Issue link: https://read.dmtmag.com/i/546957
Team Feature Continued driver to have a better quality of life, I've reached my goal," he said. His mobile kitchen is more elaborate than most, but there are no six-burner ranges or convection ovens here. He has two setups: a 12-volt kitchen consisting of two 12-volt portable stoves, two 1.5 quart slow cookers, a frying pan, a sauce pan/ popcorn cooker and a coffeemaker, all by RoadPro; and a 110-volt kitchen with an electric grill, a larger crockpot and a rice cooker. His culinary skills were on display at RoadPro's 2015 Travel Center Show & Sale in May in Lancaster, Pa. Kyrk cooked everything from egg muffins to pumpkin cheesecake using the same equipment he carries in his truck. While he showed travel center operators the possibilities of mobile cooking, he was struck by the con- cern they had for truckers. "They told me that they often see driv- ers, especially those new to the field, who have trouble affording food to eat. They've been recommending to them that they get some 12-volt appliances and start cooking in their trucks," he said. "I left the show with a new appreciation of the concern travel center operators have for drivers." There are no solid numbers about how many over-the-road drivers cook in their trucks. Kyrk said only a few do it exclu- sively, while a larger number mix cooking in their cabs, heating up meals brought from home and eating in restaurants. The longer drivers are away from home, the more likely they are to cook, he said. The biggest obstacles to truck cooking are the driver's lack of know-how, prepara- tion and cooking time and the desire, at the end of a long day behind the wheel, to get out of the truck and spend time with other people, Kyrk said. He is making it easier for drivers to cook with the Rolling Kitchen Cookbook, an e-book that can be downloaded for free from the Road Tested Living website (roadtestedliving.com). The cookbook is not all broccoli and Brussels sprouts. There are recipes for staples like meatloaf and mustard-coated pork chops, as well as desserts and snacks. Kyrk said he doesn't expect to convert truckers to health food immediately. "I just want them to start cooking for themselves. That's the first step," he said.• Egg Muffins Ingredients • 2 eggs beaten • Onion sliced thin • Bell pepper • Jalapeno • Pinch of salt • Black pepper to taste • 2-3 slices of pre-cooked bacon (or favorite meat) chopped • 1 teaspoon shredded cheese or 1 slice crumbled cheese • 1⁄4 - 1⁄8 teaspoon Mrs. Dash® to taste • Fresh chopped spinach • Broccoli chopped fine Cooking Directions Use small loaf pan 5 23/32" by 3 5/16" by 17⁄8". Coat loaf pan with cooking spray or thin coating of coco- nut oil. Place veggies, cheese and meat into loaf pan. Add spice to egg and mix thoroughly. Pour eggs into loaf pan over veggies and place into RoadPro® 12-Volt Portable Stove. Bake for about 1 hour, or until knife inserted into cen- ter of muffin comes out clean. Serve and enjoy. www.jobsfor teams.com JOBS for TEAMS | 10