Apple time!

Pork with Honey Mustard Apples
First off, I want to apologize for the delay in blogging. This week has not been our best food week...one night was leftovers, one night was pizza and the other night we were minus a stove which made for a dinner-free-for-all. My dinner that night consisted of edamame, a handful or dates, a few cheese and crackers, and a bowl of chocolate cheerios :) Tonight, we're back in business!

Where the recipe came from
It just so happens that we live 3 minutes from two different orchards, so needless to say, I have apples everywhere. When planning my meals for the week (obviously, I didn't have to plan too many!) I picked up a package of thin-sliced pork chops as a great pairing with some apples!

Making the recipe
I had originally intended to do the pork chops with an more traditional applesauce, but as I was cooking, I decided the sauce needed more of a savory flavor, so I added mustard. After tasting, I thought it needed a little more sweet, so added the honey. I also found that I needed more stock that I originally thought I would.

The results
Brett and I both thought the recipe came out great! Brett's not a huge pork fan - and we generally don't eat that much of it, expect for the occasional pork tenderloin (although to be honest, I probably haven't bought a pork tenderloin in a year...the last time I bought one - the meat was rotten and I still can't get that smell out of my head). I had to "remind" him that he's OK with the thin pork chops, which is what I used in this recipe. He's also not a huge cooked apple fan - but there was enough sauce that he was able to get a taste for the flavor. The kids...no dice. Bodie was forced to eat a bite and said it was hot in his mouth (and proceeded to chew the bite for 10 minutes...so gross) Adela wouldn't touch it. But they both ate couscous, oranges, cucumbers and Adela ate all of her broccoli.

The recipe
1 pkg of thin sliced pork chops
2 tblsp olive oil (divided)
3 apples, peeled, cored and chopped
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp poultry seasoning
1 tblsp flour
3/4 chicken stock
1 tblsp Dijon mustard (I used grey poupon)
2 tblsp honey
salt and pepper to taste

Heat the 1 tblsp olive oil in a large pan. Salt and pepper both sides of the pork. Brown both sides (a few minutes per side) and remove from pan.

 Add the other tblsp olive oil to pan and saute apples. Add cinnamon and poultry seasoning. Stir and cook until the apples start to get soft, about 5 minutes.

Add flour and stir to coat. Let cook for 1-2 minutes and add chicken stock, stirring. Add mustard and honey and season to taste with salt and pepper. Cook until the sauce starts to get thick. Add the pork back to the pan and keep warm until ready to serve.

I served the pork with couscous and steamed broccoli (that only Adela and I ate). Because the pork and sauce had so much flavor, I purposely kept the sides simple.

Lemon couscous
1 cup chicken stock
1 cup couscous
zest and juice of 1 lemon
1/4 tsp dried basil
salt and pepper to taste

heat chicken stock in small pan until boiling. Add cousous, lemon zest and juice, and basil, still, remove from the heat and cover. Let stand for 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork and add salt and pepper to taste.

I steamed the broccoli in 1/2 inch of water for 4-5 minutes (until the broccoli was slightly softened and bright green) Topped with salt, pepper, drizzle of olive oil and a little fresh grated Parmesan cheese.