Parenting is such a learning experience.
As a new parent, there is so much you don’t know. There is fear in simple things like trimming an infant’s fingernails (don’t chop off a finger!). As your child ages you gain experience but new issues occur. How do they interact with friends? What will happen if you DON’T buy that $150 pair of tennis shoes? When can they get a cell phone?
The Ranting Wife and I recently entered into a new age of parenting; we now have one of our children away at college. Some might think that suddenly things become easy. Out of site, out of mind. Like I am fond of telling new parents, “It never gets easier, it just gets different.”
The main challenge of being a parent of a child away at college is the level and type of contact you have. Do you text or call? How often? Do you wait for him or her to reach out? How much do you ask of what is going on? You want to stay part of their life but you don’t want to be that smothering parent. Colleges call those kind of parents helicopter parents because they are ready to drop in at any second. I’ll let you know if I figure that balance out.
Smothering your child may not be good, but smothering these chops is great!
Pork chops, buttermilk, flour and butter – not health food.
Spice and flour the chops.
These barely fit in the pan. I normally hate to crowd the pan this way, but I did anyway.
Chops out, onions in.
Making the gravy.
Reunited…..how it feels so goooood…
Comfort food at its best.
Smothered Pork Chops
Prep Time:Â 0 hours 15 minutes |Â Cook Time:Â 0 hours 25 minutes |Â Makes:Â 4 servings |Â Difficulty:Â Easy
Ingredients:
- 4 bone-in center-cut pork chops (about 1 inch thick)
- Kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon Cajun seasoning
- 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 1 large onion, sliced 1/4 inch thick
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme, chopped
- 1 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 2/3 cup buttermilk
- Store-bought biscuits, for serving (optional)
Directions:
Sprinkle the pork chops all over with salt and the Cajun seasoning. Pour the flour into a shallow bowl. Dredge the chops in the flour, turning to coat, and tap off any excess. Reserve the remaining flour.
Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chops; cook until browned, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate.
Add the butter, onion, thyme and a pinch of salt to the skillet. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is golden brown, 8 to 10 minutes. Add 2 tablespoons of the reserved flour to the skillet and cook, stirring, 1 minute. Add the chicken broth, bring to a boil and cook until reduced by one-third, about 2 minutes.
Add the buttermilk and return the chops to the skillet. Bring the sauce to a simmer, then reduce the heat to medium low and cook until the sauce is thickened and the chops are just cooked through, 10 to 12 minutes. Serve with biscuits.
Per serving: Calories 417; Fat 27 g (Saturated 9 g); Cholesterol 104 mg; Sodium 468 mg; Carbohydrate 12 g; Fiber 1 g; Protein 30 g
Rantings of an Amateur Chef 
Okay, my daddy is drooling at these pictures and looking at me with a weird look on his face. And, he’s licking his lips. He’s now printing this recipe. XOXO – Bacon
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You couldn’t have said it better. It definitely does not get easier, it just gets different for sure! As a mom of a 29 year old, a 21 year old, and an 18 year old… I’ve learned to step back and let them live their lives, and learn mistakes the hard way… but sometimes I long for the days when I could hug them close, and when a coloring book and crayons would wipe away their troubles and tears. In the end…it’s all good. I’ve loved every stage of their lives.
Honestly? I think I need those smothered pork chops to wipe away my tears now!! They look fabulous! Printing this recipe as I type.. 🙂
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My European mind conjures up ship’s biscuits and pirates…but I suspect that these biscuits are not of buccaneer origin but savoury supermarket-bought goodies?
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First of all, THANKS for following my blog! Secondly, I love the way you combine parenting and cooking. The mere title of helicopter pork chops got my attention…:). And, funny thing, five minutes before I read your post, I was thinking about how I’m going on a detox diet next week, which means no pork, no beef, no sugar, no wheat, and a long list of other no-no’s. Whereupon, I texted my husband suggesting we should have Pork in Dale’s Sauce (a delicious bottled marinade if you’ve never heard of it) or sweet/sour pork this weekend? However, I may try your pork recipe instead.
As far as the kid in college, I often hesitate to text my 21-year-old, Max, for fear he’ll think I’m becoming the dreaded helicopter parent – even when it’s something really important, and he still lives at home, So, whether they’re down the hall or 500 miles away, it’s never easy. And, then, God forbid, should you KNOW they’re doing something really stupid/worrisome, it’s even worse, which I wrote about in this post: http://tenaciousbitch.com/2012/12/12/interesting-what-you-find-under-the-cat-shit/ ….but things are definitely much better now! He’s much more respectful, and he no longer hoards forks, LOL.
Anywho, thanks for sharing! Look forward to reading more of your posts!
~TB
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