By Melissa Cooper
mail@floridanewsline.com

As summer winds down and kids head back to school, this recipe is the perfect way to step up your dinner game to the next level. It looks and tastes like a gourmet meal, but is simple to prepare.

Apple Bacon and Blue Cheese Stuffed Pork Chops

Ingredients
4 pork chops (boneless or bone in)
1 large shallot, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 apple, peeled, cored and chopped
4 slices bacon
¾ cup blue cheese, crumbled (feta is also a good substitute)
1 tbsp. fresh rosemary, chopped
salt and pepper, to taste

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 400 F degrees.
  2. Cut a pocket in each pork chop. Season each pork chop with salt, pepper and rub them with the rosemary. Set aside.
  3. Cook the bacon in a large oven proof skillet. Reserve 1 tablespoon of the bacon grease in the skillet, and another tablespoon for later, then discard the rest.
  4. Fry the shallot and apple together in 1 tablespoon of bacon grease for about 3 minutes until apple softens. Add garlic and continue cooking for another minute. Turn off heat and add blue cheese to skillet and stir.
  5. Spoon about half a cup of the stuffing into each pork chop.
  6. Add remaining bacon fat to skillet and add heat. Place pork chops in skillet and cook on each side until they start to brown, about 5 minutes per side (depending on the thickness of the chops).
  7. Place skillet in preheated oven and bake for 20 minutes or until cooked through.

Photo by Melissa Cooper

Apple Bacon and Blue Cheese Stuffed Pork Chops