Calling all foodies! Join us Tuesdays at noon for What's Cooking, our live online culinary hour with Kim O'Donnel.

A graduate of the Institute of Culinary Education (formerly known as Peter Kump's New York Cooking School), Kim spends much of her time in front of the stove or with her nose in a cookbook.

A transcript follows. 

For daily dispatches from Kim's kitchen, check out her blog, A Mighty Appetite. You may catch up on previous transcripts with the What's Cooking archive page.

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Kim O'Donnel: Hey folks! Nice to be back after a break at the beach. Trying to keep the vacation glow, as my producer just mentioned, is one tall order. How is it we rush right back to the stuff that makes us run away in the first place? It's all a balancing act, I know, but I gotta get better on that darned trapeze. So whatcha been cookin' lately? We've got St. Pat's coming up on Monday -- I have a brisket in the fridge awaiting its brine -- and then on the 19th there's St. Joseph's Day, and in honor of the protective patron saint, I'm going to make St. Joseph's bread, just like they do in New Orleans and Jersey and other Italo-Sicilian communities. I'll keep you posted. Next week is first week of spring! With the time change, life always feels a bit more brighter. Love the transition, even when it's cool adn the march wind roars. So, let's hear about you....

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Washington, D.C.: Hi Kim. I have a food safety question that I don't know if you'll be able to help me with, but I thought I'd give it a shot. My power went out for about 6 hours last night. During that time neither the fridge nor freezer was opened, but I was asleep when the electricity came back on so I'm not sure of the food temp at that time. Is there anything I should throw out, or am I ok?

Kim O'Donnel: The power went out here at Casa Appetite on Saturday night for about the same time. Me too, I didn't dare open the fridge. I didn't have to throw anything out, all was fine. If it was 75 degrees out, I think you'd have another story. the most at risk stuff would be raw poultry and seafood, fyi.

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Clifton, Va.: Why did Emeril and the Food Network part ways?

Kim O'Donnel: Reader is referring to today's blog post on Emeril's upcoming TV show on Planet Green on the Discovery Channel. To be more precise, Emeril is still part of the FTV gang; "Emeril Live" is no mas (but in rerun form), but "Essence of Emeril" is still in production and even with the new Emeril Green show, will continue on FTV.

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Lunch in the air??: Welcome back Kim, I hope you had a great time in P.R.

Now, it's my time to fly, and I was wondering if you and the gang could give me some ideas as what to pack for lunch on my next flight. It will be right around noon and I am hoping to brown bag it instead of getting combo #3 from one of the vendors.

Thanks

Kim O'Donnel: For our flight to PR, I brought along this wild smoked salmon pack that I found at Whole Foods. They're kinda like roulades with some cream cheese and capers. In a separate bag, I brought crackers. It was a great snack -- and no, it didn't smell. If fish is not your game, a container of hummus and some veggie sticks is a great portable meatless option. I'll all over dried fruit and nuts when I fly, and always a smidge of chocolate as a treat.

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Birthday Cake: Kim, I'm in need of a fabulous birthday cake. I'm thinking of trying the Edna Peacock chocolate cake, but the chocolate frosting will be too much. Would a cream cheese frosting or perhaps whipped cream work with the cake?

Kim O'Donnel: I think you mean the Edna Lewis/Scott Peacock cake from their "Gift of Southern of Cooking," right? If it's too much choc on choc, yeah, I think a cream cheese frosting would be fine; try this one that is paired up with the Guinness Chocolate cake from Nigella Lawson: 8 ounces cream cheese, 1 cup confectioners' sugar and
½ cup heavy cream. (I've reduced the confectioners' to 3/4 cup with good results)

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re Clifton: I have read several pieces on Emeril and I think the biggest reason they cut back was the cost. Why use a big name star when they can go with more reality type programming that cost a lot less money.

Kim O'Donnel: There was a breakdown in contract negotiations back in the fall. Remember, they let Mario Batali go as well.

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Farmers markets: Hi Kim,

My local farmers market re-opens mid-April...I know it won't really get going until mid-May but what could I find there in April? Anything good?

