Pork with Apples in Cider Sauce

Ingredients:

• 4 boneless pork loin chops, cut 3/4-inch thick
• kosher salt
• freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
• 3 medium Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, and cut into 1/2-inch thick
• 1 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 1 tsp. cornstarch
• 1 tsp. cold water

Makes 4 Servings

1. Preheat the oven to 350 F. Trim fat from meat and season chops with salt and pepper.
2. In a large skillet cook chops in hot oil for 4-6 minutes or until browned, turning to brown evenly. Remove chops from skillet. Set aside.
3. Add apples to the hot skillet; cook and stir about 5 minutes or until just apple slices are browned and tender. Carefully add chicken broth and cinnamon stick to skillet. Cook and stir for 2 minutes more. Using a slotted spoon, transfer apple slices to a 2-quart rectangular baking dish. Place browned chops atop apples in dish. Pour broth (with cinnamon stick) over pork chops.
4. Cover and bake about 20 minutes or until pork is done (160 F) and juices run clear. Remove the chops from the baking dish; cover and keep warm.
5. Discard cinnamon stick. Spoon the apple mixture into a medium saucepan. Stir together the cornstarch and the cold water; stir into mixture in saucepan. Cook and stir over medium heat until slightly thickened and bubbly; cook and stir for 2 minutes more. Serve chops with apple mixture.

WW POINTS VALUE: 8 pts.

 

Note: This recipe appears in the Sonoma Diet Cookbook. This is a sophisticated take on pork chops and applesauce. The apples cooked with the cinnamon and chicken broth has a nice aroma to it when cooking and tastes delicious when eaten at the table. I highly recommend adding a touch of minced garlic and chopped rosemary to the pork chops for a more savory flavor for the pork. Plus, rosemary and garlic make the pork and apples taste even better.