Kim O'Donnel (Craig Cola washingtonpost.com)

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What's Cooking:
Second Anniversary Special
Hosted by Kim O'Donnel
washingtonpost.com Staff
Tuesday, Jan. 9, 2001; Noon EST

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

A graduate of 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.

If you couldn't make the live event, you can always send Kim O'Donnel an e-mail or drop in on the What's Cooking message boards.

Editor's Note: Washingtonpost.com moderators retain editorial control over Live Online discussions and choose the most relevant questions for guests and hosts; guests and hosts can decline to answer questions.

Kim O'Donnel: Woowee. It's been a helluva ride, these last two years, and I have all of you to thank. I have had so much fun getting to know you, teaching you and learning from you. It is because of your continued participation and enthusiasm that this program lives on and it is because of your zest for learning how to be better cooks that there is always something for us to discuss. Viva chowhounds! You guys rock. So, in celebration of time well spent, let's share stories. Gimme your culinary highs and lows of the last year -- you know, the most incredible dish, the biggest accomplishment, the wildest insight, or alternatively, the saltiest, nastiest, goopiest thing you put down the hatch in the last 12 months. Here's mine: By far, my time spent at cooking school in the Piedmont region of Italy was last year's culinary high. I can't pinpoint one thing that blew me over the edge, but the lavender gelato, the plethora of freshly pressed olive oil, the cheese made around the corner and up the hill, the opportunity to drink locally produced Barbera and Dolcetto every night, the variety cured meat -- from goat salami to duck prosciutto -- and of course, the passion that lives in bellies of the Italian people. For those who've never had a chance, take a peek at Italian Journal, a multimedia journey that includes recipes, photos, audio clips and lots of stories.
Culinary low: Just happened the other night. I'm a fan of the meatless sausage links and patties -- you know, Veggie Burgers, Boca links...they're high in protein, easy to fix if you're in a jam and pretty tasty for something you're not really whipping up by hand. Well. I decided, that since I'd had good experiences with these frozen items, that I'd try my hand at their cousin, the meatless "crumbles." So I chopped an onion, I minced some garlic, I cleaned some spinach and opened a jar of whole tomatoes, figuring I could throw this together and it would work. The "crumbles" began to cook and the nightmare began. Instead of browning nicely like their counterparts I'd come to enjoy, this stuff just softened up and turned to mush. I was looking at something that resembled Alpo. The aroma, something of a caramel flavor thing, was going right up the nostrils and I thought I was going to pass out. I took a spoonful and I was right. The stuff was not fit for fine dining. Well, any kind of dining at all. I started to laugh as the kitchen filled with this putrid odor. I hated to do, but I threw out the stuff. Anyway, we all learn, everyday, and to me, it's a journey that has twists, crumbles and you know the rest. Think of my experience the next time you think you're screwing up. Let's hear what's on your minds!

DC: OK, cooking disasters. I haven't really had any doozies like my sister, who nudged the weight on my mom's pressure cooker and got food all over the ceiling....

A garden variety disaster for me was making an omelete in a cheap frying pan that all food stuck to, no matter was kind of seasoning you used or how much. I made an omelete for friends in this pan because I didn't have another pan at the time. The omelete stuck when I tried to turn it and the eggs turned a hideous greenish shade. My friends were gems and ate it without comment. Since then I have made them many fabulous meals.

Kim O'Donnel: This is a goodie. Something like this is always a good wake up call. Cheers!

Miss Edie the Egg Lady from Capitol Hill: Hello Kim. (Hope an early submission is okay; have a meeting..).

Several Chowhounds recently told of making disappointing Quiches. I have a Totally Fool-proof recipe: No milk. Sour Cream, instead.

2 Eggs
3/4 cup sour cream
1 cup cheese

Beat eggs, fold in sour cream & Cheese (and anything else that's gonna go in the quiche) and pour into crust (prebake the crust for 4 minutes or so).
Bake 30 minutes - 375. Let cool. Perfect EVERY time.
(I imagine the recipe would be doubled for deep-dish)

Love ya! Miss Edie

Kim O'Donnel: Edie, you're a dear. I wonder if folks could play around and use plain yogurt in its place?

Boston, MA: Howdy fellow chowhounds. I've become addicted to the chat over the past year... a great way to get new ideas and spend even more time thinking about my favorite thing -- eating!

