Today’s recipe is probably most suited for the fall in my opinion, but not according to my dear hubby. He loves these pork chops with its rich stuffing of apples, whole grain bread and Gouda cheese any time of  the year and has been pestering me to post this recipe for several weeks. So being fresh off of a few days sabbatical at Edisto Beach, I succumbed to posting the pork chop recipe. Perhaps it is also his way of asking me to make this dish soon as well. Hum, interesting… Guess he doesn’t realize I took all the ‘how to’ pictures the last time I prepared this recipe…maybe I’ll make it for him anyway. Awwww!

So this recipe is a good one for several reasons. First its relatively easy – just a matter of dicing some vegetables and bread. Cutting the pockets in the chops is not difficult – use thick bone-in chops and a sharp knife. The recipe can be prepared early in the day and held in the refrigerator until you’re ready to roast the stuffed chops. And not only is the combination of pork, apples and cheese exceedingly tasty it also makes an impressive main dish for your next dinner party or special occasion supper. This recipe can also easily doubled or tripled.  It’s a win-win!

The ingredients. Add the saute pan, spatula, a sharp knife and baking dish and my ‘mise en place’ is complete! Note that I did not include bacon this time but feel free to add as per the recipe below

Saute the veggies in the butter – not a complicated step but it makes a pretty picture!

Add the broth (or stock) to the veggies and cubed bread.

Mix the chilled cheese cubes with the breadcrumb/apple mixture.

Make a pocket in the side of each chop with a sharp knife. Yes, that is my chubby,wrinkled hand…

Cut a deep pocket (that reaches the bone) which you will fill with that delicious stuffing. There’s that chubby hand again!

Lightly salt and pepper the pork chop pocket and then stuff.

Spoon any extra filling around the pork chops, cover with foil (or a cover) and roast for about 20 minutes in a 400 degree oven. Remove foil and continue to roast for an additional 10 minutes. You may also run under a broiler to get a good crisp on your chop, if that’s your preference.

Stuffed Pork Chops with Apple and Gouda Cheese

• (2) 1 1/4 inch+ thick bone-in pork chops
• 2 medium apples, washed, cored and diced – peel left on
• ¼ cup diced onion
• 1 stalk celery, diced
• 3 slices whole grain sandwich bread, toasted and diced (not crumbs!)
• 1 tbl. butter
• 1/3 cup vegetable stock or broth
• 1/3 cup diced good quality Gouda cheese, chilled
• 2 slices of good quality bacon, cooked crisp and crumbled – optional
• ¼ tsp+ extra salt
• ground pepper

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a medium sauce pan melt the butter and sauté the onion and celery over medium heat 2 minutes. Add the apple and sauté another 2-3 minutes. Remove from the heat and set aside to cool to room temperature.

Meanwhile cut pockets into one side of each pork chop being careful not to slice through the top or bottom. In a medium sized bowl combine the cooled sautéed vegetables, the broth, ¼ tsp. salt, and the bread crumbs. Fold in the diced cheese and optional bacon and stir to combine. Sprinkle with a few cracks of pepper and stir once more.

Sprinkle the inside pocket of the chop with a dash of salt and pepper. Stuff each pork chop, sprinkle with another dash of salt and pepper and place chops in an oiled baking dish. Spoon any leftover stuffing around the chops. Cover the baking dish with foil and bake for 20 minutes. Remove foil and continue to bake 10 minutes. If you prefer your chops very brown and crispy, I suggest running them under the broiler for an additional minute or two.