Gouda and Spinach Stuffed Pork Chops with Roasted Garlic, Red-skinned Mashers

This was another delicious dinner.  I used the Allrecipes version as a starting point and made quite a few alterations.  So, I will give you the new version here, as well as post a link to it in the Recipe Index for future use.  I also added the Mashers as a delicious, low-fat side.  Here's the run-down.




Gouda and Spinach Stuffed Pork Chops (click to print)

Ingredients:

4 6-ounce pork loin chops (at least 1 inch thick)
1 teaspoon olive oil
2 c. thin-sliced sweet onion
4 c. baby spinach
4 ounces smoked gouda, small dice
8 teaspoons horseradish mustard, or other brown mustard
approximately 2 cups Panko breadcrumbs, enough to coat
Cajun seasoning
Olive oil or regular cooking spray

Take the pork chops out of the refrigerator 1 hour before prep to allow them to warm to room-temperature.  Heat saute pan to medium heat, and drizzle with olive oil.  Add onions and allow to slowly caramelize.  It will take 20-30 minutes.  If you do not have time to fully caramelize the onions, increase the heat of the pan a little more and cook the onions until the edges are just barely browned.  The stuffing will not be as sweet, but it will still have great flavor.  While the onions are cooking, preheat the oven to 400 F, and prep the pork chops.  Cut a slit lengthwise through the middle of each pork chop, creating a pocket for the stuffing. When the onions are done, add the spinach and cook until wilted.  Transfer to a bowl and add the diced gouda.  Sprinkle a small amount of Cajun seasoning in the pork chop cavity, and stuff equal amounts of filling into each pork chop.  They will bulge quite a bit with all the stuffing added to them.  Brush each chop with 2 teaspoons of mustard, coating evenly, and then roll each chop in breadcrumbs.  Make sure to coat the entire outside, including the stuffing that is peeking out.  Sprinkle more Cajun seasoning lightly on the surface of each breaded chop and place on a baking sheet sprayed with olive oil or vegetable cooking spray.  Then spray a light amount of olive or vegetable oil over each chop, and transfer to the middle rack of the oven.  Bake for 20-30 minutes, until internal temperature of pork is 145 F.  If the stuffing is still quite warm when you fill the chops, it will take less time to cook.  Allow to rest 5-10 minutes before serving.

• Total calories per chop: 491 g
• Total fat: 14.5 g (sat. 6.25 g)
• Cholesterol: 144 mg
• Sodium:  417.5 (not including Cajun seasoning)
• Carbohydrates: 33.5 g
• Fiber: 2.5 g
• Sugar: 5.5 g
• Protein: 50.25 g

This is a HUGE portion.  You could easily halve this for a woman, or at least eat only 2/3.  I am estimating a 1/2 cup of breadcrumbs for each chop, which I think is probably a bit high.  To really cut calories, simply omit the cheese; you'll save a whopping 100 calories per chop and 7 grams of fat! 

Roasted Garlic Red-Skinned Mashers (click to print)

Ingredients:

1 head of garlic
6-8 large (2 lbs.) red-skinned potatoes
2/3 c. light sour cream
1/2 - 3/4 c. chicken stock
2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives
salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 375 F.  Cut just a thin slice off the top of the head of garlic, exposing the tops of the cloves, and spray lightly with cooking spray.  Bake on a cookie sheet for 50 minutes to 1 hour, until the cloves are browned and soft.  While the garlic is cooking, clean the potatoes, removing any bad spots, and place whole in a dutch oven covered in cold water.  Sprinkle generously with salt, and bring to a boil on the stovetop.  The potatoes are done when they are very soft when tested with a fork.  It will take around 40 minutes.  Drain the potatoes, and transfer to a mixing bowl with the sour cream.  Squeeze the roasted garlic out of the skin and add to the potatoes. Mash the potatoes coarsely, or to your liking.  Add enough of the chicken stock to achieve the level of creaminess you desire, starting with 1/4 cup.  Mix in the chives, and season with salt and pepper to taste.  Serves 6-8.

• Total calories per serving (8 servings of 2/3 c. each): 117 g
• Total fat: 2.3 g (sat. 1.5 g)
• Cholesterol: 9 mg
• Sodium:  64.5 (not including additional salt)
• Carbohydrates: 21 g
• Fiber: 2 g
• Sugar: 2.5 g
• Protein: 3 g

Wow! Less than 120 calories for mashed potatoes. I ran the numbers twice because I couldn't believe it. Again, I added a fresh salad with sliced strawberries, a sprinkling of reduced fat blue cheese, and a few toasted pecans. Salad tastes a whole lot differently when you can pick it and eat it. I'm loving all the fresh bounty from the garden.  The dinner still came in at a little over 500 calories for the portion I ate, and I was stuffed! Believe me, you gotta try this recipe.