Apple Sage Pork Chops

Cold weather calls for comfort food. Apple sage pork chops are really great comfort food without being too terribly indulgent. This is also a quick weeknight meal to add to your repertoire, especially if you've been stuck in a rut lately. So, if your family is begging you to make anything but spaghetti, give this one a try!

Apple Sage Pork Chops
5 boneless center cut pork chops
2 tsp rubbed sage
2 apples (I used fuji but you could also use golden delicious, granny smith, or any other good baking apple)
2 tbsp olive oil
Salt & pepper (to taste)

• Peel, core, and slice the apples. Toss with 1 tsp of sage.
• Trim any excess fat off the pork chops. Sprinkle the remaining sage, salt, and pepper on both sides of each pork chop. Set aside.
• Preheat the oven to 425° F.
• Heat an oven proof skillet over medium high heat. Once the pan is extremely hot, add 1 tbsp of olive oil then add the pork chops to the pan. Sear for about 1 - 2 minutes on each side until they are brown. The pork chops will still be raw in the middle.
• Remove the pork chops from the pan and set aside.
• Add the remaining 1 tbsp of olive oil to the pan. Add the apples and toss until the apples begin to soften.
• Remove the pan from the heat. Place the pork chops on top of the apples, then place the entire thing in the oven to finish cooking.
• Bake for 10 minutes until the juices are clear and the pork chops are no longer pink in the center.
• Remove the pan from the oven and allow to rest for 5 minutes before serving.

You can serve this with roasted potatoes, rice, couscous, quinoa, or even a nice crusty bread.

Cinnamon Applesauce

Although this is technically filed under baby food, you'll probably be sneaking some for yourself too! This is another of Lola's favorites. The best part is that it's made in the crock-pot. But there are three different ways to make it, so if you don't have a crock-pot don't worry (but you should probably run out and get one - they're awesome!).

Applesauce
3-4 Granny Smith apples
3-4 Golden Delicious apples
2 Tbsp brown sugar
1 Tbsp ground cinnamon
2 Tbsp butter
1/4 Cup water

• Peel and core the apples, then dice into 1/2" pieces.
• Toss the apples into the crock-pot, along with the brown sugar, cinnamon, butter, and water.
• Cook on low for 2 hours until the apples are very soft and fall apart when you stir it with a spoon.
• You can also bake this, covered, at 325° F for 2 hours or simmer on the stovetop, covered, over low also for 2 hours.
• Once cooked, allow the apples to cool.
• If you want your applesauce to be smooth, you can transfer to a food processor and puree it. I like mine chunky so I mash it with a potato masher.

On a side note, when Lola was younger, I would omit the brown sugar and butter. It was still plenty sweet.

Also, because this is homemade it doesn't have a very long shelf life. I like to freeze portion sizes for Lola.