Do you know who coined the phrase “Pork Chops and Applesauce?’  I only know because I loved watching reruns of The Brady Bunch show as a kid, and I remember Peter Brady using that line. I thought it was hilarious.

Of course, when my cousin came to visit me in Philadelphia when he was 10 and I was almost three, he couldn’t stop saying: “Pork Chops and Applesauce.”  I chuckle to myself even today, when I reminisce about those good and simple times with my older cousin. Here’s another trivia question for you. Why are pork chops paired with applesauce?  I found out that because the apples have acid, it helps to digest the fat of the pork.  Interesting right?  

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Baked Pork Chops

Recipe by Recipe Helper

Course: MainDifficulty: Easy

Servings

2

servings

Prep time

15

minutes

Cooking time

25

minutes

Ingredients

• For the Pork Chops:
  

• 2 (1 inch thick) pork chops, either boneless or bone in

• 1 tablespoon olive oil

• 1 teaspoon garlic powder

• 1 teaspoon onion powder

• salt and black pepper, to taste

• For the Onions:
  

• 1 tablespoon olive oil

• 1/2 sweet onion, sliced

Directions

• Preheat the oven to 400°F/200°C.
• In a small bowl, mix together the garlic powder, onion powder, salt and black pepper, to taste.
• Drizzle each pork chop with 1 tablespoon olive oil and rub them all over with the seasoning mixture.
• Bake the pork chops for 18-20 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 140°F when a meat thermometer is inserted.
• Remove the chops from the oven and place them on a plate or cutting board to rest for 5-10 minutes.
• Meanwhile, on the stove top in a skillet or the same pan used to bake the pork chops, (I used a cast iron skillet, so I used the same pan) heat 1 tablespoon olive oil and sauté the sliced onion until tender (about 6 minutes). Season to taste, if necessary.
• Pile the sautéed onions onto each pork chop and serve. Enjoy!

Notes

• Use whatever you prefer (boneless or bone in chops).
• Using the same skillet used to bake the pork chops in order to sauté the onions helps to give the onions more flavor without needing any added seasoning.

I usually will have a green vegetable and a little creamed corn or regular corn on the side. My vegetable of choice is sautéed spinach. I truly eat spinach almost everyday anyway. The cartoon character, Popeye the Sailor was absolutely correct, when he said spinach makes you strong. I truly believe he made eating your spinach popular. “I’m strong to the “finnich”, ‘cause I eats my spinach” was Popeye’s catchphrase and he loved showing off his muscles. That line is hilarious. It makes me laugh, even today. Popeye didn’t care so much about his grammar, but he cared about his health.  

Getting back to pork chops, I like a good hearty meal. This one is sure to be a good sleep inducer. It is fine to indulge every now and then anyway. I believe it keeps you on track to enjoy yourself without overdoing it by being so strict with your diet.  Besides, eating applesauce alone is just a snack right? As a kid, I have had my pork chops, fried, baked and sautéed. As an adult, when I do want to eat pork, I tend to bake it. Yes, it is healthier and I don’t have to worry about the grease popping all over the place, especially on me if I’m frying them. I also don’t have to worry about having my fire alarm going off from all of the smoke, because I forgot to turn the stove fan on. Yes, that has happened. Since they are not fried, I don’t need to add any flour or breadcrumbs. See, so many calories saved and your arteries will Thank You later.

This pork chop recipe is simple.  And, you know that I like easy and simple. I’m sure you do too. All you need are a few seasonings, add your onions and bake in the oven at 400°F/200°C for about 20 minutes and you will be eating your pork chops and applesauce in no time at all.

While I have been mostly reminiscing about my childhood memories, filled with time spent with family, eating and watching innocent TV shows, I would like to know what memories you have when you eat certain foods. Although I know that The Brady Bunch was a TV show, I noticed that they shared family meals, made by Alice the housekeeper and resolved all of their issues within 30 minutes and truly enjoyed their “Pork Chops and Applesauce.” I, too, hope that you enjoy this dish.