Kim O'Donnel: You'll see lettuces, as they're cool weather crops...MAYBE some rhubarb, pea shoots, baby kale, leeks... asparagus comes to this area later than down south...

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Washington, D.C.: I LOVE chocolate when I fly. I can't figure out the connection, but it's a must. I find some foods taste better than others that high up. Dried fruit and nuts also do the trick like you mentioned.

Kim O'Donnel: Foods that taste better high up. I like that theme. I also like drinking green or herbal tea high up.

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Boston, Mass.: Hi Kim,

I make a very yummy roux-based Cheddar Beer soup. I've been thinking of adding potatoes in, to give it more bang for the buck. Would I need to alter liquid levels or do anything else? I'm not up on the chemistry of soup. FWIW, the liquids are 3 c chicken stock, 2 c milk and 1/2 c beer.

Thanks! Hope you enjoyed your vacation!

Kim O'Donnel: Hey Boston, the trip to Vieques was lovely and restful, thanks. Without seeing the recipe, hard for me to automatically say sure, go right ahead. I'm guessing the cheddar soup is much like a fondue consistency. Were you thinking to puree potatoes or add as chunks? Chunks, added at the end, might work, but you'd need to be ensure thorough seasoning...thoughts anyone?

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Pennsylvania: In a chat a couple of weeks ago, someone posted a recipe for roasted broccoli. I never would have thought of that method, but I am so sick of steamed vegetables, so I tried it. The broccoli was wonderful. I've also tried roasted asparagus, which was also very good. Thanks so much for the tip.

Kim O'Donnel: Hey Pennsy,
It's one of my favorite ways to eat brocc. I wrote about it yesterday in my new column on Real Simple.com, by the way. I too am a fan of the roasted asparagus -- and you must try roasted cauliflower! And kale!

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Babycakes: Kim, I am making cupcakes for my nephew's 1st birthday party. I am thinking a banana cake since babies love bananas, and for frosting was considering whipping cream and mixing it with some fabulous S. American dulce de leche. Do you think that would hold up for a frosting? The party will have I think about 15-20 people, mostly adults with a few toddlers. Thanks and welcome back!

Kim O'Donnel: Hmm...I like sound of the flavor combo...I think cream cheese would hold up much better than whipping cream, which is oh so pesky and likes to break when you're not looking...

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Ellicott City, Md.: Hi Kim-

Can you give me any ideas of how I can use mint? For Christmas, my mother-in-law bought me one of those hydroponic indoor herb gardens. It came with seven different herbs, all of which I use regularly, except for the mint, which has been growing like crazy. I don't like it in tea, and I don't cook lamb, desserts, or Asian food much. Is there any room for mint in basic American/continental cuisine?

Kim O'Donnel: Do you like mojitos? What a tasty way to use up mint on a Saturday afternoon...MInt is great as part of a pesto, with cilantro, basil and/or parsley...works nicely over fish or chicken...

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St. Pats, Cabbage: I'm always at a loss for what to do with the Cabbage on St. Patrick's Day. I really don't want to boil it. Any suggestions?

Kim O'Donnel: I'm a fan of cabbage slaw, made with vinegar rather than the dreaded mayo. Add julienned red bell pepper, chopped cilantro, carrots, with a rice wine vinaigrette, and you'll be in business. Will cut against the fat of your Irish roast, too.

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ROAD TRIP!!!: Kim - In keeping with the traveling theme: We're headed down to Florida (tomorrow) to Washington Nationals Spring training! It will be quite a drive. Can you offer suggestions for healthy energy boosting snacks (and drinks) to take on a road trip? Thanks in advance... and great chats!

Kim O'Donnel: I don't know if you have time to bake today, but a batch of Lulu's cookies would fit the bill, for breakfast, midafternoon snacks with a cup of coffee or as late-night dessert. They are loaded with protein and have lots of fiber. Short of baking the day before your trip, what about a variety of Lara bars? I've really come to rely on them as a convenient on-the-go snack. Again, I'm a fan of dried fruit and unsalted nuts. A cooler with hummus and veg is good, even a batch of homemade popcorn would be fun.