There was a question last week about pasta and I thought I would share the very simple (but amazingly tasty) recipe that’s been in my family forever (when my non-cook of a mom married my Italian born dad, she had no choice but to learn how to cook from his mom!). For the dough: 2 cups of flour, 1 teaspoon of salt, 2 eggs, 2 egg whites, 4 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil. Put the flour in a bowl, making a well in the center. Add remaining ingredients into the well, beating eggs and oil lightly till mixed. Slowly incorporate the flour into the mixture. When a ball of dough begins to form, lightly flour hands and turn dough onto floured surface (if you have a giant wooden cutting board or work surface, that works best). Kneed dough (adding additional flour as necessary) until smooth and elastic. Roll with floured rolling pin. Caution! This takes patience and love, big time. You roll slowly and consistently, over and over again to get the dough smooth and thin. Don’t overflour, since sometimes it actually helps the rolling process if the dough sticks just a little. Once the dough is rolled to about 1/8 thick, I usually take the sharpest knife I have and cut long strips of noodles out of it (about ¼ to ½ inch wide). I imagine it would feed through a pasta machine just fine. Carefully drop pasta into boiling water (with olive oil and salt) a few pieces at a time and cook for 5 to 6 minutes. Final product will be puffy and a bit chewy.

My favorite sauce that goes with this is a pretty simple one: Sauté some garlic (to taste, I like a lot!) in olive oil in a heavy saucepan. When garlic begins to brown, add 1 cup of chopped, pitted calamata olives, 1 small diced onion, 1 diced green or red pepper, basil and oregano (to taste) and a splash of red wine. When onion has softened add 2 to 3 cups of pureed tomato (my family jars their own and I regularly steal jars from my mom in NJ, but when she catches onto me I use canned tomato puree from the supermarket, just make sure there is no added salt or sugar).

Serve with Italian bread and slices of fresh provolone cheese, a tossed green salad, crusty Italian bread and your fave red wine. This is a great dinner for when you are stressed out… It requires that you focus solely on the pasta, kneading and rolling the dough is amazingly therapeutic and you have a great meal when you are done!

Kim O'Donnel: This is lovely, Boston. Thanks for taking the time to share an obviously heart-felt tradition. Pasta recipes tend to vary according to who you talk to -- and here's mine, learned at cooking school in Italia: the goods include flour, lukewarm water and a combo of eggs and yolks. Numbers of egg/yolks ratio depends of kind of pasta you want to make...water should be salted by the way.
yes, start a well, eggs in first, stir with fork, add salted water. Roll it, work like a salami til it's long. Let rest. Roll out as you say. Don't over work as you say. Again, thanks for this.

Arlington, VA: A culinary high: I made Bailey's Irish Cream creme brulee for a special birthday dinner for my BF and it was DIVINE and so very easy! If anyone out there loves creme brulee but has hesitated about cooking it (I put it off for ages because I thought it would be hard), hesitate no further because it is simple and elegant and just all-around wonderful. Fine Cooking, Gourmet, and the illustrious Post food section all have recipes. Plus you get to play with blowtorches, hehehe...

Kim O'Donnel: Good for you, Arlington. I love to hear success stories. What's your next assignment for this year??

RockGirl: hi kim!

well, my culinary high point didn't come until december when I successfully made potato latkes for the first time in my life! The previous year, they were a disaster. I was trying to introduce my then-bf to them and they just fell apart and were more like hash browns. but this year, I was armed with Stephanie Sedgwick's piece in the food section...and viola! They came out picture-perfect and delish! My fiancee didn't really understand why I was had tears of joy in my eyes when I served them, but he gobbled them up just the same. So that's it for me...I have a success story!

Kim O'Donnel: Excellent. Sometimes it's all about determination, fortitude and reading a well-written easy to understand set of guidelines that can talk you through the process. Nice going.

Sticks Mt. Airy: Okay it's got to be the exploding egg!

We were making caesar salad, and I'd just coddle egg in microwave. Worked fine at home. Well mom's microwave is a little different. Nuked egg in custard cup, yes it was out of it's shell. Took egg out set on counter and boing, the yolk decides to explode there was egg all over the counter, even the ceiling, and yes even on my face! We laughed ourselves silly. I don't coddle eggs in microwave anymore (unless well covered!)

Kim O'Donnel: Love it!

DC: One of my great discoveries of the past year is using tofu in place of ricotta in Italian recipes. I freeze a block of tofu and grate it on a cheese grater. I used it just the other night in lasagna, and it was great.

No it doesn't taste like ricotta, but I don't really care for the taste of ricotta anyway. Actually I don't really like the taste of tofu either, but using it in lasagna means I get the health benefits of tofu without having to taste it!

Kim O'Donnel: Have you ever thought of trying soy cheese? That might be another alternative for you as well. Thanks for this, DC.

Rockgirl: Kim,

I was unable to join in the discussion last week, but I noticed the post about polenta from reading the transcript. I'd like to share a fool-proof method of polenta-making that a friend of mine, who lived in Italy, taught me. First, there is an authentic-tasting brand called "Bob's Red Mills" that comes in a little cellophane bag, and is called "corn grits or polenta". Get some of that! The only place I've found it is at Safeway, in the baking aisle, but it must be elsewhere, too. Anyway, you take one cup of the polenta (coarse corn meal) and put it in a bowl w/one cup of water. Let that sit while you boil 2 cups of water. Once the water boils, pour in the polenta and water mixture and stir….turn down the heat and keep stirring until the mixture is thick. It really cooks up very quickly and lump-free. I was amazed at how easy and delish it comes out! We make this at least twice a month.

