Basic Baked Porkchops

This is one of those “variable” recipes – the basic ingredients (center cut porkchops, onions, canned tomatoes) stay the same, but the spices and side dishes are pretty infinitely variable. It’s good, simple, hearty food that isn’t fussy and is easy to throw together on a weeknight.

Here’s the setup:

• Four 1” thick center cut porkchops (or whatever porkchops you have, enough for 4 people)
• Two small or one large onion, cut into bite-sized chunks
• Two cloves of garlic, diced.
• 1 8oz can of tomato sauce (plain or seasoned)
• 1 14oz can of no-salt-added diced tomatoes (plain or seasoned) with liquid
• Non stick skillet
• Oil
• Shallow pyrex baking dish (I usually use an 8” square pan)

Pick your seasonings before hand – I’ve tried several, and these two seem to work wonderfully:

1. Salt, Pepper, Italian Seasoning Blend, a sprinkle of parmesan cheese
2. Salt, Pepper, Grill Seasoning (I use Lawry’s Seasoned Pepper plus a little crushed red pepper flake)

So here’s how it goes:

Preheat your oven to 350F.

Place about 1 TBSP oil (or a spray of non-stick cooking spray) in the bottom of a non-stick skillet. Heat to HIGH. Season your porkchops liberally with whatever seasonings you choose. Sear the porkchops for about 1 minute on each side – you’re looking for golden brown and delicious, not cooked all the way through.

Evenly space the porkchops in your baking dish. Dump the onions and garlic over top of them and kinda spread them out some. Follow with the tomato sauce, and then the diced tomatoes. Mush it around so it’s mostly level and you don’t have any really high/low spots (some onions poking through is OK).

Sprinkle the salt, pepper, and seasoning of your choice over the top of the tomatoes and don’t be shy – probably a full teaspoon of whatever seasoning blend, plus a good pinch or two of salt, and several grinds of pepper. Your tomatoes should look well seasoned.

Bake for 45 minutes or until the porkchops are done.

Serve plain, with mashed potatoes, with (brown) rice, with egg noodles, with salad, or with whatever side dish your heart desires.

Good, simple, easy food. Healthy and delicious.