Savory Sunday

Today's recipe is Pork Chops alla Pizzaiola courtesy of Giada De Laurentiis.  I refer to this recipe as Easy Pork Chops.  It's one of those recipes that you can add to, change this and that, and even use different meats.  This type of recipe is made in our home at least once a week.  The secret ingredient is a regular 'ol can of diced tomatoes...seasoned Italian style, Mexican  style, sweet onion, or just plain...anything.  It's amazing what a can can do.  I'll give you Giada's recipe and you can do with it what you wish.

Ingredients
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 (1-inch thick) bone-in pork loin center-cut chops (about 12 ounces each)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 small onion, thinly sliced
1 (15-ounce) can diced tomatoes, in juice
1 teaspoon herbes de Provence
1/4 teaspoon dried red pepper flakes, or more to taste
1 tablespoon chopped fresh Italian parsley leaves

Directions
Heat the oil in a heavy large skillet over medium heat. Sprinkle the pork chops with salt and pepper. Add the pork chops to the skillet and cook until they are brown and an instant-read meat thermometer inserted horizontally into the pork registers 160 degrees F, about 3 minutes per side. Transfer the pork chops to a plate and tent with foil to keep them warm.

Add the onion to the same skillet and saute over medium heat until crisp-tender, about 4 minutes.

Add the tomatoes with their juices, herbes de Provence, and 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes.

Cover and simmer until the flavors blend and the juices thicken slightly, stirring occasionally, about 15 minutes. Season the sauce, to taste, with salt and more red pepper flakes. Return the pork chops and any accumulated juices from the plate to the skillet and turn the pork chops to coat with the sauce.

Place 1 pork chop on each plate. Spoon the sauce over the pork chops. Sprinkle with the parsley and serve.

So there you have it.  Let me just say that I have never used the herbes de Provence.  I usually just leave it out, because I don't feel like buying it.  If I have garlic in the house I will throw that in, and I even threw in a handful of fresh green beans once and that was great.  And just so you know, the parsley really makes a Yummy difference.  I didn't have any on hand this week, so I left it out.  This week I served the Pork Chops with plain 'ol buttered egg noodles and roasted zucchini.  Just cut the zucchini into big chunks, toss in olive oil, salt and pepper, and place on a cookie sheet in a 400 degrees oven for about 15 minutes, turning after about 7 minutes.  If you have it, throw some Parmesan cheese on top...of everything!

AND by the way...if you are lucky, maybe someone else will wash the dishes tonight!!