Thug Kitchen Cookbook: Eat Like You Give a F*ck for Home Chefs

Smoked Paprika. You need this. I s*** you not.Now ...First off, let me say I don't cook because it's fun and I enjoy it, I cook to eat.Growing up in a rural area, my Mom pretty much always used the basic seasonings: salt, pepper, margarine, and bacon grease.When she could afford to buy butter, she'd use that.I'll spare you the details, but we ate kinda poor. Simple, plain, filling, cheap.I'm sure some of you know what I'm talking about.Things got better as us kids got older, and Mom expanded her repertoire by adding more herbs and spices, and somewhat better cuts of meat.That's how I learned to cook. I always liked it, and continued to cook the same way after I got married--to Mr. Pickypants McFuss-a-lot. (How did *that* happen?)Been married a long time, been cooking a lot longer and it gets boring, monotonous, tedious. I ask *him* what he'd like to have for dinner, and he invariably says, "Spaghetti" or "meatloaf."*sigh*You know what I'm saying. Despite him, I have tried to change it up over the years.Dropped bacon grease *years* ago. I really miss it sometimes.Um, yes. Thug Kitchen is a recipe book of vegan dishes. Don't be like my husband and sneer at me, "It's not going to work."{see me rolling my eyes?}Don't be stupid. I am not trying to turn anyone into a vegan. I am a card-carrying, dyed-in-the-wool, affirmed and declared Non-Vegetarian. Check the snippy, dogmatic attitude at the door.I've been cooking for a really long damn time (started back when my mother broke her back when I was about 10), and get sick of it. However, I rather enjoy eating (obviously). It's one of the few pleasures I have left. I don't cook for fun or because I like playing with food, I cook to eat. Unfortunately, I happen to like most of my own cooking. And chocolate.Anyhow, I saw the trailer/ad for this cookbook, thought it was freakin' hilarious, and pre-ordered one. ($14.61 for the hard back edition in October 2014. I love books, too.) When it arrived, I tried a few of the recipes, laughing through each one as I read them, and bought five more to give as Christmas gifts.Hell! I just read through it because it was so entertaining!One of the many things I like about it is it doesn't come across with that self-righteous, holier-than-thou, stuck up, I'm-better-than-you-because-I'm-a-vegetarian-and-you're-a-murderer attitude. The *only* thing that kept me from giving more as gifts was the explicit language. Which I find to be funny as H*ll, but other people could be offended.I kind of started to not care about that part.But then I said, "Screw it!" and bought four more.Anyhow, here's the tough part. For you avowed meat-eaters like myself, don't think of it as a vegan cookbook, crank back on the narrow minded, pigheaded-ness and think of it as a book of SIDE DISHES.I know, right?(Don't forget about the snacky stuff. Mm, mm, good!)Fry your pork chops and have some 5-Spice Fried Rice (page 68) on the side. Or, cube those pork chops, or chicken, or beef, and throw it all *in* the fried rice.Try to use your imagination.Like, I couldn't find arugula at the grocery store, so I substituted a mixture of spinach and arugula bag o' salad.Substitutions--you can do that. Radical idea.Speaking of pork chops, the Smoky Maple Marinade (page 77) is *so good*.So far, my daughter and I have decided that Spiced Chickpea Wraps with Tahini Dressing (page 32) is our absolute favorite. That stuff is delicious! I've made it several times and we tear it up. (I leave out the cayenne pepper for her.) Of course, the husband simply refuses to even try it. His loss, our gain. It means more for us!And I don't feel as if I'm a low-life cretin for using canned beans. You can use canned or cook your own. They give instructions for cooking your own, if it's that important to you.Novel concept, eh?I recommend doubling the Tahini Dressing right off the bat.Take a walk on the wild side and make the Pumpkin Chili (page 97). It would have never entered my mind to use canned pumpkin in that way. I was amazed. Of course, you could add meat if you like. It won't explode. I swear.Shoot! Go ahead and top it with cheese and sour cream, or slather it on your hot dog! Who can't use a little beta carotene with their nitrates?In some cases, I've had trouble finding a few of the ingredients called for in the recipes I've tried. (The writers make substitution suggestions, or you can substitute your own. Go figure.) There just *are* no Asian or other ethnic-non-whitish type, Non-American-ish markets here like some folks have in more populated areas; or the local grocery stores (there are two) just don't carry it. Like smoked paprika. Not a really exotic thing, but it's just not available in the stores here.Bought it online. LOVE it!!!On the Thug Kitchen website is a recipe for Frosted Gingerbread Bites. To die for! The husband did eat them, but I hid the recipe and got rid of the coconut milk can so he wouldn't see it and make those faces. He did not drop to the floor, curl up into the fetal position, and scream, "I'm melting. I'm melting!" (total Drama King. He got it honest.)0_oAs with other good cookbooks, there are tips, tricks, suggestions, lots of "how-to" instructions, and guides for what primary (and inexpensive) kitchen tools to have. There's even a guide for stocking your pantry with some basic items so you always have something to eat in the house (if your picky, fussy, meat-n-potatoes hubby will eat it). And no, I don't have anything to do with the cookbook writers or publishers, I just like it.Enjoy the book and the food you make. Eat some damn vegetables.Smoked paprika. I bought some here on Amazon. (McCormick 8.5 ounce for $12.99. Then I bought more of that deliciousness to give as Christmas gifts.)I'm just sayin'.Unlike some other delicate flowers, I am *not* offended by the book being written by white folks, even though I'm an old, fat, white broad who should *not* cuss like a sailor (but I do). I happen to be old enough to remember when "thugs" were just punks, bad guys, dirtballs, and hoodlums of any ol' variety or color.I *would* say that some of the colorful language is slightly overdone, but I didn't sit down and read the book cover to cover. I flipped through it, looked at the pretty pictures and graphics, thumbed through the index, scanned some recipes, etc., and have enjoyed it bit by bit.There is a table of contents. It's called "The Track List."Most of you will probably enjoy it, too.Rick - MizzRick - GeezerWench