Hey Six Sisters! Parmesan Honey Pork Roast

I need to start really cooking again.  I've really been lazy since returning from my Honolulu trip in mid-July.  I've hidden behind work as an excuse. . .not too hard since this is an arguably new experience for me. . .but even I get tired of eating out (or picking up) all the time.

In all fairness, my new job is not totally new.  I worked here a decade-and-a-half ago.  Some of the people are the same, and the campus is definitely still the same, but there are many things which have changed in my absence.  I have been sweating over some new things like the stupid rotating bell schedule.  This rotating schedule is just outrageous to keep track of, and if 6th and 7th periods are always at the end of the day, by the time the kids get to you, they are wiped out.  Then the Friday schedule has a life of its own too.  Some days the schedule lists even periods, and other times, it lists odd periods.  It is a record-keeping nightmare.

And I think its safe to say "the honeymoon is over".  This past week was totally trying.  Between D2 having tons of homework and D1 having a meltdown because a teacher misplaced her work, I just had it.  I was trying my best to help both of them, and I certainly didn't feel very appreciated.  I have also kept my tongue majorly in check with some of the adults on campus.  One guy was a totally rude asshole, and it makes me wonder how he is supposed to be helping kids with a stinking disposition like that.  Speaking to him for 5 minutes sent off so many red flags which, I'm sure, kids can pick up on too.  Many of the adults at my school don't know how good they have it.  The teachers in the district I worked in last year would kill to have such cushy jobs.

Because I've been so busy with work, I've been neglecting my personal technology time at home.  Candy Crush Saga must miss me, and I'm sure Pinterest misses me too.  I need to get back in form again since I haven't pinned things in a long time.

One of my earliest pins on Pinterest was Six Sisters' Stuff:  Slow Cooker Parmesan Honey Pork Roast.  I finally got around to trying it, and I must say that it was one of the best crock pot pork dishes I have ever had.  Unfortunately, due to my own ineptitude, I ended up having to slightly alter the recipe.  I've linked to the original recipe on their site, but the recipe I ended up using is at the end of this post.

For you locals, this tastes like a savory version of the shoyu pork your Japanese grandma made (or what I imagine the shoyu pork of a Japanese grandma would taste like. . .I wouldn't know because mine didn't make).  Okay, okay...its similar to the shoyu pork in the okazuya case at Kawamoto but not so dried out.

click on recipe title for printable recipe

Parmesan Honey Pork Roast with Chinese Gravy

     3-4 lb boneless pork roast (I used shoulder)
     1/2 c honey
     3 tbsp shoyu
     1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
     1 tbsp vegetable oil
     1 clove garlic, minced
     2/3 c grated parmesan cheese
     5 fresh basil leaves
     2 tbsp cornstarch
     1/4 c water

Spray crock pot with cooking spray.  Place pork roast in crock pot.  Combine honey, shoyu, oils, parmesan cheese, and garlic.  Pour over pork.  Scatter basil leaves.  Cook on low for 6 hours.  Remove roast to serving platter.  Pour liquid (use fat separator to remove as much fat as possible) into a saucepan.  Heat til boiling.  Combine cornstarch and water.  Whisk into saucepan, stirring until thickened.  Serve with pork (sliced or pulled).

On Saturday, an ER nurse left an anonymous comment on my blog, which was extremely nasty and insulting towards teachers.  Essentially, this person felt the need to accuse me of going into education for June, July & August (summer vacation).  This person continued his/her assault by saying teachers have the nerve to grumble about parents not participating in their child(ren)'s education because some of them work and have important jobs.  This person made it clear that the job of an ER nurse is more important that any job in education because they save lives.  This was the first and only comment I ever deleted without publishing.

An ER nurse is indeed someone who must be highly skilled, very intelligent, and have the ability to remain calm under intense conditions.  I think nursing is one of the most demanding fields, and I admire and respect anyone who works in a health care field.  Yes, you save lives and you help make the quality of our lives so much better.  However, one cannot become an ER nurse (or any other nurse or doctor. . .even in Grenada!) without somehow having benefitted from the work teachers do.  Someone had to teach them how to read and write!  Obviously, this particular ER nurse never learned manners, for if he/she had mastery of manners and a sense of common courtesy, he/she would never have made that comment.  It was downright rude, and to give you an idea of how dumb it was, it can be equated with saying something so idiotic like "those who go into nursing just wanna screw a doctor".  Yes, that's just fucking ridiculous...people go into nursing for the same reason people go into education. . .to help others, to make a difference in people's lives.  Like health care professionals who get upset with parents when their juvenile diabetic patients gorge on sugar, educators get upset with parents when their students don't study at home.  Jeezzzzz!  If you are so bothered by what I write, please refrain from reading my blog.  

Comments on my posts are welcome, especially those comments which offer unique recipe hints and tips.  I love those!  I am also open to publishing opinions which differ from my own, as not everyone has the time to create a blog of their own and just want to offer a different perspective.  Fine.  But I will not publish toxic, venomous comments, as nobody is being forced to read my blog.