Spinach Stuffed Bone-In Pork Chops

This pork chop is the easiest quickest way to feed a hungry belly and to make a special main that you and your guests will feel extra luxurious eating. Difficulty - 1. Deliciousness - 10!!

Spinach Stuffed Bone-In Pork Chops
1 large Bone-In Pork Chop
1C Fresh Spinach (or frozen, if you don't have fresh, thawed and squeezed out)
1/4C Onion, diced
1 Clove Garlic, minced
1oz - 2oz goat cheese (depending on how cheesy you're feeling)
1t Fresh Rosemary, Thyme
Salt and Pepper
Olive Oil

METHOD
Filling
Saute spinach in pan with olive oil. Once wilted down, remove from pan and squeeze all the water out that you can and set aside in bowl. If using frozen, skip this step, you're already done! In same pan, add a bit of olive oil and saute onions 2-3 mins. Add garlic and saute until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add onion mix to spinach. Add goat cheese and stir to combine. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.

Chop
Find a nice, thick flat side of the chop. Make a small lateral incision, appx 2" long. Working carefully, place the chop on a cutting board and, keeping your knife parallel to the counter, cut a pocket into the center of the chop. I always make my pocket as big as possible, leaving about 1/2" on all sides between the edged of the pocket and the outside edge of the chop (this gives you the MAX amount of space to evenly add your filling, so you get a bit in every bite!!)

Now it's time for stuffing - Push as much stuffing as you can into the incision, working it all the way to the back and trying to space it evenly. Once stuffed, rub the chop with olive oil and season with salt an pepper.

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Heat an oven-safe saute pan over medium-high heat. Add pork chop (you should hear sizzling). Cook 3-4 minutes, until golden-brown. Carefully flip chop, taking note not to spill the filling out. Immediately transfer saute pan to oven and cook 3 more minutes. Remove from oven, remove from pan, and rest 5 minutes.

FINITO!!

Cheers :-)

Blackeyed Peas with Quinoa and Exotic Mushrooms

HAPPY NEW YEARS!! Or, HAPPY WEDNESDAY! I created this dish in honor of New Years Day and hoping for a little luck. I'm not gonna lie - I was nervous about it, because I never really liked black-eyed peas growing up, but I wanted the luck!! However, WOW - these were great - I'd eat them any day!! See below for a day-2 remix :-)

Blackeyed Peas with Quinoa and Exotic Mushrooms

1-lb dried blackeyed peas (with enough water to cover by 2 inches)

1C Quinoa

2C Water

3 Bay Leaves

6 Cloves Garlic, divided

1T Mushroom base

1-1/2 T Salt

1 Onion, diced

8oz Exotic Mushrooms

1T Butter

1/2C Slivered Almonds, toasted

1T each Fresh Thyme, Rosemary, Marjoram, chopped

Pepper, optional, to taste

Method

Wash beans under running water, removing any impurities. In a large stock pot, combine water, bay leaves, 3 cloves minced garlic, mushroom base, and 1T salt. Bring to boil, add blackeyed peas, and cook 30-40 mins, until tender, but not mushy. Drain, remove from heat, set aside. Rinse out stock pot and combine 2C water and quinoa with 3 cloves minced garlic, diced onion and 1/2T salt. Bring to boil, reduce heat to simmer and cook 20 minutes (or until all water is absorbed).

Meanwhile, chop mushrooms and saute in butter. Season with salt and pepper. Add reserved beans and mushrooms to quinoa. Wipe out saute pan and toast almonds. Add to pot. Finely chop fresh herbs and add to pot. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Serve hot and enjoy!!

Day two remixes:

Add diced avocado and crumbled goat cheese to black-eyed peas with quinoa.

-or-

Saute kale in veggie stock with garlic, onions, chili flakes, salt and pepper. Add to black-eyed peas with quinoa.