Enjoy food that will feed a cowboy crew, a family or group of friends with this new cookbook from chuckwagon cooks Kent and Shannon Rollins.
“My mother used to say, ‘It’s not the legs around the table that hold it up, but the family gathered at it.’ ” —Kent Rollins, from Faith, Family & the Feast: Recipes to Feed Your Crew from the Grill, Garden, and Iron Skillet
Cooks and cowboys will no doubt recognize Kent and Shannon Rollins as masters of chuckwagon recipes. In their new book, Faith, Family & the Feast, the couple focuses on homestyle foods that are meant to bring families and friends together.
In his introduction, Kent Rollins writes of childhood memories and the desire to get back to a time when faith and togetherness were forces that held families together. Food was a big part of that, and continues to be whether at home or out on the ranch.
A typical day begins with breakfast and a blessing, and that’s where the book starts. From Cowboy Eggs Benedict to Pumpkin Pie Pancakes, there is a recipe that will appeal to everyone’s tastes. There are chapters on appetizers; soups, salads and breads; vegetables and side dishes; grilling; and beef, pork, fish and chicken.
The recipes lean toward hearty fare that can be served at a casual gathering or in a more formal setting. Main courses include The Perfect 10-Minute Beef Filet, Crispy Chiles Rellenos and Rosemary-Baked Trout. But there are plenty of delicious snacks, appetizers and side dishes (Paniolo Pineapple Pepper Poppers, anyone?) that will entice even the pickiest eater. And while some of the recipes are designed to be cooked on a chuckwagon or in a Dutch oven, most are adapted for a cook who prefers an oven or stovetop.
The recipes are interspersed with stories by Kent that are both touching and humorous, and Shannon’s photography showcases the recipes and the couple’s way of life. They cook for a living, but clearly they see that delicious, creative and comforting food is the best way to celebrate faith and family wherever you are—and, quite simply, to make people happy.
