Baked Stuffed Pork Chops

Baked Stuffed Pork Chops (Eileen)

4 slices day old bread

¼ cup margarine

½ cup minced onion

½ cup finely chopped celery

2 TB chopped parsley

1 ½ tsp salt

1 tsp dried marjoram

1/8 tsp pepper

6 rib pork chops 1 ½ “ thick

¼ cup flour, salt

2 TB butter

1 cup white wine

apple juice or cider

Make stuffing:  Trim some of crust from bread: cut into ½-in cubes.  In ¼ cup hot butter in large skillet.  Sauté chopped onion and celery, stirring until onion is golden (5 minutes).  Add bread cubes; stir to combine.  Remove from heat.  Add parsley, 1 ½ tsp salt, marjoram and pepper.  Toss lightly.  Preheat oven to 350.  Wipe pork chops wih damp paper towels.  Trim excess fat; reserve.  Using sharp paring knife, cut a pocket in each chop all way to rib bone.  Fill each pocket with ¼ cup stuffing.  Fasten together with two wooden toothpicks.  On waxed paper mix together the flour and 1 tsp salt.  Coat chop on both sides with flour mixture.  Reserve rest of flour for gravy.  Heat butter and reserved pork fat in large skillet.  Over low heat, brown chips well on both sides, turning with tongs—about 10 minutes on each side.  Cook 3 at one time.  Remove, brown rest of chops.  Pour off fat.  Add wine or juice.  Stir over medium heat to dissolve browned bits.  Pour into 9x13 pan.  Stand chops in bottom of pan (on end).  Cover with foil and bake 1 hour.  Take out toothpicks.  Take off foil and bake 40 minutes or until tender.  Remove chops.

Make gravy.  Over medium heat, boil drippings uncovered to 10 minutes to reduce to 1 cup.  Dissolve reserved flour mixture in ½ cup water.  Add to drippings, bring to boiling, stirring, simmer 3 minutes.  Strain.  Serves 6.