Applesauce Pork Chops

This was a very tasty pork chop dish we enjoyed the other night. I love the combination of apples with pork and have had a lot of apples to use up ever since we visited an Ellijay apple orchard not too long ago. I had made a pretty good sized batch of applesauce, and thought it would be nice to use some of that over pork chops and discovered the recipe below, which also incorporates additional fresh apple pieces and onion as well. It came together into a very delicious sauce which the thick chops were baked in. I loved the flavor and how juicy the pork stayed (even though, I admit it, I overcooked them!)

Even amidst the Tuesday night craziness that is getting home from work, getting Lindsey to and from ballet, and preparing for the Bachelor in Paradise finale, we managed (group effort) to pull off a beautiful, homemade meal. We served these pork chops alongside some simply roasted sliced zucchini and moved on to the Peachy Apple Crisp I'll be sharing in another day or so!

Applesauce Pork Chops adapted from Shelli on AllRecipes

Ingredients
4 thick-cut bone-in loin pork chops
1 TBS olive oil
2 TBS butter
1 medium onion, diced
2 medium apples, peeled, cored, and diced
4 (1/2-inch thick) pork chops
1 1/2 cups applesauce
4 TBS brown sugar
1 teaspoon ground mustard
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
salt, to taste
ground black pepper, to taste

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
2. Heat oil in a large non-stick skillet over medium to medium-high heat. Salt and pepper one-side of the pork chops and place that side down in the hot oil. Salt and pepper the top side. Allow to cook about 2-3 minutes each side until golden brown.
3. Remove chops from skillet and place in a 9x13 baking dish.
4. Add butter, diced onion, and diced apple to skillet and cook for about 5 minutes, or until onion and apple are tender. Turn off the heat. Add the applesauce, brown sugar, mustard, and cinnamon into the onion and apple mixture and gently stir until combined.
5. Spoon applesauce mixture over pork chops; cover dish with foil.
6. Bake in the preheated oven until pork chops are no longer pink in the center, about 30 to 45 minutes. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the center should read at least 145 degrees F.