Recently we were on vacation in Florida and spent a few days with my sister and brother-in-law.  We had been having meals out for a week or so…and I was really missing a home-cooked meal.  They graciously prepared supper our first night visiting them…and it was my brother-in-law’s version of this dish.  Simply delicious!  (Thank you, Tony and Brenda!)

A few days after we returned home to New York, I thought about this dish.  It is simple and quick (aren’t some of your best meals just like that?).  But full of flavor from the caramelized onions and mushrooms, the abudance of garlic, and the subtle flavor that herbs—in this case, tarragon—add.   The prep and cooking time amount to just about 30 minutes or so. This fits well into our healthy but oh-so-yummy POV since the pork chops are low in fat and protein-rich.  The entire dish  includes just a small amount of olive oil…and just a little bit of carbs.  You can make this your own by increasing the quantity of mushrooms or perhaps using a variety of mushrooms!  This goes along well with quite a variety of side dishes.  We enjoyed it with our family served with black rice and broccoli; I prepared it at home with one of our current favorites, this Sweet Potato-Spinach Mash.  Enjoy!

Mushroom-Tarragon Pork Chops

ingredients:
4 boneless pork chops (5 or 6 ounces each)
1+ teaspoon lemon-pepper blend, freshly ground
2 teaspoons olive oil, divided
3/4 pound Baby Bella mushrooms, cleaned and sliced
1 medium sweet onion, halved and sliced into half-moons
2 tablespoons minced garlic (I use jarred)
1/2 cup white wine (or chicken broth)
2 tablespoons brown rice (or all-purpose) flour
1 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth
1 teaspoon dried tarragon or 2 teaspoons minced fresh tarragon

directions:

• coat both sides of pork chops with lemon-pepper blend
• in a large skillet over medium-high heat, warm 1 teaspoon olive oil, and then add pork chops
• quickly brown (about 2 minutes each side), and then remove, cover and keep warm
• in the same pan, saute mushrooms and onion in additional teaspoon of oil ’til lightly caramelized
• lower heat and add garlic; stirring constantly, cook for 1 minute longer
• stir in wine; raise heat to medium and bring to a boil; cook ‘til all liquids are almost evaporated
• lower heat again and sprinkle the flour over the onion-mushroom mixture; stir well and cook on low heat for 2-3 minutes to reduce the flour-y taste
• stir the broth into the onion-mushroom mixture ‘til smooth
  bring to a boil; cook and stir continually for about 2 minutes ‘til thickened and a gravy has formed. (if necessary, add additional broth ‘til the gravy reaches the consistency you prefer.)
• return the pork chops to pan along with the tarragon; cover and cook on low heat (just barely simmering) for 6-8 minutes or ‘til a thermometer reads 145
• turn off heat and allow to sit for 5 minutes or so ‘til plating

♥  ♥  ♥  ♥  ♥

God loves you!  ♥  (Don’t ever forget that!)

♥  coleen