Pork Chops with Apple Slices

Ok, so I LOVE apples!  I craved apples all throughout my pregnancy.  Since I was pregnant in the fall, there were apple donuts, apple pie, and apple cider (Oh my!)  So it only makes sense that I, in turn, gave birth to a baby boy that also loves apples.  And to complete our apple loving family, Bill also likes them!  In fact, that's probably the only fruit Bill will willingly eat!  He's the type of guy that likes a good pork chop, baked potato and apple sauce for dinner.  However, that does get old.  I make another pork chop dinner, thanks to Trish, that I'll talk about at a later date (aka the next time I make it).  This one I came across in (I think) Parents Magazine.  Let me just state that I am not overly fond of pork chops, and even I loved this dish!  Eoin is just starting to really want apples in any other form than juice or sauce, so he loved eating the apple slices!  

Yields 4 servings

Prep Time  10 minutes   Cook time  30 minutes

Ingredients:

• 4 center-cut pork chops, with fat trimmed off
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• 1/2 cup water
• 1 tsp minced garlic (fresh or jarred, I used jarred)
• 1/2 cup chicken stock (low sodium canned, or homemade)
• 4 apples (I used 2 granny smith, 2 red delicious; but you can use whatever kind(s) of apples you like), cute into cored and sliced into 8 pieces

Directions: 

1. *If you're like me and only have limited time on your hands, whenever you have a second during the day (ie nap time)  rinse the chops and trim excess fat off, salt and pepper both sides, and refrigerate until later use.  Cut up apples, and squeeze lemon juice over slices, then rinse with water and refrigerate in air-tight container. 
   This "ahead of time" shortcut will eliminate the need for an immediate before-you-cook-prep, and you'll only really need to be hands-on at the stove for a total of about 5 minutes. 
2. Preheat skillet over high heat for about 4 minutes.  CAREFULLY add 2 Tbsp olive oil.  Wait about 2 minutes, until oil is hot, and then add chops.  Brown on each side 2 minutes. 
3. Reduce heat to medium.  Add the water and the garlic and cook for 3 minutes, turning after each minute.  Lower heat slightly and add the chicken stock.  Cook chops for 15 minutes, make sure all your liquids don't evaporate, lower heat if you're running too low.  
4. Remove chops from heat, put onto a plate and cover to keep warm.  Add apples, and stir up the rest of the liquids left in the pan.  If you need to, add slightly more chicken stock, if the pan is too dry.  Cook the apples for 10 minutes.  Serve apples on top of chops, with some sauce drizzled over.  Serve with Colcannon.