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Beer Soup Again: I was thinking chunks of potatoes, like a potato chowder. The soup itself is not as thick as a fondue, but not as runny as a chowder.

Recipe is pretty easy, brown bacon in pan, add diced onions, celery, carrots until tender. Add flour to make roux. Add liquids, let simmer. Melt in 12 oz cheddar, season with worcestershire, hot sauce, salt, pepper. So potatoes at the end? Already cooked, or continue to simmer until uncooked potatoes soften?

Thanks again!

Kim O'Donnel: Potatoes at end, yes, and cooked and quartered/cubed before adding to the rest.

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Easter weekend: Hi Kim - I signed up to bake a cake for an Easter dinner party (around 10-12 guests) for next Sunday at my uncle's house. Any suggestions on something that will wow the guests and please the kids all at the same time? Thanks!

Kim O'Donnel: For Easters past, I've made an orange-ginger-olive oil cake that is light yet fragrant -- and requires only one baking pan. Nice and easy. I've also made upside down cakes, which always yield a "wow" factor -- you can do bananas, mangoes, a mix of strawberry and rhubarb -- tell me your pleasure and I'll get you the details.

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San Diego, Calif.: Hi Kim! My boyfriend and I were going to cook a London Broil for dinner tonight. I've made them before with a very simple marinade of just olive oil, salt, and pepper and it turned out great. My boyfriend seems to think that would be too simple and doesn't believe me that simple can sometimes be better. What do you think? Any other suggestions? I was thinking maybe add in garlic.

Thanks for your help!!!

Kim O'Donnel: I'll never forget as a little girl discovering the secret behind Mrs. Burkhart's London broil -- Dijon mustard. My mother swears by it. Garlic would def. zip things up a little bit -- and a little acid is good, even if it's a squeeze of lime on top.

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22205: Kim- I discovered your chat a few months ago, and I'm just writing in to say THANKS!!! I'm 24, and tomorrow I'm throwing my first dinner party. (YAY!) Reading your yummy suggestions gave me the courage to experiment in the kitchen. I'm finally comfortable enough to cook for 10 people. I'm slightly overwhelmed but looking forward to having my friends over for a nice mid-week reprieve. So yeah, thanks again for making cooking seem so approachable!

Kim O'Donnel: Bravo! Good for you, my dear. What is on the menu?

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R.I.: Hi Kim,

We're having a casual dinner/game night at my place this weekend. There will be four of us -- one is vegetarian and the others are veg-friendly. I was thinking of mezze-type thing. I'm lucky to live near a great Middle Eastern market, so the basics are covered: spinach pies, pita, hummus, baba ganoush, olives, desserts. It just seems there's something missing, like a hot dish. Any ideas? I was thinking along the lines of a legume dish (maybe fava beans?) but can't get beyond that.

We're trying to do-ahead as much as possible, so something I could throw together and reheat would be great.

Thanks for any ideas.

Kim O'Donnel: What about a lentil soup to start things off? Check the following link for a zillion lentil-y ideas, plus a recipe for lentils, syrian style, with pomegranate molasses and chard.

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Washington, D.C.: Hi Kim,

I feel a little silly asking this question, but here goes. When chopping up herbs for a dish, are you supposed to just include the leaves? Or can I include the stems as well? Obviously I wouldn't use the stems from rosemary or thyme or anything with a heartier stem, but what about parsley, basil or cilantro? Is it ok to toss the stems in or should I pick off the leaves? Thanks!

Kim O'Donnel: I like using stems from both cilantro and parsley for sure. Basil sometimes can be a little too woody. But yes, add the stems, it's all good stuff that would otherwise be tossed.

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Easter Dinner Party: The wow cake sounds delicious! How can I get started?

Kim O'Donnel: Check these details for strawberry-rhubarb cake. Feel free to sub in sliced bananas, mangoes or the traditional pineapple. You can't go wrong.

