A yummy (and easy!) new recipe

One of my new year's resolutions is to try to do better at weekly meal planning (with Matt's help and input), and to try a few more new recipes in 2014. I'm not going to say weekly, because that just isn't going to happen. Maybe every other week? Monthly? I don't try new stuff in the kitchen very often (especially on weeknights) because it takes time to plan and to learn how to make something new, and these days it's a whole lot easier (and faster) to throw together something I already know how to make and can practically do with my eyes closed. Plus, I'm not very good at coming up with new recipes on my own - I need a little inspiration. And I found it! I just finished reading Dinner: A Love Story - a cookbook that was recommended by my friend, Jessica PB. I first saw it on her blog several months ago. I have never read a cookbook cover-to-cover, but this one I read cover-to-cover. (Over the course of a few weeks.) It not only inspires with dozens and dozens of delicious-sounding (and rather easy-to-make) recipes, but it's also full of some very entertaining, funny, real, and relatable stories about the author's determination to get her family (her, her husband and their two young daughters) around the dinner table together every night (or, at least on most nights). And it's a bonus if they're all eating the same thing! Oh, how I can relate to this. Can you say "picky 3-year-old" and "the 14-month-old likes to throw EVERYTHING in the floor"? Anyway, the following recipe is one of the first ones I tried from this cookbook, and it was a hit. The kids ate the pork and apples, Lola dipped her sweet potatoes in ketchup, and Finn threw the rest in the floor. Of course.

Mustardy Pork Chops with Apples and Onions

olive oil
4 boneless pork chops, salted and peppered
1 large onion sliced
1 apple, peeled and slivered
2 tablespoons mustard (I used country dijon)
2 tablespoons cider vinegar
1/4 cup apple cider, water or apple juice (I used chicken stock because I had some in the fridge; I think apple juice or cider would be too sweet)

Add the oil to a large skillet (that has a lid) over medium-high heat. Brown the pork chops, about 4 minutes on each side. (They do not have to cook through.) Remove them from the pan and turn the heat to medium-low. Add a little more oil, if necessary, and then add the onions and apples and cook 5 to 7 minutes, until they have wilted.

Add the mustard, vinegar and cider (or water/stock) to the pan, scraping up any brown pork bits from the bottom and bring to a boil for about 1 minute. Add the pork chops back to the pan, nestling them with the onions and apples; reduce to simmer. Cover and cook another 5 minutes, until chops have cooked through. If pan-sauce is liquidy, remove chops and boil sauce for another minute. (I didn't have this problem.)

We served this with a side of roasted brussels sprouts, sweet potatoes and red onions. YUM!

Here is a link to the recipe on the Dinner: A Love Story blog.