Whenever I get a new cookbook or cooking magazine, I leave it in the living room for Mark to flip through. I like knowing what he thinks is appealing in them. One thing I’ve learned is that he loves stuffed meat. No joke – in one cookbook every single recipe he tabbed was some sort of stuffed meat. Now, everytime I see a recipe that fits into this category, I immediately think, “Oh, Mark would like this!”

This recipe caught my eye not only because I knew Mark would like it but also because the apple-bacon stuffing sounded like the perfect fall dish. I used small pork chops so I only needed about half the stuffing the recipe made – I popped the extra in a baking dish and warmed it up for a few minutes to serve on the side.

Apple-Bacon Stuffed Pork Chops
(from The Crepes of Wrath)

2 pork chops
2 teaspoons dried oregano
2 teaspoons dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper

2 cups whole wheat bread, torn into tiny pieces
1/2 an apple, peeled and diced
4 slices bacon, chopped into very small pieces
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground sage
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
2 tablespoons goat cheese
1-2 tablespoons low-sodium chicken broth
3 tablespoons olive oil

Cut a pocket into your pork chops for the stuffing. Rub your pork chops with the oregano, thyme, red pepper flakes, salt and pepper.

Dice the bacon and fry. Set aside on paper towels and allow to drain. In a large bowl, add the 2 cups of torn bread and the diced apples. Add in the bacon, then the melted butter, cinnamon, sage, nutmeg and goat cheese. Mix everything up with a large spoon and mash a bit with the back of the spoon, adding a tablespoon or two of chicken broth until the consistency is to your liking and wet enough to stuff the chops with.

Stuff the pork chops as full as possible with the stuffing, securing with toothpicks if needed. 

Heat the olive oil in a large oven-proof skillet and cook for 4 minutes on each side until browned. Place the pan with the pork chops in a 400F degree oven for 10 minutes or so, until golden and cooked through.