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Chef2Chef Recipe Club - Volume 5 Issue 87 - October 28, 2003 Chef2Chef Recipe Club Member Forum: http://forums.chef2chef.net -------------------------------------------------- Hello Recipe Club, For more than a decade, Kent Rollins has described life on the range through poetry and storytelling. This working cowboy first began preserving the rich history of the old west with his business Red River Ranch Chuckwagon, by catering traditional western meals at company picnics, weddings and other gatherings. Large groups are no problem - Kent has fed as many as 500 and can whip up 600 biscuits at a time. "Believe me, after a person's unloaded all that cast iron, you're kinda pleased to stay a while." If you ask him to feed two or three, though, you might get a different reaction. "I ain't never cooked for just three people before" he told a TV producer who asked him to feed his crew. Kent's culinary bent traces back to childhood. "Back when I was a kid, everybody'd be up at 5:30am feedin' calves. I found out pretty quick it was a whole lot easier to stay in the house with Mom and cook!" "Cowboy poetry was a way for me to tie cooking and entertaining together. I share the old stories and let people know what went on in the 1880s so they can see life wasn't really like what they've seen on the silver screen." Though Red River Ranch is a well-known name on the cowboy gathering circuit, Kent is most proud of his experience with large working ranches. "Very few wagon chefs actually cook on ranches and I can honestly say I do." Though a fading tradition, some spreads still rely on "Cookie" to feed their cowboys come penning time. "It's hard and demanding work, but it gives me a sense of accomplishment that I actually did it." Authenticity, as well as excellent food, is important to Kent, who wishes to re-create and share the experience of Oklahoma's western heritage. "I never wanted to be great, I just wanted to like what I was doing." Clearly this cowboy is doing just that. Kent's poetry, cooking, and cowboy-ing were recently featured in a PBS Gallery documentary, It Ain't Shakespeare. In his work, Kent Rollins is often the only human observing the magic of the early morning from his camp, and he is a skilled photographer who records cowboys' work. His photographs and poems can also be seen on his website http://www.kentrollins.com/index.html Note from Chef Dave: If you'd like an opportunity to win a copy of Kent's cookbooks, send me your email address and I'll notify you if you have won. I have two copies to give away. Send your email address to me using this link: http://chef2chef.net/contacts/mail/mail-dn.html -------------------------------------------------- Hot Stuff! ForBurns.com If you're near a campfire, you're near a potential accident. Have on hand what Chuckwagon chefs, firefighters, emergency responders, our U.S. Armed Forces and Professional Chefs use for treating their burns - - -Water-Jel and Burn-Jel Emergency Burn Care Products. They cool the burn, prevent infection and stop the pain. You can order an introductory package for just $7.95 plus $2.00 shipping and handling by going to http://html.chef2chef.net/goto.php?id=349 or calling 1-800-645-6789. Our website gives you all the information you need - make the choice of professionals today! Be prepared. -------------------------------------------------- Cast Iron "There are no set temperatures for cooking in cast iron. Times will vary according to the wind, the kind of wood you are using, and the humidity. Different woods make different temperatures and some last longer than others. This is where practice comes in handy. To be a successful Dutch Oven cooking just requires three things: Practice, Practice and more Practice." Kent Rollins from his cookbook:- Chuckwagon Cooking - from The Red River Ranch. Two types of Cast Iron Ovens are used by Cooks: The "Dutch Oven," distinguished by a rounded top, flat bottom with no legs; and the "Camp Oven," which has a flat lid with a lip around the edge and a flat bottom with three legs. While there have been a number of cast iron manufacturers over the years, today, there is only one U.S. manufacture - Lodge Manufacturing. They have survived the test of time, a tribute to their family management and the quality of their products. I use and highly recommend, Lodge Dutch Ovens. Founded In 1896 by Joseph Lodge in a tiny town along the banks of the Tennessee River, Lodge is America's oldest family-owned cookware manufacturer. Their website features not only the Lodge Product line, but details on how to care for your cast iron (VERY IMPORTANT), a schedule on Dutch Oven Festivals and Cook-Offs, recipes and information on Dutch Oven Societies around the world. http://www.lodgemfg.com -------------------------------------------------- Meat Loaf 1-1/2 lbs. hamburger meat 1/2 cup cracker crumbs 1/3 cup chopped green pepper 1/4 tsp. pepper 1-1/2 cups cubed cheddar cheese 3/4 cup milk 1/2 cup chopped onion 1 tsp. celery salt 1 tsp. salt 2 beaten eggs Mix all the ingredients well and shape into a loaf. Put into loaf pan or 10 inch Dutch oven. Cook slowly with coals on top and bottom or cook in an oven at 350 for about 1 hour and 15 minutes. -------------------------------------------------- Honey Mustard Chicken - a Bandana Bandito Gourmet Collection Series taste treat! Bandana Bandito's new Gourmet Collection Series products have spawned a clutch of new recipes that take San Antonio taste to a new level. At the top of the list is David Nelson's Honey Mustard Chicken - a melt-in-the-mouth concoction using Bandana Bandito's new Sweet Mustard Marinade. Click here to get Honey Mustard Chicken, plus a bonus recipe now. http://www.bandito.com/c2c_recipe_oct.html Only available to Chef2Chef Newsletter subscribers. Bandana Bandito's Gourmet Collection Series, including Sweet Mustard Marinade, Strawberry Chipotle Sauce, South Texas Creole Sauce, and 6 other Tex/Mex tastes are available in singles, cases or gift sets from the Bandana Bandito. http://www.bandito.com/c2c_recipe_oct.html or call 800.880.5938 for more info. -------------------------------------------------- Mashed Potato Casserole 1-1/2 cups of mashed potatoes 1/2 tsp. onion salt 1/2 cup of shredded cheese 1/2 cup sour cream 1 beaten egg Combine all the ingredients except the grated cheese, pour into a slightly greased 12 or 14 inch Dutch oven or casserole dish. Top with the grated cheese and cook in a preheated oven for about 15 minutes at 350. -------------------------------------------------- Signature Secret A "signature" dish shows off a chef's or restaurant's creativity - an item worthy of bearing the name of the creator. In the same tradition, Signature Secrets culinary thickener provides the very best in thickening - speed, versatility, stability, appearance and taste - in hot or cold preparations. That's correct. You do not even have to cook Signature Secrets culinary thickener. It delivers smooth, appealing, lump-free textures in soups and sauces, gravies, dressings, and desserts. And they'll stay that way in and out of the freezer or refrigerator, saving you time and energy. This product is now available for the home cook, personal chef or caterer at our online store. Click Here http://html.chef2chef.net/goto.php?id=205 -------------------------------------------------- Hominy Casserole 3-cups drained hominy 1-can chopped green chilies 11/2 cups sour cream 1-cup grated cheese Mix all the ingredients together and pour into a 12 inch Dutch oven or a casserole dish in the oven for 30 minutes at 325 degrees. -------------------------------------------------- QUESTIONS, Comments, Technical Support: http://forums.chef2chef.net |