Pesto-Stuffed Pork Chops

Let's take a step back to the pesto recipe which I posted last week. I already went on and on about why I decided to make homemade pesto and how delicious it turned out. Here is a recipe that you can use in conjunction with the pesto - and its just about one of the most awesome pork chop recipes ever!

This is one of those recipes that takes quite a bit of time to put together, so save it for a weekend. While it's not hard to create a pocket in the pork chop for the filling, you want to go slowly to ensure that you don't pierce through any part of the meat. It also needs to bake for quite a while so overall, its not a super simple and quick meal. But, once your hard work is finished, you're left with quite a beautiful presentation and a delicious dinner!

I served this with potato and onion casserole and it was simply divine!

Pesto-Stuffed Pork Chops

3 TBS crumbled feta cheese
3 TBS basil pesto (store bought, or see recipe below)
4 boneless thick pork chops (buy the thickest chops that you can find)
salt, pepper
drizzle of balsamic vinegar

1. Trim fat from meat. With a sharp paring knife, make a pocket in each pork chop by cutting horizontally into one side of the meat. Make an incision as deep as possible, without piercing the other side of the meat.

2. Stuff each pork chop with feta and pesto. You can secure if necessary with a toothpick. *Note: I found it easiest to lay the pork chops in a row, with each pocket opening tilted upwards on the next pork chop, so the filling wouldn't fall out. For the pork chop on the end, I simply rolled up a piece of foil and place it beneath the pocket opening. See picture below.

3. Sprinkle each pork chop with salt and pepper. Place chops in a shallow pan and bake uncovered at 375 degrees for 35-40 minutes or until juices run clear. Brush each chop with balsamic vinegar before serving.