Poached pear brioche French toast from Nana in the Bridgeport neighborhood

Poached pear brioche French toast from Nana in the Bridgeport neighborhood (Reid Compton/Chicago Tribune)

Here are edited excerpts from our most recent online chat:

Q. We'd like to liven up French toast without adding something fattening, like half-and-half. What should we try besides cinnamon or vanilla? We already experiment with different breads and different toppings but would like to get some sort of additional new taste in the batter — the kind that makes people go, "Wow, I don't know what you put in this, but I love it!"

A. Try adding a little Grand Marnier to your French toast soaking liquid. It's amazing how much flavor a tablespoon or two will bring.

_ Stephanie Witt Sedgwick


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Q. What is the purpose of cream in a Bolognese sauce? Does it just add richness, or does it help to thicken, or something else? Is there an alternative? I hate buying a container of cream only to use a little bit and then throw the rest out. I would also rather leave out those calories if I can.

A. I think whole milk, not cream, is the usual way to go. It's not even a great amount of milk, at that. And I've seen plenty of recipes that call themselves Bolognese and skip the dairy. So that solves your problem, right? According to an Italian chefs' Web site, the introduction of dairy may originally have helped tenderize the meat in the sauce; added at the end of cooking, it lends a bit of sweetness. And you'll notice that there's not a lot of tomato in a true Bolognese recipe; the milk might have been used because it was a more prevalent ingredient.

We like a version from the Canal House kitchen goddesses; go to http://www.washingtonpost.com/recipes and search for "Ragu Bolognese."

_ Bonnie S. Benwick


Q. I bought a beef tenderloin about a year ago; it went straight into the freezer and has been languishing there ever since. Am I doomed to throw it out, or can I still (finally) do something with it?

A. A year is about the limit for beef, and because of that, we'll run you through the diagnostics: How's the color? Any freezer burn? If it was well wrapped and survives a thaw in the fridge, there's no need to toss it.

_ B.S.B.


Q. Many recipes call for red onions, presumably because they are milder. But I have never once had a red onion that was not unpleasantly bitter. Right now I have a bowlful of pico de gallo that is going to be fed to the garbage disposal because the onion killed it. Is there something I'm missing about selection, or should I just give up and chop a shallot or a vidalia instead?

A. I love red onions and their piquant, aromatic qualities. But I understand that an onion's bitterness is not for everyone. The great food scientist Harold McGee has this suggestion: "Chopped alliums to be eaten raw — as a garnish or in an uncooked sauce — are best rinsed to remove all the sulfur compounds from the damaged surfaces, since these tend to become harsher with time and exposure to the air." Give that a try next time, perhaps, when a recipe calls for red onion.

_ Tim Carman


Q. I'm trying to be better about planning meals through the week, so I don't get home late and scramble for ingredients and end up cooking the same old standbys. I've never really done it, though, and I'm struggling with the mechanics of it. It's me and a vegetarian live-in boyfriend, so we eat a lot of beans and grains for main courses. How do people do this? Do we just sit down on a Sunday afternoon and plot the week?

A. Yes, planning is key. That's pretty much what my husband and I do. Sometimes we bellyache over having to think ahead for the week, especially when we just want to blob out on the couch over the weekend, but it pays off. Sit down, plan the menu and do your shopping. Maybe even do some cooking! We've gotten in the habit of doing that, and it makes weeknights so much better. Our preferred make-aheads include soup, bean burritos and dal.