Pork Chops with Apples and Corn Bread Stuffing

Apples:*

1 tablespoon butter

6 cups peeled and sliced apples, Golden Delicious or your favorite variety

1/3 to ½ cup sugar, depending on sweetness of apples

½ teaspoon cinnamon

½ teaspoon kosher salt

1 tablespoon flour

1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

Stuffing: **

4 cups crumbled cornbread or cornbread stuffing mix

½ cup dried cranberries

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

1 cup chopped onion

2 stalks, thinly sliced celery

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1¾ cups chicken broth, or water

½ cup toasted pecans, roughly chopped

Pork:

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

6 to 8 1- to 1-½-inch thick pork loin chops

salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Place butter in large nonstick skillet. Add apples and cook, stirring frequently until apples release some of their juices and soften slightly; approximately 10 minutes. Combine sugar, cinnamon, salt and flour in small bowl. Sprinkle over apples and continue to cook over low heat, stirring constantly for 5 minutes, or until sugar is melted and flour has thickened juice. If mixture is too thick, add water 1 tablespoon at a time until mixture resembles pie filling. Add balsamic vinegar and stir to combine. Set aside.

Place cornbread and dried cranberries in large bowl. Heat 12-inch iron skillet on stove until warm. Add vegetable oil, onion and celery. Add salt and sauté 5 minutes, or until softened; add to cornbread. (Do not wipe out skillet.) Add stock to cornbread mixture and stir to combine. Mixture should be moist, so add a bit more liquid if necessary. Add pecans.

Dry pork chops with paper towels; Season generously with salt and pepper on both sides. Heat oil in iron skillet until hot. Place pork chops in hot skillet, do not move, 3 to 4 minutes, or until browned. Repeat on second side; remove from pan.

Add ¼ cup water to hot iron skillet and stir to loosen any bits on bottom of pan. Turn off heat. Add apple mixture, stir to combine with pan juices and spread evenly. Place pork chops on top of apples. Top with stuffing, spreading evenly over pork and apples.

Cover with foil and bake 30 to 40 minutes, or until internal temper of chops reach 125 degrees. Uncover and continue to bake 10 minutes, or until internal temperature reaches 145 degrees. Remove from oven, allow to rest 3 minutes. Serve.

Serves 6 to 8

* One 21-ounce can of apple pie filling may be substituted, but be sure to add balsamic vinegar.

** Feel free to use your favorite prepared stuffing mix if you are short on time.

Penny Kazmier