Miso Crusted Pork Chops

Fun fact of the day: encrusting anything in miso makes it taste 100 times better. There's no question that adding it to a pork chop would make it that much more delicious. Not to mention the fact that it makes a perfect centerpiece for a dinner dish. Served amongst baked eggplant and asparagus with apple ginger chutney it makes any dinner the best dinner of your life.

There's something funny about posting to this blog every week. It's easy to get caught up in it and just accept it and not take account for anything else. For example I now expect everything I eat to be as delicious as all the food I make. I also expect it to look as beautiful as Katy's photos make it look. Naturally that's sort of an unrealistic expectation. But why should it be?

It's a new year and that means new starts. Sure boxed mac and cheese is fine when you're tired and don't feel like cooking, but there's no substitute for a perfectly cooked pork chop when you're in the mood for it. In my personal opinion there's been too much accepting the status quo in this country. What happened to the greatest country on Earth? I personally blame congress and the banking industry. But to get back on track, this is not a year to go with the flow. This is a year of getting better. Doing this blog every week reminds me that settling for anything less than the best isn't an option.

Baked Eggplant and Asparagus

• 1 Eggplant chopped
• 1/2 pound Asparagus julienned
• 1 tablespoon Olive Oil
• 1 tablespoon Sesame Seeds
• 2 teaspoons Garlic Salt

1. Preheat your oven to 375°
2. In a large mixing bowl toss the Eggplant, Asparagus, Olive Oil, Sesame Seeds and Garlic Salt together.
3. Fill a small casserole pan with the vegetables and bake for 15 minutes. Stir halfway through baking.

Apple Ginger Chutney

• 1 Fuji Apple diced
• 1 tablespoon Ginger freshly grated 
• 3 tablespoons Apple Cider Vinegar
• 1 tablespoon Balsamic Vinegar
• 1 Yellow Onion diced
• 1 tablespoon Brown Sugar

1. Heat the Apple Cider Vinegar, Balsamic, Onion and Apple over high. Boil out most of the moisture. 
2. Add the Ginger and Brown Sugar. Stir and cover. Heat over medium-low heat for 10 more minutes, stirring occasionally.
3. Blend if a smoother chutney is desired. 

Miso Crusted Pork Chops

• 3 Pork Chops
• 2 packs of Yellow Miso Soup Mix
• Olive Oil

1. Heat just enough Olive Oil in a skillet to cover the pan over medium heat.
2. Pour the packets of Miso Soup into a shallow dish. Place the Pork Chops in the dish, cover both sides of each chop with the miso. Message the mix into the meat.
3. Place each pork chop in the skillet. Evenly cook on both sides. Don't worry the miso will turn out a little black. Place the skillet in the oven to finish cooking if needed.
4. Serve with Apple Ginger Chutney, and Baked Eggplant and Asparagus. 

Go ahead and change things up for your meal tonight. Put a twist on an old favorite and make it something worth talking about instead of just filling the hole that is dinner.

Photos by the great and talented Katy Weaver

Breakfast Sushi

I'm pretty sure this post dishonors an entire country's culinary culture, but you know what? This breakfast sushi was delicious, so try making it yourself before you start leaving angry comments about how culturally insensitive this is (I'm looking at you tumblr). If reappropriating cultures and making them your own isn't why America fought in the Spanish-American War then I don't know what's what anymore. 

This nigiri style breakfast sushi was inspired by the fact that it seemed like a good idea. And like most initial ideas, it works. Even though it looks complicated, the simplistic approach is what makes it successful. Over-thinking ruins most things like dishes, relationships, and jokes about over thinking because you can't think of some third item to list.

Sushi Rice

To be honest I used Alton Brown's recipe for sushi rice. It's a good one, which can be found here.

Avocado Hollandaise Sauce

Once again I'm going to send you elsewhere to find this recipe, but it's my own recipe so I don't feel bad about doing it. Anyway the recipe can be found here.

Maple Soy Sauce

• 1/3 part Soy Sauce
• 2/3 part Maple Syrup
• Dash of Fish Sauce

1. In a bowl whisk everything together. The reason I'm using ratios is so you can create as much or as little as you need.

Breakfast Sushi

1. After your rice has cooled rinse your hands with cold water and form the rice balls with your hands. Squeeze to ensure the rice stays together. Make small egg-like shapes and plate.
2. Place a dollop of the avocado hollandaise sauce on the rice to ensure the breakfast meats stay in place. 
3. As for meats I used thick cut jowl bacon, breakfast sausage, and eggs. You can choose whatever you think would be best on them (I'm looking at you vegetarians and your ridiculous and futile attempt to create fake meat).
4. After placing the meats on the ball of rice, drizzle the sauces over the top and sprinkle some sesame seeds on them as well.

Breakfast food is the best food, and the joy of food is that you can be fun with it, so get out there and make a breakfast version of your favorite food! As always these mind-blowing photos are by Katy Weaver. Join us next week when we reheat some Eggos.

