Caramel Apple Pork Chops & Coconut Fried Rice

This is a recipe I stumbled on while searching for some ideas on how to use up the pork chops in our freezer. I like pork chops but it can be so hard to not overcook them and I get paranoid about undercooking them. I like this recipe because even if I do overcook them a bit it can be easily hidden. Plus it contains caramel apples so who isn’t happy with that? The whole family likes this dish and in my book that makes it a keeper.

Caramel Apple Pork Chops
Adapted from All Recipes

4 pork chops (I get the big daddy’s from Costco so they need to cook for quite a bit)
Grape juice for marinade (I use whatever juice we have in the fridge at the time but grape is fantastic)
olive oil
4 T brown sugar
Salt & pepper to taste
¼ t ground cinnamon
¼ t ground nutmeg
4 T butter
4 granny smith apples, peeled, cored, and sliced (found organic ones at Costco)

Marinade pork chops over night in the grape juice flipping once.

In a large skillet add olive oil and pork chops cooking over medium heat. Turn occasionally and cook until done, salt & pepper to taste. I usually keep them covered while I cook them.

Meanwhile in a bowl combine the brown sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Melt the butter in another skillet then add the brown sugar mixture and apples. Cover and cook until the apples are just tender. This only takes a few minutes so watch it, if you cook it too long (like my picture below) the caramel gets to be too runny.

To serve top the pork chops with apples and sauce.

I merged different recipes I saw online to come up with a different fried rice recipe, nothing I saw was exactly what I wanted to do. I've also added some of my own things and I must say this rice is fantastic. It's got a little kick to it with some sweetness, definately a keeper.

Coconut Fried Rice

Sauce
2 T GF soy sauce
3 T lime juice (lemon works also)
1 T brown sugar

2 C cooked rice
1 medium onion, diced
½ t red pepper flakes
2 T coconut oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 T fresh ginger
1 can crushed pineapple, drained
3 eggs lightly beaten
1/3 C coconut


Sauté the onion and pepper flakes in coconut oil over medium heat until the onion are soft. Add the garlic and ginger sautéing for another minute or two. Add the eggs then top with the rice, pineapple, coconut, and sauce. Let it sit for 1 minute then stir and continue to cook until the eggs are cooked through.

If you would like to add shrimp use 1 lb and add it with the garlic and ginger. Make sure the shrimp is fully cooked before adding the eggs, etc. You can also add color with some green onions or other vegetables. Add them in after the eggs.