Dinner for a New Friend

Tomorrow I am going to visit a new friend and I'm going to cook him a special dinner. He's buying all the ingredients and I'm putting it all together. The menu will be: Baby Butter Lettuce salad w/Italian Dressing, Loaded potato cassarole, fresh green beans sauteed with bacon and garlic and Pork Chops smothered with Garlic-Rosemary Cream. Dessert is his choice. I'm really looking forward to this dinner.

Many people say that the way to a man's heart is through his stomach...usually I find this to be true. I'll let you all know...(^;^)

Anyway, here is the recipe for the Pork Chops.

PORK CHOPS SMOTHERED WITH GARLIC-ROSEMARY CREAM

2 tbs Olive oil

1-1/2 tbs coursely chopped garlic

1 tbs fresh rosemary leaves

1/2 tsp pepper

1/8 tsp plus 1/4 tsp salt

1/4 cup sour cream

4 bone-in pork loin chops (1" thick)

1 cup low sodium chicken broth

Place 1 tbs of olive oil and the garlic in a large ovenproof skillet; cook over medium heat 30 to 60 seconds or until fragrant. Place garlic, rosemary, pepper and 1/8 tsp salt in a mini food processor; process until a thick paste forms. Combine this paste and the sour cream in a small bowl and set aside.

Heat oven to 400*F. Sprinkle both sides of pork chops with remaining 1/4 tsp salt. Heat remaining 1 tbs of oil in the same skillet over medium-high heat until hot. Cook pork 3 minutes or until browned on bottom. Turn and remove from heat. Spread 1 tbs of the garlic cream onto the browned side of each porek chop; place skillet in the oven and bake 7 to 9 minutes or until pale pink in the center.

Place pork on a plate and cover loosely with foil. Add broth to the skillet and bring it to a boil over medium-high heat, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the skillet. Reduce by half and thickened. Drizzle over pork chops and serve. Serves 4.

Peace...and I'm outta' here.