Thai Chicken and Waffle Sandwich

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Thai Chicken and Waffles

One of the greatest pieces of advice I've ever heard was from

Alton Brown

who said, "Never take advice." I am open to criticism and feedback though, because without them you can't get better. But advice is more one sided than a HP Laserjet P3005ch printer (it doesn't have duplex printing). When it comes down to it, you're the only one who knows what you really want and what you have to do to make it happen, so start being selfish and start working towards something awesome. 

For some reason in today's culture, selfishness is portrayed as a negative trait, although people forget is that this is what made this country great in the first place (that's right I'm making this a cultural thing). We broke away from the British Empire because we wanted to do things OUR way. We didn't get involved with WWII until we were attacked and it affected us. 

Knowing that your crazy idea is a great one, and actually having the guts to go out there and make it happen doesn't make you insane or eccentric; it makes you successful and a goddamn American. Frankly I'm tired of having artificial roadblocks being put up, especially for people of my generation.  Just get out there and create something, whatever it may be. 

chicken and waffle sandwich

What do those old-man style ramblings have to do with Thai chicken and waffles? Almost nothing. But let's be honest, "Thai chicken and waffles" sounds like a weird, crazy idea, until you actually make it happen and try it. Remember an idea is only as good as its end product, so ignore that advice and prove those nay-sayers wrong.

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produce

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Before I get into the recipes, I want to make a couple shout outs! First, thanks to

Flavour Gallery

for sending me

an awesome apron

(I was wearing it the entire time I was cooking all this). They also have a bunch of cool food t-shirts you should check out. The second shout out is to

Kraken rum

because I love the stuff and would love a free bottle or two. The great thing about Kraken rum is that you get to yell, "RELEASE THE KRAKEN!" Everytime you open the bottle.

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dirty colada

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Dirty Coladas

I know it's not a direct translation, but dark rum produces a "dirtier" look than white rum

• 1 part Kraken Dark Rum
• 1 part Coconut Cream
• 2 parts Pineapple Juice
• 2 parts Ice

1. Add all ingredients into a blender and blend until the ice forms a smooth texture. 
2. Pour into a glass and garnish with a lime slice.

carrots

cabbage

coleslaw

Rice Vinegar Slaw 

• 1 Carrot grated
• 1 Zucchini grated
• 1/2 Red Cabbage chopped
• 1/2 Red Onion chopped
• 1 clove Garlic minced
• 1 tablespoon Apple Cider Vinegar
• 1 1/2 tablespoon Rice Vinegar
• Juice from 1 Lime
• 1 pinch Salt
• 2 tablespoons Sugar

1. Add the cut up vegetables to a large mixing bowl toss with the vinegars, lime juice, sugar, and salt. The best way to mix everything up is to use your hands.
2. Once your salad is tossed, let the slaw sit in the fridge for about 15 min before serving. 

rice flour waffles

Ginger-Lime-Coconut Waffles

• 1 1/4 cups Rice Flour
• 3 1/2 teaspoon Baking Powder
• 1 teaspoon Salt
• 1 tablespoon Sugar
• 1 can Coconut Milk
• 1 heaping tablespoon shredded Coconut
• 1 Egg
• 3 Tablespoons soft butter
• 1 teaspoon ground Ginger
• 1 pinch of Five-Spice
• 1 Lime juiced and zested

1. Sift together all dry ingredients. 
2. Add the lime zest and shredded Coconut to the dry mixture.
3. Whisk in the rest of the ingredients. Once the batter is mixed together add to your waffle iron. [These are really good by themselves too, don't think you need to make a Thai chicken and waffle sandwich when you make these.]

chicken

sweet and spicy chicken

Sweet and Spicy Chicken

• 1 lbs. Chicken Breasts cut into thick strips
• 1 tablespoon Olive Oil
• 1 teaspoon Red Pepper Flakes
• 2 teaspoons Fish Sauce
• 2 tablespoons Brown Sugar
• a dash of Garlic Salt

1. Heat the oil over high in a wok or large skillet. 
2. Add the pepper flakes to the oil and let their flavors seep into the oil.
3. Toss the chicken into the cooking vessel. Move the chicken around a bit so it doesn't clump together in the pan. 
4. Add the fish sauce, garlic salt, and brown sugar to the pan. Keep stirring to avoid burning the sugar. The chicken should finish cooking within a couple minutes, depending on what type of stove you have. 
5. Serve with the sauce that is created when cooking the chicken. 

Assemble your sandwich by placing a waffle on a plate, add the chicken and some of the sauce then the slaw and a bit of cilantro and top with another waffle.

Once again my partner in crime, 

Katy Weaver

, is responsible for these mind-blowing photos. She's right in the middle of her busy season and still finds time to help me out with this little project, she's sort of the best you guys.

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chicken and waffles