Cheers!

Kim O'Donnel: Thanks for remembering this thread...I think STicks also mentioned to me offline last week that she's had success microwaving (??) polenta.. she too was stunned at how good it came out.

Somewhere, USA: For DC: Did you serve your green eggs with ham?

Kim O'Donnel: hoo ha! tell us, tell us...

Alexandria, VA: Where can I find coarse sausages? The kind that is cubed chunks of pork and some fat stuffed into a sausage casing rather than the ground pork/fat combo you commonly buy. Jaleo serves a great chorizo made in this manner but I would like to purchase it for cooking at home from a local place.

Kim O'Donnel: Oh geez, there's a very good grocery that sells a lot of Portuguese products, and the name escapes me...maybe one of you know...it might be in Falls Church, and its name is something like European Grocer...anyone know???they have a wonderful selection of sausages, just the kind you're looking for...now,let's see if we can find out the name of the place..

WDC: Hi Kim,
A quick question: Can you recommend a good cookbook about breads?

Kim O'Donnel: Oh yeah. Anything by Beth Hensperger. She's good several titles...The Bread Bible, The Bread Machine book, Pleasure of Whole-Grain Breads, The Best Quick Breads...she's incredibly knowledgeable.

DC: Re green eggs and ham...very funny.

That's the last time I bear my soul to you people... -sob-

Kim O'Donnel: c'mon!

just back from Venice/Florence!: Hi!

quick foodie high:

GELATO. yum yum yum. My favorite is frutti di bosco. although Mango was really good, as was cioccolata of course. For those who are going to Florence soon, Vivoli's is closed until the end of January. drat!

I also had gnocchi with tartufo nero (never had truffles before). It was quite good!

and a bottle of brunello di montalcino, bought before my train ride to Florence, for 46K lire - about 22 bucks?

foodie low:

I was not bowled over by Venice's food at all. (but loved the city of course!) I had one good meal there, and perhaps the worst resto meal ever: I ordered lasagna al forno as a primo piatto - I SWEAR they used Velveeta as the cheese. not kidding. and it was lukewarm at best. really really bad.

there you have it! I can't wait to go back. I think a food course/class in Tuscany would be great, too.

Beth

Kim O'Donnel: si cara si...I understand, I dream the same dreams...by the way, for Italophiles, there's a new novel out called "La Cucina" by Lily Prior...it is set in Sicily and in Palermo...and it's like the Italian "Like Water for Chocolate"...a love story between a man and a woman and their passion for food...plus mafia intrigue and a lot of very strange characters. It's a wonderful read.

Mltv.,NJ: Kim - Love your chats!
I have bought some Leeks, please tell me how
to use them. Thank you.

Kim O'Donnel: Leeks first need to be cleaned really well...make sure you get all the grit out, underneath the first layer or so...they're wonderful braised, in some stock and served as a side to meats and fish...they're great in soup ie potato leek soup, they can be used in place of onions, for your foundation for soup...I love them stuffed in whole fish that's baked...leeks are loaded with chlorophyll and act as nautral vacuum cleaners sucking up all the guck that comes out in cooking...you can fry them...

Arlington, V: The meatless "crumble" is to be treated as if it's already browned! I can't imagine what you ended-up with.

PS: I too am a fan of the meatless stuff and often use the crumbles. They are best described as an "acquired" taste. I usually add them to other ground meats in order to get the benefits of soy.

Kim O'Donnel: Thanks V. I think though I'll lay off the stuff and experiment with other meatless alternatives.

maximum density: Kim, what are "meatless crumbles"? Does it come in a can?

Kim O'Donnel: They're frozen, come in a box.

re: the quiche problems: since quiches have so few ingredients, i think the difficulty the person encountered (filling not solidifying) were likely related to technique. i think the person should consider the following:

1. were the eggs well beaten and the mixture well mixed?
2. did you use the right amt. of liquid (cream, whole milk, etc. whatever the recipe called for)?
3. did you use ingredients (eg onions, vegetables) that may have exuded liquid during the cooking (the soln here is to saute the veg before mixing into the pie)?
4. did you use the right amt. of cheese? if fat-free or low-fat cheese, that might have caused a problem.
5. have you tested your oven with a thermometer to confirm that it runs hot?
6. did you use a dark pie pan? dark pans require about 25 degrees less temp

for quiches, go to the source (julia child). she has never steered me wrong.

the sour cream quiche sounds tasty and foolproof but it is not the std. quiche.

Kim O'Donnel: All very good tips. Sounds like you are a quichemeister. Thank you.