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Lulu's cookies: They look great! Would it be possible to get the nutritional info for them.

Muchas gracias!

Kim O'Donnel: Nutritonal 411 on Lulu's Cookies

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mac and cheese question: Hi Kim! Welcome back! Got a question regarding mac and cheese. When I make it, I use a bechamel to which I add sharp cheddar and parmesan and some dried mustard. It's OK, but never has that intense cheese flavor I crave (unless I add way more cheddar than anyone should eat in one serving!) Is there another cheese, or herb or spice, that would help boost the cheddar flavor?

Kim O'Donnel: See how my recipe compares. I think the smidge of heat from cayenne or paprika helps bring out the cheddar.

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HdG, Md.: Love the chats, but almost never write in. I just wanted to say I've finally gotten the nerve to start branching out in the kitchen. I am eating the leftovers from last night, an Indian-flavored concoction with collards and black-eyed peas. Sounds southern, but with Indian spices like ginger, cinnamon, and garam masala. Such a new flavor combo with the peas and greens. Yummy!

Kim O'Donnel: Wonderful! Big high five to you, dear. Keep up the good work!

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Pennsylvania, again: Here's a recipe for the group since the broccoli was so good!

I recently cooked this recipe and I think it was one of the best dishes I've ever made. No kidding. Easy and so flavorful; my husband raved about it. I used scallops instead of shrimp. Enjoy!

REC: Camarones al Mojo de Ajo or Quick-Fried Shrimp with Sweet Toasty Garlic

By Rick Bayless

Serves 6 generously

3/4 cup peeled garlic cloves (about 2 large heads)

1 cup good extra virgin olive oil

Salt

Juice of 1 lime

2 canned chipotle chiles en adobo, seeded and cut into thin strips

2 limes, cut into wedges

2 pounds medium-large shrimp,peeled

3 T chopped fresh cilantro or italian parsley

1. Make the Mojo de Ajo:

Chop the garlic with into 1/8-inch bits. You should have about 1/2 cup chopped garlic. Place garlic, olive oil (you need it all) and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a saucepan and set over medium-low heat. Stir occasionally as the mixture comes barely to a simmer (there should be just a hint of movement on the surface of the oil). Adjust the heat to the very lowest possible setting to keep the mixture at that very gentle simmer (bubbles will rise in the pot like sparkling mineral water) and cook, stirring occasionally, until the garlic is a soft, pale golden (the color of light brown sugar), about 30 minutes. The slower the cooking, the sweeter the garlic.

Add the lime juice to the pan and simmer until most of the juice has evaporated or been absorbed into the garlic, about 5 minutes. Stir in the chiles, then taste the mojo de ajo and add a little more salt if you think it needs it. Keep the pan over low heat, so the garlic will be warm when the shrimp are ready. Scoop the lime wedges into a serving bowl and set on the table.

2. Sautee the shrimp

Set a large (12-inch) heavy skillet (preferably nonstick) over medium-high heat and spoon in 1-1/2 tablespoons of the oil (but not any garlic) from the mojo. Add half of the shrimp to the skillet, sprinkle generously with salt and stir gently and continuously until the shrimp are just cooked through, 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in half the cilantro or parsley, if you're using it. Scoop the shrimp onto a deep serving platter. Repeat with another 1-1/2 tablespoons of the garlicky oil and the remaining shrimp.

When all of the shrimp are cooked, use a slotted spoon to scoop out the warm bits of garlic and chiles from the mojo pan, and scatter them over the shrimp. (You may have as much as 1/3 cup of the oil left over, for which you'll be grateful ¿it's wonderful for sautéing practically anything.) If you're a garlic lover, you're about to have the treat of your life, served with the lime wedges to add sparkle.

Kim O'Donnel: thanks much. always glad to receive tried-and-true faves from readers...

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Cabbage for St. Patrick's day: Colcanon, of course! Throw in a little horseradish if you want to kick it up.

Kim O'Donnel: This is true. I've been thinking of a potato-centric meal, myself. Every course with potatoes. I'll keep you posted...I love horseradish, should be coming into markets soon...

