Monday, February 4, 2019

Pretzel Crusted Pork Chops with Apricot Cream Sauce: Snuggly and Warm Blog With Friends

Today’s post is the next in our series of Blog With Friends themed collaborations. Each month a group of bloggers get together and each publish a project based on a theme. What I love about his partnership is that it's not bloggers with similar interests or strengths but a diverse group coming up with a variety of posts. In any given month we may a recipe, sewing tutorial, crocheting, crafts project, book review, and/or technology post all related to the theme of the month.

Blog With Friends, a multi-blogger project based post incorporating a theme.| Featured on and graphic property of www.BakingInATornado.com


This month's theme is Snuggly and Warm.

There will be individual project pictures and links to what everyone else has to offer at the end of my post, but here's a peek at what we all came up with:

Blog With Friends, a multi-blogger project based post incorporating a theme, Snuggly and Warm | Featured on www.BakingInATornado.com


I made Pretzel Crusted Pork Chops with Apricot Cream Sauce. 

Pretzel Crusted Pork Chops with Apricot Cream Sauce, pan fried pretzel coated pork chops served drizzled with an apricot cream sauce | Recipe developed by www.BakingInATornado.com | #recipe #dinner

Pretzel Crusted Pork Chops with Apricot Cream Sauce 

I don't know about you, especially if you live in a warmer climate, but I cook completely differently in the winter than the rest of the year. In the spring, summer and early fall I make lighter meals, often use the grill, frequently make cold meals, and stay away from soups, stews and thick sauces. In the winter my meals tend to be more substantial, may include sauces and need to be both more filling and warming.

Snuggly and warm are a lot of things, especially this time of year, like bundling up in a comfortable throw on the couch, a fire in the fireplace, but after a long day in and out of the freezing cold, it often starts with a hot satisfying meal. Like my Pretzel Crusted Pork Chops with Apricot Cream Sauce.

For this meal there are two parts. I start with coating the pork chops ahead of time. The coating is a light dusting of seasoned flour, a dip in milk, and a dredging in crushed pretzels.

Pretzel Crusted Pork Chops with Apricot Cream Sauce, pan fried pretzel coated pork chops served drizzled with an apricot cream sauce | Recipe developed by www.BakingInATornado.com | #recipe #dinner


Once coated, I place the pork chops in the fridge. I find that the crust adheres to the chops better when cooking if they are refrigerated for a while before pan frying. I actually did this step hours before cooking.

Pretzel Crusted Pork Chops with Apricot Cream Sauce, pan fried pretzel coated pork chops served drizzled with an apricot cream sauce | Recipe developed by www.BakingInATornado.com | #recipe #dinner

The second step for the preparation of this meal is to prepare the sauce and then cook the chops. The sauce has few ingredients which I gather together before starting so everything is measured out and ready to go.

Pretzel Crusted Pork Chops with Apricot Cream Sauce, pan fried pretzel coated pork chops served drizzled with an apricot cream sauce | Recipe developed by www.BakingInATornado.com | #recipe #dinner



I prepare the sauce by whisking the ingredients in a saucepan until thickened.


Pretzel Crusted Pork Chops with Apricot Cream Sauce, pan fried pretzel coated pork chops served drizzled with an apricot cream sauce | Recipe developed by www.BakingInATornado.com | #recipe #dinner


The pork chops are then pan fried in hot oil in a saute pan, then drained on paper towels.
Pretzel Crusted Pork Chops with Apricot Cream Sauce, pan fried pretzel coated pork chops served drizzled with an apricot cream sauce | Recipe developed by www.BakingInATornado.com | #recipe #dinner



Serve the Pretzel Crusted Pork Chops topped with the Apricot Cream Sauce.
Pretzel Crusted Pork Chops with Apricot Cream Sauce, pan fried pretzel coated pork chops served drizzled with an apricot cream sauce | Recipe developed by www.BakingInATornado.com | #recipe #dinner


As always, any time you make one of my recipes, feel free to post a picture of it to my Baking In A Tornado Facebook Page. I'd love to see it!