Germantown: Culinary high (in a way): My husband (then boyfriend) and I stayed over winter break in the college dorm. We were the only people in the entire building. The kitchen had been locked. We cooked for three weeks using only a coffee maker and an unreliable toaster oven. Food had to be stored in an itsy bitsy fridge. I must say, we amazed ourselves. We ate a lot of pasta and rice, but we still managed a fairly wide variety of tasty meals.

Kim O'Donnel: Sounds like a diet of love could sustain you for months! Cheers.

WDC: I have a few snafus in the kitchen, but the weirdest was the potato that exploded ALL OVER the iside of my oven! I poked lots of holes in it and while it was baking I was in the other room and I heard a loud bang. When I went into the kitchen to investigate, it had coated the interior of the oven in potato! I can't figure out why!

Kim O'Donnel: So it exploded, even after you pricked it...hmmm... anyone with thoughts?

washington, dc: My biggest cooking accomplishment this year was an engagement party for which I did the food for a friend.

We (my girlfriend and I) made:

mini sandwiches of puff pastry filled w/ crabmeat and a red pepper/chipotle mayo.

Endive leaves w/ chevre', toasted pine nuts and sprouts.

Dates wrapped in bacon.

Smoked salmon tuiles w/ creme fraiche (from the French Laundry)

apple slices with pate' or cheddar.

Squash tartlets w/ carmalized onion.

Crostini w/ eggplant caviar.

A lot of work, but a lot of satisfaction.

Kim O'Donnel: Very nice. What's next on your list, dear??

cooking disaster!: Hi Kim,

Cheers! Salut! Congratulations on a fabulous 2 years. Thanks for your good cheer. These discussions are always a blast and I've learned so much. i raise my glass to you whenever I make one of your smoothies. Okay, my disaster- my best friend and I volunteered to make gingerbread men for about 80 people. None of the recipes we found were that large so we settled on a yummy one from an old, old cookbook mom has and quadrupled the recipe. We did question the wisdom of quadrupling before we began, but sort of crossed our fingers and hoped for the best. I don't know if our math was wrong or one shouldn't x4 recipes, but we had the biggest, most inedible mess on our hands. At one point the dough was too liquidy so we added more flour. It then had too much flour so we added more liquid- this went on and on until we wasted so much flour and realized we weren't getting anywhere that we gave up. But we weren't about to go to school without something homemade- so we turned to an old favorite, (choc. chip cookies) and no one complained. And we learned to never again quadruple a recipe. Here's to many, many more years of this discussion. Long live the chowhounds!

Kim O'Donnel: Thanks for YOUR good cheer. Always a pleasure.

E. Falls Church: Hi Kim. I'm planning a special birthday meal for my hubby and for the entree, seared rare tuna, which we both love but I've never cooked! How should I prepare it? Marinade? (We like Asian flavors.) How long should I cook it? What are good side dishes? thanks!

Kim O'Donnel: Okay dear, here we go: Marinate for just 10 minutes or so. Do a little sesame oil, a little soy or fish sauce, some chopped fresh ginger, a squeeze of lime, even a touch of dijon mustard. Get your pan nice and hot (you need a little oil)...then throw on the steaks, let them get brown on one side, then using tongs, do the same for the other side. That's it. Serve with wilted spinach and garlic or some cucumbers salted with rice wine vinegar or some slices of mango...a touch of rice with sesame seeds or toasted cashews...enjoy.

Springfield, VA: Eggplant caviar? What is eggplant caviar? Does the fish eat the eggplant?

I'm confused.

Kim O'Donnel: Eggplant caviar is a play on words, Springfield. It's cooked eggplant, its flesh scooped out, passed through a sieve to get rid of seeds, make nice and smooth and seasoned with garlic, olive oil, salt, tomatoes sometimes...the key is to make it as smooth as possible...so that it feels lux like real caviar on the tongue.

Germantown: I know you hate mayo. I'm trying to watch fat intake and even though I like regular mayo, I hate the low fat version. In fact, most low-fat versions of anything are just plain tasteless. So instead of substituting low fat mayo, I'm trying to change all my recipes to get rid of the stuff entirely. A while ago, you posted a way to make chicken (or was it tuna?) salad without using mayo. Could you run it again for me? Thanks.

Kim O'Donnel: Tuna salad (or chicken) without mayo is da bomb. Use dijon mustard, some chopped onion, some fresh chopped parsely, a touch of olive oil. Mix, see how it tastes to you. You could even add some red wine vinegar. Some capers. Your call.

Leesburg, VA: Hi Kim. We have four pints of maple syrup in our cabinets, but truth be told, I just don't like pancakes without the Log Cabin syrup I was raised with. How can I put the "real stuff" to good use?

Kim O'Donnel: First, I think you should try, once more, for me, (humor me, please) pancakes WITH THE REAL THING. You might surprise yourself. If you're still attached to old ways, move on. Let's see...maple syrup is good in marinades, especially with things like spare ribs...makes for a nice caramely outside. Anyone else with thoughts?

