I know it’s not a recipe but I couldn’t help but to post this. Just on old fashioned WV/Country dinner. Pinto Beans, Okra with tomatoes, smoked ham hocks, and hot banana peppers, fried green tomatoes, and cornbread 
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No need to justify anything: Simple hearty food wins hands down compared to whatever is today’s TikTok bullshit which cannot ever result in a satisfying meal.
But, I always advocate simplicity with recipes based on picking the best ingredients you can afford.
If I am asked to make a carbonara I’ll insist on carefully cured ham, free-range eggs, and suitably aged Padano. But, I can do the same with cooking bacon (at £1.50 a kg), savers spaghetti (at 28p for 500g), a couple random eggs, and any hard cheese.
(for others reading, a carbonara has no milk, cream or a sauce of any kind - It is cooked pasta going to a final stage of being mixed in the bacon and then taking it off the heat to add the egg and cheese.)
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AMEN! Carbonara has been bastardized beyond recognition with all the versions with “alfredo sauce” bacon and who know what else people put in it!
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Indeed, mixing the eggs covers the creamy aspect . I must admit that a range of American foods baffle me: When adding tomato to a pizza base passata is the only acceptable ingredient. The only possible additions are a dash of lemon juice to complement the basil, roasted garlic for shredded lamb et al.So, the American base sauces just seem odd.
For me, I like to be traditional and make all from scratch with only seven ingredients to make a pizza. A few Chinese friends have asked me to open a restaurant on that theme but I always refuse: too much pointless stress.
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Yes, we Americans tend to put gobs of cheese on top of everything (I love cheese just not on my sushi lol), drown our pasta in overly done sauces, and deep fry any and all foods whether they’re meant to be or not. Don’t get me wrong, we have and produce some amazing food however, we ruin many as well.
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Thank you @SessionDrummer ! Tomorrows menu includes grilled pork belly and other stuff, just haven’t decided yet lol
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Damn ! That does look excellent 
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I love Pork Belly. We always have Pork Belly, Wings & sliders. On Poker night once a Month.
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That tends to be the issue, especially with ‘American Cheese’ having its own classification to be regarded as a cheese.
It reminds me of a time I was asked to rake a group on a cheese tour - They all had diarrhea
as their digestive system had never encountered cheese or fermented vegetables
Frankly it’s comparable to my reactions when I am begged to join an event…
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I do as well and could marry it if legal lol 
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Well if you have it on a slow roast with wine, then it’s an acceptable start.
Then press and chill it but followed with cooking it again.
Dongpo Ro (Chinese Braised Pork) is one hell of a divisive dish. Luckily most accepted me as giant and bald laowai arse [I should say pigu] based on my respect for techniques.
Frankly, I chosen to avoid pork outside of China if I am not cooking: A dry stringy mess or an over flavoured stringy mess does not fall within the outhouse of a neighbour I wish to nuke over being too noisy.
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No pic, but made a huge batch (about 2-1/2 gallons) of chicken-veggie soup using fajita chicken, chipotle-mango seasoning, chicken broth, bacon, cabbage, carrots, onion, garlic, celery, mushrooms and two types of zucchini. Sauteed all the veggies in the bacon grease except the carrots. Gotta say, it turned out tasty. It has some zing to it and it is the first time I’ve used this chipotle-mango seasoning. The spices are packed in oil and has to be stirred before adding it to anything.
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Mmmmm, what is THAT ?? !!!
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Crispy pork belly and chilis in a tamarind yuzu sesame sauce and I made some jasmine rice to go with it
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OMG. I couldn’t decide if it was shrimp, crawfish, or MAYBE the bellies !!!
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