Happy Friday, friends! Today we’re reviewing two recipes in one post, because they just so happened to land on the same plate! Often times we find recipes that are only for a protein, such as chicken, steak, etc, so we have to put on our thinking cap and come up with the right side dish to complete the plate. I generally like three parts to a meal, but I decided to stick with two just because of how much food there actually was.

Most of my reviews have been of recipes found online, but I actually have plenty of cookbooks that I’ve been neglecting. This weeks recipes are from the book 30-Minute One-Pot Meals by Joanna Cismaru. Funny story about that. I like to review my recipes early in the morning before I make them later that day, and I finally flipped through the book thoroughly. Once I got to the end and read up on the author, I almost screamed. I KNEW the recipes sounded familiar. We actually TESTED a recipe from her BLOG.

A week ago, actually. Remember those balsamic pork chops? Yeah. Jo Cooks. The blog.

At that point I knew I made a good decision, because I really liked her recipes already.

The recipes I used can be found on page 18 and 67: Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Cranberries and Prosciutto & Creamy Herb and Mustard Pork Chops.

To make sure everything went swimmingly, I prepped the Brussels sprouts first. You know, peeling off the top layer and then cutting off the ends. I don’t think Jo cut them in half, but I did. Easier to consume that way, at least in my opinion. Overall, this was a very quick and easy prep for a side dish. Combine all the extra ingredients, which included the cranberries, prosciutto, balsamic vinegar and some olive oil. It only had to cook for about 15 minutes or so to get that nice roast going, so I had to time my protein correctly.

Remember how I said I was going to get myself a meat thermometer?
Yeah, I forgot. Maybe I’ll get that this weekend. But luckily I still timed my sears correctly, so the pork chops turned out…DELICIOUS! Let me tell you ALL about them!

This recipe did not call for ANY baking, so I felt like I had a lot more control. The only issue I’d say is that I had four pork chops and I could only cook 2-3 at once.

The pans that I had to use were more on the small-medium side, and I always manage with what I have, however sometimes that is the cause for some pieces cooking VERY quickly on the outside from the heated oil and then not cooking completely on the inside. Last thing you want is a charred piece of meat that’s completely raw on the inside. Somehow, I managed! There was SUCCESS!

I think that the more recipes I try with certain proteins, the more comfortable I’ll feel knowing when to lower the heat, or when to increase it, or better yet–when to get it the HECK off the heat completely!

Well, moving onto the specifics of these pork chops. The inside cooked perfectly. It was juicy and still slightly pink where it had to be. The outsides had to brown a little bit, but some pieces ended up browning a wee bit too much on the sides. It wasn’t burnt, but it looks more like the seasonings that cooked to a little bit to a crisp? LUCKILY…those crisped edges did not taste burnt. I would not have been happy, but everything ended up okay.

I do have some questions about the sauce. I followed all the directions with proportions of ingredients and such, but damn. This yielded a TON of sauce. Both of our servings were basically smothered in this sauce, and there was still enough for my boyfriend to store away for future use. Hey, at least it was REALLY tasty. The dried spices gave it a really nice touch. This portion of the sauce can easily be used on 6-8 pork chops. Easily.

So, if you’re planning on trying this recipe and needing to double or triple it for a family gathering, consider sticking to the original measurements for the sauce. It thickens up, but seriously….it’s enough.

Grey’s Grade: 4.5/5

For dinner on a Sunday that doesn’t take 2 hours to put together, I’ll definitely give these recipes a great grade. What’s nice is that you can switch the sides and proteins around. They can complement plenty of other options. My boyfriend and I LOVE roasted Brussels sprouts (they’re even better when they’re flash fried!) so it was a very tasty option to have with the pork cops.

I think this upcoming weekend I’ll be trying some more recipes from this book. There’s plenty of really great options that I already have my eye on.

If there are any recipes you’d like for me to test out for you and review, feel free to let me know in the comments. I’m always down to try new things and my boyfriend is honestly the best taste tester you could ask for. Always putting up with me saying “CUT THE MEAT IN THE MIDDLE! I GOTTA SEE!” Haha.

Have a wonderful weekend, friends! Till next time.

Happy nomming!

-Grey