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Re. cupcakes: How about a layer of dulce de leche right on top of the cupcakes and then a (stabilized) whipped cream on top of that? I would think the dulce de leche is too stiff/heavy to be mixed in directly with the cream. Or you could cut the cupcakes in half and do a middle layer with dulce de leche. Regardless, sounds yummy!

Kim O'Donnel: Yes, she likes this idea. I think some experimentation is in order...

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Sticks Mount Airy: For the Mint person...Make a pesto of it and use on peas, or stuffing leg o' lamb. Make stuffed grape leaves (I'll share my recipe, by sending it to Kim). If you make a pesto you can freeze it in ice cube trays and just use what you want.

What's better than homemade lemonade with mint? Freeze mint too and add it to your lemonade.

Hugs,

Sticks

Kim O'Donnel: Mint in the old grape leaves is a grand idea, which of course reminds me of tabbouleh, another dish that loves mint..and yes lemonade. Can't wait for some of that!

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London Broil: Marinate in can of beer and Kikkoman teriyaki sauce (not their glaze). Poke it all over then put in marinade, poke it every 1/2 hour or so. Marinate up to 1 hour at room temp or 4 to 5 hours in fridge. Then grill and slice thinly on bias. It's what's for dinner tonight, great with rice and roasted asparagus

Kim O'Donnel: Thanks for sharing, dear!

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CSA Kale: What should I do with the CSA kale that I received in my box last week? I don't really like it, so something to mute its strong flavor would be great!

Kim O'Donnel: I like to remove the stems and lather in olive oil and garlic and throw into a roasting pan, with some white beans and rosemary and roast for about 1o minutes at 400 hundred. Keep an eye on things, so kale doesn't completely crinkleup.

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Washington, D.C. : Wasabi peas or sesame sticks are good high up too. I've always wondered if it's a tastebud or a stomach thing when I fly.

Kim O'Donnel: More on food high up....

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Budd Lake, N.J.: Welcome back! Is it possible to take an already made granola, and make it into a bar? Recipes for bars usually have egg whites as the binder. Is that all I would have to use?

Kim O'Donnel: I don't know the answer to this, but I'm thinking no. I'll get back to you on this.

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22205 again: I'm expanding on a pork carnitas recipe that I read in this month's Bon Appetit, and we're going to use it to make de-constructed Philly roast pork sandwiches I read about in the Travel section. The sandwiches are served with broccoli rabe, so I'm making that, along with a vinegar-based slaw. I've made a cheese spread with some Dijon that will be served alongside soft pretzels before dinner, and we're going to drink Flying Fish beer.

A dear friend is moving to Philly in April, so we're watching "Its Always Sunny in Philadelphia" to laugh away the good-bye tears!

Kim O'Donnel: I saw that pork carnitas recipe too, looks tasty. Your friend is moving to a city with a vibrant food scene, and just think, it's only 2 hours away by train!

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London Broil: Nigella Lawson has a great recipe for a vodka based marinade that include vodka, capers (or maybe I just throw that in) and crushed peppercorns. It's wonderful. I'm sure a quick Google search would pull it up. Great served with rice and some crusty bread.

Kim O'Donnel: If you don't mind the booze, vodka, rum and tequila make great marinades. Thanks for the tip.

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Ham handed: This may sound a little unusual, but I have never "made" a ham. Hubby would like ham for Easter dinner. I am happy to accommodate but lost as to what I am supposed to do. I sort of thought that ham was already cooked when you buy it... but I also sorta know you're supposed to bake it...

We'd prefer savory to sweet, for the most part. A little sweet is OK, but glazed is too much for us.

Any tips welcome!

Thanks.

Kim O'Donnel: Would you be open to a fresh ham? Check recipe for details. This is one helluva ham, without the 7-Up, glaze or any other goopy stuff. Holler if you have more questions.

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Kim O'Donnel: Oh my. I went past the hour. Thanks for stopping by! Great to catch up with you. In the meantime, come see me at A Mighty Appetite. All best.

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