Pan Seared Pork Chops

On my day off, I decided I wanted to make a delicious meal for my husband when he got home from work. I didn't use a recipe for dinner and thought of what a man might like for dinner after a hard day back from Christmas break.

I wanted to Christen my new All-Clad stainless d5 french skillets (Christmas present) so I decided I would pan sear some thick bone-in pork chops. I would then roast it on top of chopped potatoes, onions, apples, chopped fresh rosemary (from my herb garden), olive oil, and salt/pepper. Prior to putting the dish in the oven, I drizzled a little balsamic vinegar over the meat and veggies/fruit (not too much). I am learning the art of not over doing the seasonings. Then I cooked it at 400 for about 60 minutes. I let it rest about 7 minutes (covered with aluminum foil) after taking it out of the oven.

Also, I cut come fresh mixed lettuce from my veggie garden on the back deck. I made my own dressing. Half a lemon's juice and zest, coarse sea salt, balsamic vinegar, and olive oil.

For dessert, I wanted to use my new Williams Sonoma jelly role pan from my mom (another Christmas present). I followed the recipe on the pan packaging. What a moist excellent cake! I still haven't perfected tight rolling, but with practice, I should be able to make more rolls. The batter might have been too thick, who knows. Yum.