LA, CA: Submitting very early, as time difference always throws me, so I read transcripts.

Can you settle this question between me and water-loving friend? Is herbal tea the same as drinking water (ie: 8 glasses of watter a day)? Decaf green tea? I just can't stomach that much plain water, but want to keep myself hydrated. Is all this herbal tea doing me a lick of good, or am I floating away for no good reason?

Thanks, and love the show, babe!

Kim O'Donnel: Hey LA, glad to have you here, whatever time it is...I don't know the answer to this with certainty. Drinking herbal tea is certainly good for you, and I would assume that what you're doing is a good Plan B if you can't get all that water down the hatch. We need to consult a nutritionist...

Anti-Mayo: Another alternative for tuna sandwiches w/out mayo-though it is not as low fat as Kim's recipe:

6 oz. tuna
4 oz. light plain cream cheese
dill, salt to taste

Try it and then you will understand.

Kim O'Donnel: Anything to move away from mayo is good in my book...

Bethesda, MD: Kim,
Used to live in France and last week's mushroom story has me craving chanterelles. Where can I find them around here?

Kim O'Donnel: Have you looked at Fresh Fields, Dean & Deluca, Sutton Place? Those would be my first places to explore...anyone else with thoughts?

Arlington, VA: Hi Kim,
Love your chats. Thanks for giving us all lots of inspiration and most importantly reminding us that life IS too short!
My question concerns affordable and easy to find and cook protein sources. My problem is that I can not digest beans (and believe me, I've tried) Does that just leave meat, yogurt, and cheese? Any other ideas?

Kim O'Donnel: Eggs, very high in protein, altho the yolks are high in cholesterol. You can increase number of whites to whole eggs or even try egg whites by themselves. Soy products...tofu, soybeans, things like veggie burgers, made with texturized protein...stay away from too much cheese, not really that high in protein, and it's loaded with fat...fish...

WDC-want-to-be cook:: Please answer this week...I fear it may be too late! Could you give the particulars (dates, times, location, and course titles) for your Cooking Basics classes? I hope it's not too late to join in.

Kim O'Donnel: It starts tomorow, 6:45-9, Arlington Fresh Fields, give Kathy Carroll over there a call...she did have an opening a few days ago.. we're also doing it in February...she'll send you an outline of topics to be covered. Hope to meet you.

quiche maker: I'm the one who complained last week about my quiche not setting up properly. Wow! Thanks to everyone last week and this week for all the excellent suggestions - you're the best!

After thinking it over, I believe I must have had extra-large eggs instead of more standard size. The receipe called simply for 4 eggs (plus 1 cup whole milk).

I am definitely going to try the quiche recipe listed today with the sour cream - I love to try different things.

My thanks to you all, and happy anniversary, Kim.

Kim O'Donnel: Also, bear in mind the tips from the very diligent chowhound...good luck, dear.

Copenhagen, Denmark: : First of all, Kim, congrats. I have been following the show today, from cold refreshing Copenhagen, and I notice it's filled with talk about eggs. Don't you think it's time we begin using less eggs, or no eggs, in these dishes? Personally, I believe we put too much fate in eggs. That apart, I find it useful to season the water for the pollenta with spices & chopped tomatoes.

Kim O'Donnel: Greetings Copenhagen....eggs shmeggs, polenta, shlmamenta, whatever blows your skirt up, is what I say...just make sure you're getting enough protein as you stir away over that pot of cornmeal!

Meatless Crumble Hater: Ugh, I tried to use the meatless stuff to replace beef for tacos once...once. Now that was awful. Unfortunatly I did it when we were having company. Not even my husband was polite enough to eat it. I guess there is a line between politeness and insanity. That was a culinary low that was even lower then setting my parents kitchen on fire. (The day that I proved Jewish girls SHOULD NOT cook bacon.)

Kim O'Donnel: This I love! The Jewish girl cooking bacon and setting it on fire! This could be a great sketch for Woody Allen's next movie...thanks for sharing your tidbits.

RE: polenta: Microwaving polenta really works! Take one cup of cornmeal, four cups of water, a bit o' salt, put it in on high and stir every six minutes until it's thick. (I whisk the first couple of times to make sure it isn't lumpy.)

It may not be authentic, but as far as I'm concerned, it beats stirring for 40 minutes straight. Plus, I can make my fab tomato-mushroom ragout while it's cooking.

Kim O'Donnel: Straight from the chowhound's mouth...

Bethesda: Hi Kim

For the herbal tea question...I'm pregnant, and my doctor told me that yes, it counts as water.

Cheers!

Kim O'Donnel: MOre on herbal tea/water subbing...

