When I’m planning for the week, I often try for one or two “staples” or meals that stay on permanent rotation in the menu because I know my family loves them and everyone will eat them. Kids seem to like predictability and mine are more likely to be adventurous and try new foods some days if they know that on other days, they have a safety net of familiar foods, too.
Pork chops are definitely one of the staples in this house. Pork chops have always been one of my favorite foods and I’ve cooked them and eaten them many different ways, but I think that the best and most delicious, is also the simplest: pan-fried with salt and pepper. I serve these with homemade apple sauce (it’s super easy!) but if you are pinched for time, or don’t have apples, then store bought is completely fine. Just make sure that it only has two ingredients: apples and water as some are loaded with sweeteners like high fructose corn syrup. But if you have 15 extra minutes for prep, there’s nothing quite like homemade apple sauce.
SERVING SIZE
- Serves 2
INGREDIENTS
Pork
-
2 Bone-In Pork Chops
-
2 Tbsp Ghee
-
Salt
-
Pepper
Applesauce
- 4 apples (any type is fine-I used Honeycrisp here) (skin on cored and chopped)
- 2 tsp Pumpkin Pie Spice
- 1 inch piece of fresh ginger (peeled and chopped)
Salad
- 4 cups of any mixed green
Dressing
- 1 Tbsp Rice Vinegar
- 3 Tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 1 tsp Dijon Mustard
- ½ Lemon (juiced)
- ½ tsp Maple Syrup
- Salt
- Pepper
DIRECTIONS
- Place apples in medium-sized pot over med-low heat with ½ inch water on the bottom. Add pumpkin pie spice and ginger and stir until fragrant. Cover and reduce to simmer until apples soften. Serve immediately or store in fridge for up to 3 days.
- Season pork generously with salt and pepper. Over medium heat, add ghee to cast iron pan. Carefully place pork in pan and cook (turning once) until internal temp reached 145°F. Let rest for 5 minutes before cutting.
- Assemble greens in bowl.
- To make dressing, whisk all ingredients together until emulsified.