Be sure to visit all of this month's other Blog With Friends projects:

Dawn of Spatulas on Parade shares her recipe for Sugar Free Banana Bread French Toast
Blog With Friends, a multi-blogger project based post incorporating a theme, Snuggly and Warm | Sugar Free Banana Bread French Toast by Dawn of Spatulas on Parade | Featured on www.BakingInATornado.com


Lydia of Cluttered Genius shares her DIY Memory Pillow.
Blog With Friends, a multi-blogger project based post incorporating a theme, Snuggly and Warm | DIY Memory Pillow by Lydia of Cluttered Genius | Featured on www.BakingInATornado.com

Melissa of My Heartfelt Sentiments shares Heart Happy.
Blog With Friends, a multi-blogger project based post incorporating a theme, Snuggly and Warm | Heart Happy Homemade Fun by Melissa of My Heartfelt Sentiments | Featured on www.BakingInATornado.com


Jules of The Bergham Chronicles shares Spreading Warmth.
Blog With Friends, a multi-blogger project based post incorporating a theme, Snuggly and Warm | Spreading Warmth in Your Community by Jules of The Bergham Chronicles



Baking In A Tornado signature | www.BakingInATornado.com | #MyGraphics





Pretzel Crusted Pork Chops with Apricot Cream Sauce
                                                                          ©www.BakingInATornado.com

Printable Recipe

Ingredients:
6 oz pretzels
2# thin cut, bone in, center cut pork chops (do not use thick cut)
1/2 cup flour
salt, pepper, garlic powder to taste
1/2 cup milk
3 TBSP canola oil

2 TBSP butter
2 TBSP flour
salt and pepper to taste
3/4 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup white wine
1/4 cup chopped dried apricots
2 tsp apricot jam
1/2 tsp dried chives

Directions:
*Finely grate the pretzels in a food processor until crumbs. Place on a dish.
*Place the 1/2 cup of flour in another dish and mix with salt, pepper and garlic powder. Place the milk in a bowl.
*Rinse the pork chops and pat dry. Dip them lightly in the flour, then tap to remove any excess flour. Dip fully in the milk, then dredge them in the pretzel crumbs. Place on a dish and refrigerate.
*Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in the 2 TBSP flour then add salt and pepper to taste. Cook, stirring, for 2 minutes until the mixture starts to brown. 
*Slowly whisk in the heavy cream and continue to whisk until it thickens. Add the white wine, dried apricots and apricot jam. Cook and stir for 3 minutes. Lower the heat, add the chives and keep warm.
*In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium high heat until hot. It's hot enough when, if you add a little of the pretzel crumbs, they sizzle. 
*Carefully add the pork chops, two at a time. Cook for about 5 minutes, gently flip the chops over, reduce the heat slightly and cook the other side for about 3 minutes. The amount of cooking time will depend on the thickness of your pork chops, be sure that they are cooked through with barely a touch of pink in the center.
*Remove to paper towels to drain. Repeat with any remaining chops, adding more oil if necessary.
*Serve the pork chops with the Apricot Cream Sauce drizzled over the top.


12 comments:

  1. I agree, cold main dishes just don't satisfy in the winter. I like the idea of apricots in the sauce, it is almost a nod to warmer days!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yes, I'm happy with how the sauce came out. Hope you try the dish.

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  2. Those chops would make my tummy all snuggly!

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  3. Tim would love these, I am not a fan of pork

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  4. I'm always looking for new ways to prepare pork chops and these look amazing!

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  5. So the tip about putting the crusted chops in the fridge - great hack!!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yes, it works so much better. I learned that tip from my Mom.

      Delete
  6. I love pork, especially with fruit. I particularly love it with apples. I never would have thought to try apricots, but this sounds yummy. Thank you for sharing this, I look forward to trying it. I think this will be a make with Gigi recipe. I LOVE pretzels, so I'm particularly excited about that. I'm definitely going to try the tip, of letting them rest a bit, between coating them and cooking. It always bugs me, how easily the coating falls off. As always, loved your BWF contribution!!!

    ReplyDelete

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