Maple Syrup: Other uses for maple syrup: Topping on ice cream, replace some of the sugar in an apple pie or pumpkin pie recipe with syrup - delicious! Baked Apples - stuff with raisins, cinnamon and maple syrup. Mmmmm

You're taking me back to my mis-spent youth in upstate NY where my Daddy boiled his own! THANK YOU!

Kim O'Donnel: the suggestions are rolling in...soon she won't have anymore stuff in the cupboards...

WDC: RE: use for Maple syrup.

This organic market in my hometown used to make excellent tofu which they sliced thinly, marinated in 2/3 tamari and 1/3 maple syrup and then baked until it was sort of crunchy around the edges.

They then made sanwiches with the bakes tofu slices and hummous on toasted multigrain bread. YUM! I am so not a tofu person, but this way it is REALLY good.

Kim O'Donnel: And more...this sounds very interesting....

wdc: Another no-mayo tuna option is with a nice chuncky salsa.

Congrats on hitting the two year mark!

Kim O'Donnel: another zesty mayo-less tuna idea...thanks!

Re protein sources: Isn't cottage cheese a good source? You're right that most cheese is high in fat, but I believe that there are lower fat versions of cottage cheese.

Kim O'Donnel: Yes, it's fairly substantial...thanks for reminding me...

re: protein: Nuts are high in protein, too and I've seen them (peanuts and cashews in particular), in a number of E. Asian foods.

Kim O'Donnel: Yes they are a good source in protein...just watch the old calories...a very small amount, like 1/4 cup is loaded with fat....just something to keep in mind.

SS-Butter: Hi Kim,

I purchased the book by Herbst - Food Lovers Companion (or something to that effect. It is great, so thanks for the recommendation!

I have 3-4 lbs of butter at my disposal (some is still frozen). What are some butter intense baked goods I can make? I want to get rid of it all!

Thanks,

SS :)

Kim O'Donnel: Butter cake...butter cookies...croissants...brioche...who's got other ideas?

Dupont Circ., WDC: Instead of a cooking disaster (too many blackeyed peas in a slow cooker with too little smoked ham - they were bland ugh!) I recently had a cooking coup. Candied sweet potatoes (cooked too many for this single chef) placed in the food processor with vanilla, cream and an egg - processed and poured into pie crusts. Sprinkled a little cinnamon on top and baked. My parents now think I am a baking fool. Kim, if I had tried and spent more than the three minutes I spent on them, these couldn't have turned out any better. Doesn't that amaze you guys that sometimes the things you don't sweat over turn out the greatest?

Got a flavor injector for Christmas and cooking a beef rib roast (boneless) to celebrate my divorce this weekend (Free at Last! Free At Last!). Ideas? (I'll stay tuned this week)

Kim f/k/a Meatloaf Girl

Kim O'Donnel: The pies sound heavenly, and I couldn't agree more, that the simplest things are often the best...now, let me understand the next part...what the hell is a flavor injector? This is a new one for me...

Farragut Street: For Germantown - A tasty chicken salad sans mayo. Shred cooked chicken fine, add cannelini beans, parsely, chopped red onion, chopped red pepper, chopped atricoke hearts, sliced black olives, bit of cooked orzo, olive oil, mustard and vinegar. On a crusty roll, in pita or with greans.

Kim O'Donnel: Thanks for adding on to the thread Farragut...

For maple-syrup surplus: Make a vinaigrette for your salads! It's my favorite dressing: use oil, some white wine or rice vinegar, spoonful of dijon and a tablespoon or so of maple syrup. Add some pecans to your salad and this is divine. I even have wilted some bitter greens and then splashed them with this: heaven!!!

Kim O'Donnel: Yes. Sounds delish.

alexandria: Kim, b/c of these chats, I went out and bought my first cast iron skillet! I can't wait for the day when it's finally seasoned! I'm trying not to scrub it, but after making cornbread in its inaugural use, it doesn't feel clean...is it ok to soak the thing in soap water?

Kim O'Donnel: Good for you, alexandria! SCrub it, don't soak it. Better to scrub than to let it sit in water and soap.

Arl, VA: Kim,

Congrats to you on this special day. Can all the foodies get together and fete you properly? We could all bring our favorite dish, crank some reggae, and chase away this cold winter day. My question- I just gave my sweetie a yogurt maker and he's making a batch right now. We're starting simple with a vanilla yogurt. What kind of sugar should we use to sweeten? The recipe book isn't clear but it doesn't sound like we should use plain granulated stuff? Any tips? Thanks so much for all your sage advice and good cheer!

Kim O'Donnel: Wow, wouldn't a party in real life be fun? Your forays into yogurt are quite admirable...there are lots of organic sugars out there now....and I'm thinking you want something that dissolves fairly easily...I'm thinking no to the plain granulated stuff...let me think on this one.

dc: re: meatless crumbles. I've had a lot of success with them in tacos, taco salads, pasta sauce, etc. There are a lot of different varieties to try (i like the green giant and morningstar farms packages). I am a vegetarian, so maybe I just don't know better than to like them, but i've even had enthusiastic carnivores enjoy them. Don't give up!!

