Tuesday, December 29, 2009

Super Easy Dinner: Pork Chops with Apples and Sage


When I first met the hubby, I was a good baker, but couldn't cook much beyond scrambled eggs. Fresh out of Fordham University (in Manhattan) where I'd survived almost entirely on the offerings of our local diner, The Olympic Flame (not to be confused with The Flame just around the corner), I wasn't aware that any New Yorkers actually cooked for themselves. The hubby, then the new boyfriend, had a few years on me and knew his way around a kitchen. He suggested I cook dinner for him one night - yeah, he's always been like that - and I bought some chicken breasts and lemons and hadn't a clue what to do beyond that. Well, that evening, the boyfriend came waltzing through the door and showed me how to whip up lemon chicken - delish!

A week later, I wanted to actually cook for him so I searched the Internet for something tasty and came across a recipe for Pork Chops with Apples and dried Rosemary. The idea was to cover the pork in dried rosemary, cook them in a frying pan and halfway through, add some sliced apples. Now I realize the idea was sound but picking spiky bits of rosemary out of my teeth throughout a supposedly romantic dinner was not.

Flash forward to Sunday night. The hubby, baby girl and I had just returned from our Christmas trip to Amma and Poppy's house (my fabulous inlaws) and we wanted something quick and simple. Of course, I'm always one to suggest dining out, but after four days of relinquishing all control of the kitchen, I needed to cook something. We happened to have some pork chops from Bradley Farm in the freezer. They're pretty thin - about a half inch - so they thawed in two hours. Leftover from our party a few weeks before, I had a bunch of lady apples that needed to be eaten and somehow a bunch of sage had survived for a couple weeks in our fridge as well.

I reached deep down and somehow remembered that first meal and then I thought, hmm that was a pretty good idea. So, I took the pork chops, salted and peppered them, threw them into a frying pan, peeled, cored and quartered the apples and tossed them in chopped sage, cooked it all up and it was really good. You really can't go wrong with combining pork, apples and sage and this dinner proved to be a satisfying and ridiculously easy to make on a cold, lazy night. Enjoy!



Pork Chops with Apples and Sage
(Think Monday night when the kids are screaming, work totally sucked that day and all you want is dinner to make itself. Yes, it will just about do that.)


What You'll Need (for 2 portions):
2 Pork Chops
6-8 Lady Apples peeled, cored, and quartered
12-20 Sage leaves chopped (I love sage and tend to go a bit batty with it.)

Set a frying pan over a medium-high heat. Add a splash of olive oil. Salt and pepper the pork chops and set them in the pan salt and pepper side down. Cook about 8-10 minutes until nice and brown, salt and pepper the other side and flip. Toss the apples with the sage and throw into the frying pan. Periodically move the apples around and try to get them brown all around and to absorb all the nice porky juices. Cut into a pork chop to make sure it isn't pink or you can use a thermometer - I tend to be lazy when a roast isn't involved. Once the pork is cooked through, take them out and plate them and cook the apples a bit longer if need be. You want them to be nice and brown and soft, but still holding their shape.



To serve, just dump it all on a plate alongside some buttered noodles and enjoy!

*In case you're wondering, that's baby girl's hand trying to dig in.

Approximate Dinner Cost:
Groceries: $15
Cost per Meal: Serves two plus a hungry toddler:)

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17 comments:

  1. Oh I love pork chops with apples! This sounds wonderful. I think I have some chops in the freezer. I'm out of apples though - must run to store!

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  2. Oh marthandme, you could do this with one eye shut!

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  3. What a sweet story. My husband is a sucker for pork chops with apples.

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  4. Your hubby is a lucky man! Seriously, very sweet story.

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  5. I like the story and I'm definitely trying this dish! Pork chops and apples.. yummy. (And I have a TON of sage I froze)

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  6. Sounds wonderful. Being a good Southern girl, there is hardly anything I like better than a good bit of pork for dinner.

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  7. Thanks everyone, it is a funny story isn't it?

    Hope you all have pork chops and apples soon!

    Does anyone else have a yummy pork chop and apple or other fruit recipe?? I'm always on the lookout for more.

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  8. looks delicious happy new year Rebecca

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  9. This looks delicious. I have never bought pork chops though. It's sort of for a dumb reason: I'm Jewish (though NOT religious) and I try not to eat very much pork. Also, now that my daughter is a vegetarian it's hard for me to cook much meat. Here's my question Peggy: do you think this would work with LAMB?

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  10. Jennifer, yes! I think this would be great with lamb chops. I might try a different fruit though. Hmm, maybe prunes or apricots or even some nice lemon or orange segments with some mint leaves for garnish?? You've inspired me to test a new recipe!

    As for your daughter, this could work very well with cannellini beans and poached eggs if she eats them.

    I totally hear you on the pork. I have quite a few friends who, while not practicing, don't feel comfortable with eating pork, especially buying and cooking it at home. Let me know what you end up making!

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  11. Oooh, delish. And so, so true about the rosemary. I love rosemary, but avoid it a lot of the time because I hate picking it out of my teeth. Sometimes I'll just use the whole stick for flavoring, branch and all, then yank it out when the dish is done.

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  12. Aahhh, that's a great idea, Stephanie. I'll have to try that.

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  13. Peggy, I love the idea of lamb with apricots. I love apricots but rarely eat them -- except in the summer when they are in season. Please try a new recipe and then blog about it here! And yes, my daughter eats beans and eggs so I will try that. Thanks for the suggestion!!

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  14. I'm not much of a meat eater but I very much like the selection and variety of recipes you have here.

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  15. i don't eat pork (just ham and bacon every now and then) but i will try this with lamb which i rarely cook either. i think craig will really like this one. thanks peggy!

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  16. sound like a great winter meal -- and I appreciate the vegetarian suggestions, too.

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  17. I tried this recipe using lamb instead and it as AMAZING an so easy and satifying too. I think Craig may have licked the plate. ;)

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