Pork for Pops

Let me tell you something about Dads – they love pork.

Even if they say, “Jess, I don’t like pork,” the thing is, they do.

And this brings me to the second point that I want to make about the big guy – they also don’t know what they like. And sometimes, you just have to tell them.

Take my dad for example. No really, take him. Just kidding, I want him back.

My dad says he doesn’t like a lot of things. Like eggplants, curry, curried eggplant, and pretty much anything that you can’t find in (a) a snack mix, (b) in a Cobb salad, or (c) at the ballpark.

After years of playing to his so-called dislikes, I finally realized that the problem wasn’t that dear old dad hated the food, but that he just didn’t know he liked it.

I started making things like “yellow chicken” (i.e. curried chicken) and “really soft zucchini” (i.e. roasted eggplant). And turns out, dad liked it all. Even the bean dip (well, that was just bean dip).

So with father’s day around the corner, I wanted to say thank you to my dad for letting me trick him into liking things and for keeping his mind open (and his heart and kidneys safe) with all my low sodium creations, even as he settles into that time of life where’s he’s allowed to exclaim that he just likes doing things his way.

And for all those dad’s who love pork (and may or may not know it yet), celebrate them this weekend with these three recipes.

Just tell them they’re filled with love. And chicken.

Chow on.

Matzo Ball Meatballs

Honey Baked Ham Chops

Sausage Pepper Poppers