Smothered Pork Chops with Cheese Grits

I made good on my plan this week and I actually tried a new recipe.  Line by line, ingredient by ingredient, I followed! And I must say, these Smothered Pork Chops with Cheese Grits were absolutely delicious, so I wanted to share.

Not only is this a tasty recipe, but it's also quick, easy, and very budget-friendly.  The 4-pack of pork chops I bought  was only $3.85 (on sale, but it's usually very reasonable anyway), and the rest of the ingredients are all very basic. 

I was worried the balsamic would be overwhelming in the sauce, but it's just enough to add a little bit of that sweet-tart vinegar taste in the background.  The flavor of the sauce is rich and complex without being heavy on calories.  

Ingredients (Recipe from Food Network Magazine):

* 2 tsp. vegetable oil

* 4 (3/4 in. thick) boneless pork chops

* salt, pepper

* 2 red onions (I used one big one and it was plenty), thinly sliced

* 1 tbsp. flour

* 1 c. low sodium chicken stock

* 1 bay leaf

* 1 1/2 tsp. balsamic vinegar

* 3/4 c. quick cooking grits

* 1/2 c. cheddar cheese, grated

Heat oil over medium high heat in a non-stick pan.  Pat the pork chops dry and season with salt and pepper. Add the pork chops to the pan and cook 3 minutes per side, then set aside on a plate.  Add the onions to the pan and saute until soft, 3-5 minutes. Add the flour to the pan and cook for 2 minutes, stirring often.  Add the chicken stock and bay leaf to the pan and simmer until slightly thickened, about 3-4 minutes.  Add the vinegar to the pan, reduce heat to low, then return the pork chops to the pan. 

Meanwhile, bring 2 1/2 c. water to a boil.  Add grits to the pan and season with salt.  Reduce heat to low and cook for 5 minutes, whisking often.  When the grits are thickened, remove from heat and stir in the cheese.  Serve pork chops over grits.  Enjoy!