Which TV personalities (recent or past) have you seen prepare a meal and
thought, "That's interesting. I wonder..." and gone off to put the meal
together?

For me, there are several that have inspired me and since become part of our
menu rotation, or go-to meals.

One was Jacque Pepin's "country" dressing. It's rather simple but one of the
most requested items I make. 1cup heavy cream; whipped into standing peaks.
Add in 2 Tbs. red wine vinegar, 1 clove crushed garlic, salt and pepper to
taste, folding ingredients in slowly with spatula. Adjust vinegar to
preferred strength. It's easy to collapse the whipping cream so beware
adding the vinegar.

Others were Nick Stellino's "Chicken Paprikash," "40 Clove Garlic Chicken,"
and "Pot Roast with Marsala." The daughter-units love the dumplings in the
paprikash dish. The 40 clove garlic chicken isn't garlicy at all, and the
carmelizing softens the sharpness of that dish. The pot roast is so easy
it'll surprise you.

CHICKEN PAPRIKASH

INGREDIENTS:
3 eggs, beaten
1/2 cup water
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons salt

1/4 cup butter, unsalted
1 1/2 lb chicken, skin-on breasts work best
1 onion, medium, chopped
1 1/2 cups water
3 TBS Hungarian smoked paprika
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. black pepper
2 TBS all-purpose flour
1 cup sour cream or creme friche

METHOD:
In a large bowl, mix together the eggs, 2 teaspoons of salt, and 1/2 cup
of water. Stir in flour. In a pot of boiling water, spoon dumpling mixture
in and cook. Dumplings will be finished cooking when they float to the top.
Lift them from the water and drain.
With a large skillet set to medium-high heat, melt butter and add
chicken; cook until lightly browned, turning once. Add onion to skillet and
cook 5 to 8 minutes more. Pour in 1 1/2 cups of water, and season with
paprika, salt, and pepper; cook 10 minutes more, or until chicken is cooked
through and juices run clear. Remove chicken from skillet and keep warm.
Mix remaining flour into cream and slowly stir into skillet. Have cream
mix softly boil, being sure to stir constantly; cook until thickened.
Serve immediately.

POT ROAST WITH MARSALA (Agglasso di Marsala)
Serves 4-6

Ingredients
3 to 3-1/2 lb boneless beef pot roast, tied
4 tsp. salt, divided
1 tsp. pepper
3 TBS all-purpose flour
3 TBS extra-light olive oil
7 TBS extra-virgin olive oil
3 lb yellow onions, peeled and sliced
2 bay leaves
3/4 tsp. red pepper flakes
3/4 tsp. dried thyme
2 TBS. chopped fresh parsley
2 TBS. chopped fresh basil
1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary
4 cups dry Marsala wine
6 cups beef broth
1/2 lb Gorgonzola or blue cheese, cut in pieces (optional)

METHOD:
Pat the roast dry with a paper towel. Sprinkle with 2 teaspoons of
salt, the pepper and the flour, shaking off the excess. In a large nonstick
pan, heat the extra-light olive oil for about 2 to 3 minutes or until it is
very hot. Add the roast and brown well on all sides. Transfer the meat to a
baking dish and set aside.
In a large stockpot, heat the extra-virgin olive oil over medium heat
for about 2 minutes. Add the onions, bay leaves, red pepper flakes, dried
thyme, parsley, basil, rosemary and remaining 2 teaspoons of salt. Cook,
stirring well, for about 8 to 10 minutes until the onions are soft. Increase
the heat to high, add the Marsala wine, and bring to a boil, stirring well
to dislodge the brown bits at the bottom of ?the pot. Cook for 5 to 8
minutes or until the liquid has reduced by half. Add the roast, the juices
that have accumulated in the pan and the beef broth, and bring to a boil.
Reduce the heat and simmer for 1 hour and 35 minutes, turning the meat every
15 minutes, stirring to prevent the contents from sticking to the bottom of
the pot.
Transfer the meat to a cutting board and cover with foil. Remove the
bay leaves from the sauce and bring to a boil. Decrease the heat to
medium-high and cook, stirring well, for 30 minutes. If you like a thicker
sauce, cook it longer. If you prefer a smoother sauce, purée the thickened
sauce in batches in a food processor.
To serve, slice the roast and gently reheat in the sauce over
medium-low heat. Place on a large platter and top with some of the sauce.
Serve the extra sauce on the side.
Optional: If you like, add the Gorgonzola or blue cheese to the sauce
before you heat the meat, and stir well until it has completely melted into
the sauce.

The Ranger