Pork w/ Apple Stuffing and Veggies!

We always happen to buy pork chops in bulk when they are on sale at our grocery store. This means having to do more things with it so we don’t get bored! The pork itself isn’t much different in this recipe, however the side dishes make it! For the pork I just seared it in a pan with olive oil spray. I have found that the best way to get a really good sear is for the meat to be completely dry. I then season the pork with a little bit of salt and lots of garlic powder (you will find that these are my two go to spices). I do not use much pepper because I am not a fan of black pepper, however I use it as a finishing touch on most of my husband’s meals because he LOVES pepper (opposites attract). So it can be added before, after, or not at all depending on your tastes! I do not even touch any meat that is searing until I am flipping it, and I only flip one time once I have a golden sear, and let the meat rest before slicing.

Another thing we usually have a lot of is apples because we buy them in bulk as well (since bulk is cheaper). Apples and pork is one of my favorite food combinations, and since we recently had thanksgiving, I decided to make apple stuffing (sounds a little weird but it is really good). Basically I take a standard stuffing mix with WHEAT bread (Sarah lee 45 calorie), onion, celery, chopped apple, sage, a bit of salt, an egg, and a little bit of apple cider. Instead of cider, chicken stock can be used (or vegetable stock for my momma). I sauté the onion, celery and apple, and add the sage and salt. In the meantime, I throw the bread (about 5 pcs) to get toasted some, cube the bread, and throw it in a mixing bowl. I add the warm sautéed veggies (and fruit), add in the egg and mix. I then added the apple cider just to make sure the stuffing was moist enough. Throw this in a greased casserole and bake at 350, covered with foil, for 30 minutes. Take off foil and bake for another 10 minutes and stuffing is complete and delicious:

For another side, a blend of veggies is always good. I like to do steamed cauliflower, snap peas, carrots, and dried cranberries (and by “I like to do”, I mean “the microwave likes to do it with my frozen veggies”. Honestly you would never know they are frozen! I love a certain brand of vegetables available at my local grocery store because it tastes fresh! They are delicious and fast! No one said you can’t have a little extra help in the kitchen!

The final plate has pork, stuffing, and a mix of veggies but in a healthy way! It is a perfect fall or winter dish full of flavor and very filling! Just another dish turned out of the newlywed kitchen and my husband loves it!