Column from April 16, 2009

Cooking with the stars

When I was a little girl, I loved to watch western movies.
In fact, the one school night I was allowed to stay up late was when Gunsmoke was on TV. I don’t think there is an episode I missed.
In fact, unlike the song says, Matt Dillon did, indeed, ask Miss Kitty to marry him. She turned him down.
Another favorite was The Rifleman. I met Chuck Connors when I was a teen-ager. He was the guest of honor at an American Soap Box Derby parade in Akron, Ohio, where I grew up.
When he fired off his Winchester, it sounded just like the famous opening of that series.
I still enjoy a good western, except now I see the humor in them. Fights break out and no one gets seriously injured, even though they get hit over the head with a bar stool or fly through a window.
And a six-shooter can fire off dozens of rounds before needing to be reloaded.
Imagine how excited I was several years ago to find the cookbook “The All-American Cowboy Grill.”
This book contains recipes from many of the legends of western cinema. The recipes are highlighted by snippets of information about the stars and the roles they portrayed.
Although some of the actors were gone by 2005, when the book was published, family members generously contributed their recipes.
It’s really a fun book and I truly enjoy browsing the pages.
Now, each time I watch a video or DVD of one of those old films, I can also refer to one of my favorite cookbooks.
Most of the recipes are prepared on the grill and with warm weather just around the corner, it’s a good time to think about outdoor cooking.
At our house, my son is the master chef of the grill. He is quite creative and always puts on a good meal.
This is one of the recipes The Rifleman contributed to this great book.

Branded chuck roast

1 (3-pound) chuck roast, 1-1/2 to 2 inches thick
1 teaspoon Accent
1/3 cup wine vinegar
1/4 cup ketchup
2 tablespoons cooking oil
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon prepared mustard
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

Sprinkle both sides of roast with the Accent. Place in a shallow baking dish. In a bowl, thoroughly combine the vinegar, ketchup, oil, soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, mustard, salt, pepper and garlic powder. Pour the mixture over the roast and marinate for 2 to 3 hours, turning once or twice. Place the roast on the grill and cook about six inches from the heat. Turn the roast and baste with marinade every 10 to 15 minutes. Cook for a total of 35 to 40 minutes for a medium-rare roast or until desired doneness.
Note: This dish can also be prepared in the broiler.
Makes 6 to 8 servings.