Pork Chops with Cinnamon Apples

One of the hardest parts of menu planning for me is choosing the side dishes. I think that sometimes I spend even longer trying to decide what to serve with something then I do on picking the main dish! There are so many choices: veggies, pasta, grains, beans, all in endless combinations. If I have a complicated main dish, then I want simple sides and complicated sides call for a simple main dish. See...it makes my head hurt just thinking about it. So, I really love it when a cookbook puts together a menu for me or at least makes a suggestion as to what to serve with something. That's why I like the Dinner Tonight menus from Cooking Light. They are usually quick and easy and they are all thought out for me.

One of my favorites is Pork Loin Chops with Cinnamon Apples. They suggest serving it with buttered poppy seed noodles and peas, which, of course, I do. Now this isn't earth shatteringly fantastic, but it's good and comforting. Pork chops, apples, cinnamon, buttered noodles, and peas...it's like a hug from your grandma.

Pork Loin Chops with Cinnamon Apples
Serves 4

1 teaspoon dried rubbed sage
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
4 (4-ounce) boneless center-cut loin pork chops (about 1/2 inch thick)
1/2 teaspoon vegetable oil
Cooking spray
1 teaspoon butter
4 cups (1/2-inch) slices peeled Granny Smith apples (about 4 medium)
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Dash of salt

Combine first 3 ingredients, and sprinkle over the pork. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet coated with cooking spray over medium heat. Add pork; cook 3 minutes on each side or until done. Remove the pork from pan. Cover and keep warm.

Melt butter in pan over medium heat. Add apples and remaining ingredients, and cook 5minutes or until tender, stirring frequently. Serve the apples with pork.