Kim O'Donnel: Here's a crumbles survivor...thanks for chiming in...

Re maple syrup: I just went to epicurious.com and entered "maple" into the search field. I got 176 hits for cakes, chicken, salmon, pies...take a look! Something is bound to grab your attention.

Kim O'Donnel: More from the maple syrup mavens...

washington dc: Kim - I love these chats! here's my problem. I tried to make bisquits this past weekend & they didn't rise at all. the taste was pretty good, but they were about 1/2 thick. This was the first time I have tried to cut butter into the flour/baking powder mix. i used 2 knives to cut the butter into smaller & smaller pieces while coating the pieces with the flour (as per the directions in The Joy of Cooking). is there a better was to do this? or could there be another reason they didn't rise? thanks for any advice you or the other chowhounds may have!

Kim O'Donnel: How old is your baking powder? Check the expiration date...also do you keep it in the fridge...helps with its lifespan....

Gaithersburg, MD: Kim, First time submitting a question. Any suggestions on types of baking sheets to use. everytime we bake cookies or bread it burns. I currently have ones Bakers Secret.
thanks !!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Kim O'Donnel: buy yourself some parchment paper...and you will be amazed at the difference.

Baker Girl, Arlington, VA: Shoppers sells a marinade called Mojo that is absolutely incredible with tuna, chicken, fish, etc. It's made w/citrus, pepper and garlic and is low in calories w/almost no sugar. (lots of marinades are loaded with sugar) I could practically drink the stuff out of the bottle.

Tip - we like to freeze boneless chicken breasts in individual Ziploc bags w/marinade. As they defrost in the fridge, they marinate and are ready for cooking when you get home.

Kim O'Donnel: Thanks Baker Girl, fun tips!

va: Yes, I love the meatless crumbles, too. (green giant is the only brand I've tried) They are really good in chili.

Kim O'Donnel: Crumbles support group is forming, I can see it now...

DC: Kim,
I made a big batch of bolognese (sp?) spaghetti sauce and after it cooled down, I put half of it in the freezer for next time. How long can it stay in the freezer and not go bad?

Kim O'Donnel: Use it in a couple of weeks, dear. Don't let it go too long, but I'm super paranoid about keeping stuff frozen...

Farragut Street: Can we get yogurt maker together with maple syrup surplus? Add a little granola - yum.

Kim O'Donnel: Excellent idea. The world would be a better place, I'm sure.

true disaster: This one has to win the prize. In college my roommate's sister made several failed batches on cookies. No one could figure out why until they inspected her ingredients.

They always stored their flour in Schwan's ice cream containers. Well, that is also where her mother stored the extra plaster for remodeling the kitchen. mmmmmmm

Kim O'Donnel: This is classic! I love it. We must think of a prize.

Farragut Street: For Surplus Foods -

Maple Syrup - check epicurious for maple cheesecake.

Butter - A personal fave - pound cake with lemon curd. But you'll have to invest in some eggs!

Kim O'Donnel: Tips galore from the gang...

food high point: That's gotta be a romantic dinner I made for my BF on Sunday. Lots of latin foods, a lovely merlot, and capped with cheesecake made from scratch. He even helped cook and clean up! You could just taste the love in every bite!!

Keep up the great chats and happy anniversary!!

Kim O'Donnel: Wonderful story, dear. Keep the love alive, keep the fires burning!

Food highs:: Actually I have two: one is late August, sitting on a floating dock in Broome's Island, MD, on the Pax River, eating crabcakes and drinking cold ones with my hubby and my parents. Bliss!

Second is a European-style picnic while camping with the extended family in the mountains: sitting lakeside, after canoeing, noshing on some italian cured sausages, brie cheese, cold grapes and cheez-it crackers (cound't get too gourmet, we were in rural Virginia, you know!)
Sigh....I long for summer!

Kim O'Donnel: I love it when our memories take us to other places...thanks for this.

Chevy Chase: I think my food disaster was something so simple as hard boiled eggs. It was my first time and I must have misjudged the time and when I went to open one up, the hot yolk splattered all over me and the wall. The walls cleaned up fine though I had to chuck the shirt and the kitchen smelled something awful.

Suffice it so say, I've learned.

Thanks!

Kim O'Donnel: The egg disaster stories keep rolling in...eggs are really tricky. The best treatment on the subject is in Harold McGee's "On Food and Cooking" which explains the science behind egg cookery. In cooking school, we had to cook eggs 10 different ways one day. I was gagging by the end of the day, but it helped me understand what tricky beasts they are when cooking, making sauces, especially.

Fairfax: Hola. Made some chocolate dipped cookies over the holidays and I think I'm doing something wrong in tempering my chocolate. Chocolate melts on contact with a finger or hand. Isn't tempering supposed to prevent that?

