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The Unorthodox Epicure — A new New Year’s tradition?
There are a few New Year’s traditions that I’ve just never been able to stomach: watching a ball being lowered, resolutions and black eyed peas. In fact, I’ve long despised black-eyed peas about as...
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The RV Chronicles — More than 800 miles I roamed…
It’s over. For the past couple of weeks I slept within the warm roomy confines of a brick and mortar structure. I cooked on a professional-grade range surrounded by granite and graced with a travertine...
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The Unorthodox Epicure — Cheese Manicotti w/ Béchamel & Marinara
Stuffed Manicotti is one of those dishes that brings old memories to my forefront. I can count on one hand how many times my father served this dish during my childhood. I enjoyed it every time. So did...
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The RV Chronicles — The ‘Jimmy Rockford’ is no place for a Super Bowl party
A quick jaunt around the loop of my RV park reveals a few telling details to those who are paying attention. But the most glaring particular is the one lot that doesn’t have a satellite receiver dish...
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The RV Chronicles — My dinner is better than their dinner
One of the cool things about living in an RV park is you know what everyone is having for dinner. The popular grub around here is spaghetti and meatballs, macaroni and cheese and just about anything...
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The RV Chronicles — How Southern am I? Well, let me tell you!
You know her as Shea Goldstein of Dixie Chik Cooks. I know her as the person who lives 4 latitudinal degrees north of me and still has the audacity to claim that she’s more Southern. Perhaps my 16...
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The RV Chronicles — Rarefied fare at the ‘Jimmy Rockford’
For every 20 recipe attempts, I might accidentally create something worthy of repeating. To realize a dish worthy of shouting from the rooftops is a one-in-a-thousand thing. The odds are even more...
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The RV Chronicles — Cooking like there’s a blizzard
Over the past week or so, I’ve seen enough images of snow-covered roads, streets and houses to last a lifetime. Fortunately, I was able to view them from the 60-something degree comfort here in the...
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The RV Chronicles — Valentine’s Day 2016: The ‘Jimmy Rockford’ year
If you are one of my 16 loyal readers, you know that I’ve been living in an RV (named the ‘Jimmy Rockford’) near the Galveston Bay since August, 2015. I came here for a job while the love of my life...
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The RV Chronicles —Happy as a clam at high water
It’s been said that absence makes the heart grow fonder and my heart is living proof. This past weekend was my favorite yet at the Jimmy Rockford, because my beautiful bride was able to make the trek...
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The RV Chronicles — Serving up some sunshine
It’s been more than four years since I first sang the praises in these pages of school cafeteria employees. I was reminded earlier this week why I’m such a fan. Did you know that school food service...
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The RV Chronicles — Ain’t no wall around the ‘Jimmy Rockford’
My relationship with food always seems to change when I travel. Though my intentions are to branch out, I tend to return home with a strong craving for the basics. It happened again this past week...
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The RV Chronicles — A mushroom-Swiss burger for the ages
Fine. So, the burger doesn’t deserve the credit here. But it is a damn good burger. And that’s because I broke the rules. Your typical mushroom-Swiss burger is built with the cheese beneath the meat...
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The RV Chronicles — Still eating our veggies at the ‘Jimmy Rockford’
In the interest of full disclosure, I love asparagus. You can serve them to me from a freezer bag, can or jar and I’m yours. I’ll slurp a cream of asparagus soup until the cows come home. And pickled?...
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The Unorthodox Epicure — Nashville Hot Chicken Meatballs
Fine, so I didn’t make this batch as hot as I would’ve preferred. But such is necessary during a brief trip back to my brick and mortar home on Chestnut Lane. I was summoned from the Jimmy Rockford...
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The RV Chronicles — Roasted Broccolini w/ Sun Dried Tomato Pesto
No. That’s not bacon in the photo. Sorry. Sure, bacon would be an excellent addition to roasted broccolini, but my version is as clean (and vegan) as the wind-driven snow. Besides, bacon gets its share...
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The RV Chronicles — Eating takeout from my tiny kitchen (Recipe: Chinese...
Let’s one thing straight. Those recipes scattered across the Internet that claim to be ‘better than Chinese takeout?’ Well, they’re mostly full of it. There are a few key factors when it comes to...
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The RV Chronicles — Carnitas Tacos w/ Chile de Arbol Salsa
Redux. In the culinary world, it’s a fancy word for leftovers. And there’s a lot of redux going on at the Jimmy Rockford because of our limited space. The beauty of carnitas and chile de arbol salsa...
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The RV Chronicles — Stained silk and happy tears (Recipe: Fiery Jalapeno Relish)
Most people would chalk up a chili-stained silk shirt as an unfortunate incident. When said blotch comes two bites prior to a glob of mustard to the pants, it becomes a bad lunch. But not for me. After...
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The RV Chronicles — Coconut Braised Beef Short Rib Tacos
Some time between 2000 and 2002, I was eating at La Mansion del Prado, a restaurant in the now off-limits Mexican border town of Reynosa and ordered — out of habit — the tres leches cake. I’d...
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