Pork Chops with Escalloped Apples

There's nothing quite like the all-American classic, pork chops and apples. But who says it has to be plain Jane? This absolutely delicious recipe, from Paula Deen & Friends: Living it Up, Southern Style, was originally created for a pork tenderloin prepared on the grill. The marinade works equally well with 1-inch thick boneless chops on the stove, though. For the apples, I've added some additional sugar and a hint of cinnamon to Rachael Ray's simple recipe.

Sweet & Savory Pork Tenderloin

4 to 8 boneless pork chops or 2 lb. pork tenderloin
1/4 cup soy sauce
2 tablespoons dry red wine
1 tablespoon honey
1 tablespoon light brown sugar
2 cloves garlic, minced or sliced
1 teaspoon fresh ginger, grated (or more to taste)
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 cup Vidalia onion or green onion, chopped

Combine soy sauce, red wine, honey, brown sugar, garlic, ginger, cinnamon and onion in a resealable plastic bag. Place the chops or tenderloin in the bag, ensuring meat is immersed in marinade. Refrigerate overnight.

For chops: Remove meat from marinade and pat dry; reserve marinade. Sear chops over medium-high heat on both sides approximately 5 minutes per side or until meat reaches an internal temperature of 160 degrees.

For tenderloin: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Remove meat from marinade and pat dry; reserve marinade. Bake tenderloin for approximately 45 minutes or until meat reaches an internal temperature of 160 degrees. Allow to rest before slicing.

While meat cooks, simmer reserved marinade until reduced to about 2 tablespoons. Spoon over meat before serving.

Escalloped Apples

3 tablespoons butter
4 large apples, peeled, cored and sliced
2 tablespoons flour
2 tablespoons lemon juice
4 tablespoons sugar (or more to taste)
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Melt butter in large saucepan over medium heat. Add apples and cook for approximately 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. When apples are nicely tender, sprinkle with flour, lemon juice, sugar and cinnamon, stirring well. Serve warm.