggies
* Slice your dough for pie crusts

Silver or Black resin handle
Availability: Limited stock
Reserve yours today!
[email protected]

IT'S RECIPE TIME!
Homemade Pecan Pie Bars

There’s nothing much better than sitting down to eat some old-fashioned, homemade pie. Nothing, that is, until you can eat that pie in bar form! Here is Kristy Kay’s own family recipe for Pecan Pie Bars. They taste just as good as the pie, with the added bonus of portability. Every dessert tastes better as a bar, right?

INGREDIENTS
For the crust:
1 C. butter, cold (must be butter, no substitutes)
3 C. flour
3/4 C. sugar
1/2 t. salt
For the filling:
2 1/2 C. pecans, chopped
4 eggs
1 1/2 C. sugar
1 1/2 C. corn syrup
1/4 melted butter
1 1/2 t. vanilla

INSTRUCTIONS
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Combine cold butter with flour, sugar, and salt. Cut together using a pastry blender.
Press the crust into a 9″x 13″ pan. Bake for 18-20 minute or until the edges are browning slightly.
Combine eggs, melted butter, sugar, corn syrup, and vanilla. Add the chopped pecans and mix well. Pour into the pan over the crust.
Place pan back into the oven for another 25-30 minutes, or until the edges are firm and the center is almost set.
Let the bars cool to cut and serve.

Hello Chef Ellen now takes appointments on their Page.

These are GREAT tips!

40+ Creative Cooking Hacks That Amateur Chefs Might Not Know Yet - myfryingpan When it comes to cooking, there are a lot of hacks that can make life easier (at least when you’re in the kitchen). Some of these pointers and tricks might seem weird or downright unappealing at first, but they’ll help you out when you need it most. We promise you’ll find at least one of them ...

Yum!

This Easy Christmas Fudge Belongs in All of Your Friends' Stockings This Year Move over, Christmas cookies!

Perfect "green" gifts! Best prices anywhere!
Sustainable products from family-owned businesses.
Reduce waste and save money!

Bee's Wrap - The better option to plastic wrap! (Various sizes and patterns. Available as single or in multi-packs. Organic)

Wet-It Cloths - Reusable towels, for the kitchen or the nursery! (One size - 3 patterns available. Organic)

Rada Cutlery - American made with hand-sharpened surgical stainless steel. Comes with a lifetime guarantee!
Gift sets and individual pieces available

Elevate your cooking with some tricks of the trade

15 People Share Their Secret Ingredients That Put Their Cooking Above The Rest Just a dash will do.

Want to know the easiest, and fastest, way to season your Thanksgiving turkey for crispy skinned deliciousness?
Coat with Kitchen Bouquet. Sprinkle with garlic powder. Roast.
Yes. It is that simple.

Holiday Cooking Tip - Hannukah
My mother used to say making latkes was a labor of love.
Grating onion and potato was the first hurdle. The second was standing over a hot frying pan of bubbling oil.

Unlike in Nana's day, we have food processors that can grate in record time.
Here's a simple solution to the frying:
Cook your latkes in a waffle iron. Thick or thin, soft or crispy - the choice is yours.
Brilliant!

Holiday Sweets

These delicious treats take less than a half hour to make.
They're portable, and freeze well.

13 graham crackers
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter
1 cup brown sugar
2 cups pecan halves, roughly chopped
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350°F and line a rimmed sheet pan with aluminum foil.
Lightly grease the foil with butter and line the baking sheet with graham crackers, breaking them where necessary to make them fit.
Combine butter, brown sugar, pecans, and salt in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a boil and let cook 2 minutes, stirring constantly.
Remove from heat and stir in vanilla. Immediately pour hot mixture over graham crackers and spread mixture to edges of pan using a spatula. Make sure pecans are evenly distributed and that crackers are covered.
Bake until bubbly, about 10 minutes.
Allow to cool completely and break into pieces. Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from My Country Table.

Photo courtesyof Monique Loh

It's time for the holidays!
I'll be sharing recipes and tips to make the season easier for hosts and guests!

All sizes in stock!

Sustainable food storage from Bee's Wrap® Bees Wrap®: Beeswax wraps are a natural alternative to plastic wrap for food storage. Plastic-free, BPA-free, food wraps. Keep food fresher longer with our reusable, sustainable, compostable food wraps!

As the cooler weather settles in, we're inspired to start baking again.
Here are some wonderful tips.

Bake Cupcakes One Batch At A Time (In The Oven's Center) | Investing Magazine Items Needed: NothingAvg. Cost: N/A When you’re baking cupcakes, make sure you have a lot of time to make them, as you’re going to want to bake one batch at a time. Twelve cupcakes, on average, should bake for eighteen to twenty minutes, assuming they’re the standard size. You’re going to wa...

RECIPE For the first day of Fall
CHEESY BREAD

Quick & Easy
Great with hearty soups!

First, cut a grid into the top of your loaf of bread. Then, use a pastry brush to brush some butter into the gaps. Stuff the buttered gaps with slices of cheese and wrap the loaf in foil. Pop it in the oven for about 30 minutes and voilà.

What's the oldest item in your kitchen you still use?

It could very well be your Rada knife!
They've been passed down through generations.
Did you know that Rada's lifetime guarantee is the life of the knife, not the owner? This means if you're using grandma's knife it's still under guarantee!

What's the oldest item in your kitchen you still use?

While the northern states are thinking about warm hearty soups for the coming cold weather, southerners still have 2 months of Summer.

If you have a blender or food processor, dinner is as good as done!
Serve with a warm crunchy baguette and finish with a refreshing sobert.

27 Cold Soups to Enjoy on Hot Summer Days Soups don't only need to be served hot. Cold soup recipes are perfect to make in big batches, and can be just as delicious as their hearty winter counterparts. Try out a complex green gazpacho with fresh produce, or a zucchini buttermilk soup for something tangy and different. Put your hand blender....

Cool as a cucumber

Using just a handful of ingredients, it comes together in about 20 minutes and has a light and refreshing taste that’s perfect for summer! This is wonderful coolinh compliment to spicy foods.
*Keto-friendly *Gluten-free *Vegetarian

Creamy Cucumber Dill Salad with Sour Cream

Recipe details:
Yield 4 cups
Time spent: Prep time: 5 Minutes
Cook time: 15 Minutes
Total time: 20 min

Ingredients:
4 cups sliced cucumber, about 2 cucumbers
1 tablespoon salt
1/2 cup thinly sliced red onion or sweet onion
1/2 cup sour cream
2 tablespoons white vinegar
2 tablespoons freshly chopped dill

Tools:
Rada Paring Knife
Rada Super Peeler (optional)
Cutting board
Cookie Sheet or platter
Paper towels
Large Bowl
Whisk or fork
Serving spoon

Instructions:
Using your favorite Rada Parer slice the (optionally peeled) cucumber as thin as possible. (The Rada Super Parer with it's longer blade makes this a breeze!) Place cucumber slices on a baking sheet and sprinkle with the salt. Let sit for 15 minutes then pat dry with paper towels. Transfer the cucumber to a large bowl and add the sliced onion.

Mix the sour cream, white vinegar and dill. Pour the dressing over the cucumbers and onion and mix well.

Serve immediately.