Apple & Maple Glazed Pork Chops

It seems like everyone is always looking for a new way to serve chicken for dinner. This time, I just decided to try something altogether new instead of chicken. Though it isn't the official slogan anymore, pork is still 'the other white meat'. When using fatty cuts and poor cooking methods, pork can be unhealthy, but if you start with a lean cut and use healthy seasoning & cooking methods, pork can also be a great, healthy, lean protein. I tried making a few different versions of these pork chops, but this one was finally the one that Peter and I voted as the winner to share with you. 

Recipe (serves 2, but easily multiplies to serve 4,6,8,etc):

• 1/2 large apple, diced
• 1 tsp Butter
• 2 Tablespoons chopped Walnuts
• 3 Tablespoons Maple Syrup
• 2 teaspoons Cider Vinegar
• 1/4 teaspoon fresh Lemon Zest
• 1/4 cup fat free, low sodium Chicken Broth
• 2 Pork Chops, approximately 1 1/2  inches thick
• 1 Tablespoon Canola Oil

Start by heating 1 tsp butter in a sauce pot and add the diced apple:

 Saute the apples over medium heat for about 10 minutes:

Then reduce heat to low, add 2 Tbsps of chopped walnuts, 3 Tbsps maple syrup, 2 tsps cider vinegar, and 1/4 tsp lemon zest. Stir and simmer for about 2 minutes then stir in 1/4 cup chicken broth and let it all simmer for a few minutes until it thickens slightly. 

Pat pork chops dry and season both sides with any seasoning blend (I used a salt free seasoning). Heat 1 Tbsp canola oil in your pan, and sear the pork chops for about 3 minutes on each side to allow a nice golden crust to form:

Top with the apple-maple glaze...

...cover, and bake in a 350 degree F oven for about 20 minutes. (cooking time will vary depending on thickness of your pork chops- mine were about 1 1/4 inches in thickness)

I think covering your pork chops are important to keep your meat tender and protect it from drying out.

 Serve your beautiful pork chops with a side of wild rice and a mixed green salad tossed with some of the same ingredients as those in your glaze to tie the flavors together. 

I diced the other half of my apple to toss in the salad along with feta cheese, dried cranberries, candied walnuts, and a drizzle of balsamic vinegar.

Look at how tender and juicy the pork chops are inside 

and how warming and yummy that glaze is!

BBQ Pulled Pork Sliders

Peter's birthday always falls near Mother's Day, if not ON Mother's Day. So this year we did a combination Mother's day/Birthday party all in one day. After church, we came home and had a Mother's Day brunch in honor of Sherry (my mommy-in-law). Then we went for a little hike, a game of frisbee, and finally a walk on the beach. Then we came back home and switched gears to a BBQ birthday celebration for Peter. I knew I had to build in some short cuts if we were going to successfully throw two parties in one day while still getting to spend time together and not spend the whole time in the kitchen. 

These little pulled pork sandwiches were the perfect dish for our double-celebration day. They are so easy... in fact, they are like the anti-cooking dish! All you have to do is put the meat in a crock pot with BBQ sauce, and then go about you're day. When you are ready to eat, the meat is ready too! It practically falls apart at the touch of a fork. All you have to do is toast some King's Hawaiian Sweet Rolls and eat! 

As soon as Pete and I woke up, we put the meat in the crock pot with a bottle of BBQ sauce and set it on low for 8 hours. Then we went to church for mothers day, came back and made brunch, enjoyed the afternoon with everyone, and never had to stop to make the food for Peter's BBQ. It was all done in the crock pot on its own! :) We toasted the sweet rolls, grilled the corn and enjoyed an effortless birthday BBQ.

Ingredients (feeds 10 adults):

• 4 to 5 lbs Pork
• 1 medium sweet, yellow onion
• approximately 40 ozs  BBQ Sauce, divided  ***(I LOVE Sweet Baby Ray's Original BBQ sauce)***
• 3 dozen King's Hawaiian Sweet Rolls

Slice the onions and place them in the bottom of the crock pot. 

Place all the meat on tope of the onions. 

Pour about 30 ounces of BBQ sauce on top of the meat. 

Cover with a lid and set the crock pot on 'low' for 8 hours. 

8 hours later, and NO time spent actually cooking, you will have juicy, sweet, tender BBQ pork ready to eat!

 I use a pair of kitchen tongs to pull the meat out of the crock pot and place in onto a serving platter. Drizzle some of the liquid from the crock pot over the meat to keep it moist, and add the rest of the reserved 10 ounces of BBQ sauce. As you mix it together with a fork or with the tongs, break up the meat a little bit ('pull' it) and you will see that it is so tender that it basically falls apart on its own!

All you have to do is toast the rolls and these sliders are ready for the party!