Easy Meal Ideas: The'll want seconds

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Easy Meal Ideas From Janet's Kitchen   Smothered Pork Chops I've dusted this one off from the archives. It deserves a second chance. The wolverines love these chops. Mashed potatoes go great with them or even grits if you're in a Southern mode. Do not be put off by the length of the instructions. The techniques are simple for this stove-top dish. I promise you’ll clip and save after you make it. Smothered Pork Chops 4 bone-in pork chops (6 ounces each, 1/2 to 3/4 inch thick) Salt and pepper 2 tablespoons vegetable oil, plus extra as needed 2 onions, halved and sliced thin 2 garlic cloves, minced 1 teaspoon minced fresh thyme or 1/4 teaspoon dried 2 tablespoons water 3 ounces (3 slices) bacon, chopped fine 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour 1 3/4 cups low-sodium chicken broth 2 bay leaves 1 tablespoon minced parsley Pat the chops dry with paper towels, then season with salt and pepper. Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over high heat until just smoking. Brown the chops on both sides, about 5 minutes, then transfer to a large plate. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon oil to the skillet and return to medium heat until shimmering. Add the onions and cook, scraping up any browned bits, until lightly browned, about 7 minutes.  Stir in the garlic and thyme and cook until fragrant, about 15 seconds. Stir in the water, scraping up any browned bits, then transfer to a bowl. Add the bacon to the skillet and return to medium heat until crisp, about 8 minutes. Transfer the bacon to a paper-towel-lined plate, leaving the bacon fat in the pan (you should have at least 2 tablespoons but if not, substitute vegetable oil for the missing bacon fat). Whisk the flour into the fat left in the skillet and cook over medium-low heat until golden, about 5 minutes. Whisk in the broth, scraping up an browned bits. Return the chops to the skillet and over them with the onions. Add the bay leaves, cover, and simmer over low heat until the pork is completely tender, about 30 minutes. Transfer the chops to a serving platter and tent with foil. Continue to simmer the sauce until thickened, about 5 minutes. Discard the bay leaves, stir in the parsley, and season with salt and pepper to taste. Spoon the sauce over the chops and sprinkle with the crisp bacon before serving. Serves 4. Source: “The America’s Test Kitchen Cookbook” (America’s Test Kitchen, 2006)		Tip of the day. Store onions loose in a cool, dark place and keep them away from potatoes. Do not put them in the refrigerator where the moisture will hasten their deterioration. They'll keep for up to one month if you treat them right.     Deal of the day. Got a deal? To have your deal featured in tampabay.com's Easy Meals newsletter, contact Maryann Balbo at mbalbo@tampabay.com or call 727-892-2237.       On Sale This Week. Got a deal? To have your deal featured in tampabay.com's Easy Meals newsletter, contact Maryann Balbo at mbalbo@tampabay.com or call 727-892-2237.   Janet Keeler , who cooks in a kitchen she hates for a job she loves, has been food editor of the Tampa Bay Times since 2000. The paper's Taste section has been honored three times in the past decade by the Association of Food Journalists. Janet is the author of "Cookielicious: 150 Fabulous Recipe to Bake & Share" (Seaside Publishing, 2010) and is an adjunct journalism instructor at the University of South Florida-St. Petersburg.

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