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Red River Ranch Chef Partners with AFR

Kent Rollins with his wife and partner, Shannon Rollins. Rollins photo

Television celebrity and Oklahoma native Kent Rollins is AFR’s latest partner in helping improve the lives of rural Oklahoma.

Rollins was a guest speaker and caterer at the annual Agrifest Farm & Ranch Forum in Enid hosted by AFR’s LEAD program. The event also featured a panel discussion of SQ777, Right to Farm, which will be on the general election ballot in November. 

Rollins is an acclaimed chuck wagon cook and has made numerous television appearances including PBS, QVC, Food Network’s Throwdown with Bobby Flay, Chopped Grill Masters and Chopped Redemption, NBC’s Food Fighters and most recently the CBS Sunday Morning. His popular recipe and story contributions can also be enjoyed each month in Western Horseman Magazine. 

Rollins was raised in Hollis, Okla., near the banks of the Red River. He grew up around the cattle business helping his dad and later managing a cow/calf operation. Rollins credits his cooking to his mother. 

My mother taught us to clean, cook or sew and I didn’t much like to sew. Although I was the youngest and therefore did a lot of cleaning, cooking has always been my passion.

Kent Rollins

 With a restored 1876 Studebaker wagon, Kent and his wife Shannon travel across the country catering for weddings, corporate events and heritage festivals while preserving a part of America’s history. 

I get to do what I love with the woman I love. I am married to my best friend who also happens to be my boss, it is the best of both worlds.

Kent Rollins
  Along with “slingin’ hash,” Rollins has become pretty good at “slingin’ bull.” Through poetry and storytelling, Rollins describes life on the trail and the mishaps that can occur growing up with two older brothers as cowboys. While Rollins father was going through cancer treatment, he couldn’t put his feelings into words, so he started writing cowboy poetry. Some friends and family read his work and thought it was something he should pursue. Now he mostly writes stories and entertains around the country. Below is a featured recipe from Rollins for you to try in your home this winter.       
Rollins is an acclaimed chuck wagon cook and has made numerous television appearances including PBS, QVC, Food Network’s Throwdown with Bobby Flay, Chopped Grill Masters and Chopped Redemption and more. Rollins photo

Raspberry Apple Crumble

Prep Time:  10 minutes

Total Time: 50 minutes

Makes 6 - 8 servings

Ingredients

  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • ¾ cup sugar
  • ¼ cup light brown sugar
  • 1 stick butter, softened
  • 4 sweet apples, peeled, cored and sliced
  • 1 (3 oz.) package raspberry Jell-O
  • Vanilla ice cream for serving (optional)

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. with a rack in the middle. Butter a 9 x 13-inch baking pan.
  2. In a medium bowl, combine the flour, sugar and brown sugar. Cut in the butter with a fork until crumbly.
  3. Place the apples in the pan. Sprinkle the Jell-O packet evenly over the apples. Then sprinkle with the crumble mixture.
  4. Bake for about 40 minutes, or until bubbling slightly around the edges and the crumble begins to brown. Serve warm alone or as a warm topping over vanilla ice cream.

*Excerpt from A Taste of Cowboy by Kent and Shannon Rollins, published Houghton Mifflin Harcourt 2015.