Melting 2/3 of the chocolate in double boiler. Take off heat and add remaining 1/3 (finely chopped) and mix until melted and smooth. what am i missing? I know there are machines out there that will auto-temper, but I don't bake often enough to make that worthwhile.

thanks for any suggestions.

Kim O'Donnel: You need a thermometer to keep an eye...perfect temp for tempering chocolate is...where is it...I have the nubmer here...I promise I'll get you the temp...plus don't stir! Let it be.

chapel hill, nc: I never have trouble using up butter:

Pound cake (uses up eggs, too)
Puff pastry - Julia Child's demi-feuillete (sp?) is a great recipe - takes a long time from start to finish, but most of that is resting in the fridge - can be done over a couple of evenings, with only a few minutes of work per night

Lots of yummy coffee cakes
Cookies
Butter cream icing

Saute'd anything
Fresh baked bread an butter.

Re: polenta - Fine cooking had a recipe for polenta in the oven - 1c polenta, 3-6 cups of water, depending what texture you want, some salt and a little bit of butter (!) - bake at 350 degrees, stirring occasionally. Looks like hell for the first 30 minutes, then comes together beautifully.

Kim O'Donnel: All good suggestions for the butter-endowed...

arlington,va: culinary low: I was making Christmas cookies and while zesting some orange I cut my finger. After tending to my injury I returned to the batter. I piped the cookies out and within 5 min of being in the oven they were like water ...a mess everywhere! With cutting my finger I forgot ALL the flour!!

HIGH: MY Thanksgiving Dinner was excellent this year!!

Thanks for the chats. Love 'em!!

Kim O'Donnel: More highs and lows, more lessons learned, more skills gained...

smoothie tip: You are always sharing great smoothie recipes and tips, so I thought I'd share my favorite one.

When I am making a smoothie with strawberries I always use whole, frozen. Takes the place of ice. Yum!

Kim O'Donnel: Yes, frozen fruit is great as an ice substitute...cheers.

Lincoln NE: Big culinary high...got some wonderful olive oil, infused it with rosemary and garlic in antique bottles. Then made a couple of loafs of crusty Italian bread on my new baking stone, wrapped it all up in a basket trimmed with ribbons, and gave to my sisters for the holidays. One admitted the entire loaf was gone while watching "Bells of St. Mary's" Christmas night!
Kitchen disaster...making and decorating sugar cookies with a two year old! Probably the most fun I've had in the kitchen, we made tons of frosted, sugared, cinnamoned, etc.etc cookies--but two year olds need naps after baking and don't clean up the kitchen. Probably took about an hour to get the water-flour paste and sugar-water glaze off the counters, floor, chairs, clothes, you know. But what joy to make the mess!

Kim O'Donnel: More stories from the 'hounds...thanks Lincoln.

DC: My biggest flop and success this past year are the same--risotto.

I bought the cookbook from my fave restaurant where the risotto is divine. I followed the recipe religiously, but the result was gooey and gross--not enough liquid. I kept cooking until the rice was tender and the result was glop.

I tried again but stopped when the mixture was the right consistency--but the rice was still crunchy.

This went on a for a few more tries, and I was frustrated beyond belief. I'm a pretty good cook and I don't usually have problems with recipes.

I finally chucked the recipe and just started chopping, sauteing, cooking, and adding liquid until it seemed right. Success! Risotto is now my fail-safe dish for company.

Kim O'Donnel: See what happens when you go on your instincts and take your nose out of the recipe? Always trust your instincts. Kudos for finding the way, DC.

Alexandria: Hi Kim

Congrats on the anniversary! Inquiring minds want to know...what's your number-one, absolute, all-time favorite thing to cook? Is there one creation that brings you more joy and happy karma than any other?

Kim O'Donnel: This might be a good way to end the celebration...I don't have a number one, all-time favorite, but many. The things that bring me most joy are the simplest -- the juicy drippiness of a mango; the contrast of the flesh of a plum against its deep purple skin; the way olive oil feels on my lips, a grilled cheese sandwich; a whole head of roasted garlic; a seared steak topped with fresh arugula...and more importantly, I love to cook for others. May sound trite, but it brings me pleasure more than anything else. I just cooked for about 30 last month, and it's the kind of thing that keeps me smiling for days afterward...to see people understand your objectives, pairing ingredients, how to achieve the consistency of a cake, etc...that's what brings me joy. And of course, to teach you. I am literally buzzing after I finish my weekly program and I think intensely about the issues that have been covered...you guys are my lifeline in many respects and I am a better cook because of you. Mille grazie, mwaa mwaa! See you next week. Ciao.

Sticks, Mt. AIry: Temperted chocolate about 86 degrees, slightly cooler than your lower lip. Jacque Torres book has great Chocolate info for beginners.

Kim O'Donnel: one more for the road. Sticks, thank you!