Tonight's dinner, or you drunken pig!

The meat of choice for DH and me is usually chicken. We eat a lot of chicken. Lots. In fact, I often wonder why Foster Farms does not send us Christmas cards each year. I know we impact their profit margin. A card would be nice.

I like using chicken in recipes because as meat goes, it is the most versatile...the meat of a thousand tastes...heck, you can even add chocolate!! They call it molé. There are even Italian and east Indian chicken + chocolate recipes. More on these later.

Tonight we're dining on Mother Nature's 2nd most versatile meat: pork. Pork rocks! From bacon to pork loin, this is truly equal to chicken's multifaceted culinary applications...tonight:

Pork Chops in Apple Cider with Fennel

2 large bone-in pork chops

1 fennel bulb, peeled and diced

1 pint of hard cider -- I like Samuel Smith's Organic Cider (Whole Foods)

1 tbl of Gourmet Gardens ginger

1 tbl of GG's garlic

1/4 cup of ketchup

1. Season pork chops with salt & pepper and a healthy sprinkle of garlic powder.
   
2. Brown both sides in a tbl of olive oil. As both sides are browning, add the fennel.
   
3. When both sides are browned -- about 7 mins each side, lower the heat and add the cider--minus a drink for the cook.
   
4. Simmer for about 20 mins or until the liquid is reduced by half or so. Remove meat to serving plate...bring the juices back to a boil and stir in the ketchup. Pour over the meat and serve.

I am serving these with baked sweet potatoes...

Preheat oven to 400°

Double wrap each potato in foil--they leak and make a holy mess in your oven--place on baking sheet and bake for an hour...That's it. Serve with butter like regular baked potatoes. Add a salad and voilá! Dinner is served.