The other night I intended to cook a very quick and easy meal of pork chops, yellow rice and frozen sweet peas. To be honest, I really wasn’t interested in the meal but Greg loves pork chops. Since we have to co-exist, I decided to jazz them up a little bit. I quickly scoured the web for an easy recipe. I already knew apples paired well with them so, I googled pork chops and apples. After comparing 5 or 6 recipes, I found one that used all the crap I already had, lol. I could not believe how easy and DELICIOUS it was. And the best part, it fits into my “A little Fiercer in the Middle” eating plan. Plus, Greg said to put it in rotation.

4 extra lean pork chops (seasoned with salt and pepper)

2 apples (cored, cut into eighths)

1 medium onion (sliced)

2 tbsp. of butter

4 tbsp. brown sugar

1 tbsp. Cinnamon (or more to taste)

1 tea. nutmeg

6 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil (EVOO)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Heat 4 tbsp of olive oil in an ovenproof skillet. Add seasoned pork chops and braise 2-3 mins on either side. Remove from pan and add the remaining 2 tbsp of oil and scrape the bits from the pan. Add onions and saute for 4 mins. Add apples, sugar and spices and continue cooking for an additional 6 mins. Remove from heat. Add butter and toss. Push the mixture aside and return chops to the pan. Top the chops with the apple mixture and place the skillet in the preheated oven for 20-25 minutes.

                                      

Today my girlfriends and I started laying some of the groundwork for our fitness 2010 plan. I didn’t speak up too much because I had already defrosted my pork chops with every intention in lightly breading and pan-frying them. These aren’t TOO bad though. Instead of the large amount of gravy I usually use, I made a small amount and then added chicken broth. Better right? lol In my defense, I served baby carrots (although they were cooked in brown sugar and butter) and brown rice with them. Needless to say, I’m already in the running for “Most Improved”. : )

On to the recipe. PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE….DO NOT be afraid of pan gravy!!! It is Super Duper Easy!

Ingredients:

4 Pork Chops (bone in)

1/2  large white onion

Vegetable Oil

Flour

Salt

Pepper

Seasoning Salt

• Roughly chop onion. Set aside.
• Season pork chops with salt, pepper and seasoning salt.
• Dredge in flour.
• Once grease is heated, fry at medium high in a shallow pan of oil for 4-5 mins. on each side. (I started with EVOO and when I realized I needed more oil, I switched to veg. oil)
• Remove from pan,  and place on paper towels to drain some of the fat.
• Pour out all the oil. Pan should be coated with a little oil and the bits of flour that may have come off the chops (aka the good stuff)
• Turn pan back on to medium.
• Add 4 Tbsps. of oil back to the pot. (Or if you can eyeball it, just pour off all but 4 Tbsps. from the beginning) 
• Get a whisk and starting with a Tbsp., begin whisking in flour.
• After it’s pretty much broken up, add another Tbsp. Keep whisking.
• If you need more liquid, add liquid. If you need more flour, add flour.
• Add onions to the pan and toss around to saute.
• After they get going add 1/2 cup of chicken broth. Whisk.
• It may need a little seasoning so taste it. If so add salt and pepper.
• Return pork chops back to pan and simmer on low for about 5 or 6 minutes.