Pan Fried Pork Chops

My mom spent 28+ years making large meals for her large family, frequent visitors and multitudinous house guests. When I was 16, my parents separated and the two of us left Utah and moved to Carlsbad, CA where I finished High School. (I was the last kid left at home.)

At that point, she was over it. No more big meals to feed hoards. There were frequent "Cereal Nights" (no objections from me--I love cold cereal) and simple meals like these Fried Pork Chops with Apple Sauce and a salad or baked potato on the side. Simple and delicious. I loved Pork Chop Night whenever it came around. (Which was whenever pork chops were on sale because #FaeWasABargainShopper.)

When I went on-line to find an actual recipe, I discovered it's basically exactly what I thought it was. A really thin pork chop in flour and salt. Pioneer Woman adds a little Cayenne but this is basically how my mom did it:

Pan Fried Pork Chops 
by Pioneer Woman and Fae B. Call

Ingredients

7 or 8 pieces breakfast chops (very thin bone-in pork chops)

1 c. all-purpose flour

1 tsp. salt or seasoned salt

1 tsp. black pepper

Cayenne pepper, to taste

1/2 c. canola (or Olive or Avo) oil

1 tbsp. butter 

Extra salt and pepper, to taste

Directions

1. Salt and pepper both sides of the pork chops.
2. Combine all dry ingredients. Dredge each side of the pork chops in the flour mixture, then set aside on a plate.
3. Heat canola oil over medium to medium-high heat. Add butter. When butter is melted and butter/oil mixture is hot, cook 3 pork chops at a time, 2 to 3 minutes on the first side; 1 to 2 minutes on the other side. (Make sure no pink juices remain.) Remove to a plate and repeat with remaining pork chops. Delicious and simple! Serve with Apple Sauce or smashed new potatoes.

German Pancakes

I have heard these called Hootenannies (my husbands family), Dinosaur Pancakes (Chappel family I babysat for as a kid) and Dutch Babies (The Pancake House down the street). I know them for what they really are...German Pancakes. I even had a German roommate in college (Peace Ursula!) who signed off on their authenticity. So I'm assuming my preferred name is the correct one. Family lore says my sister Laura brought this recipe home from her 8th Grade 'Cooks and Chefs' class at Butler Middle School. They were always a family favorite except the handful of times when Faezer tried to jazz things up by adding grated cheese. I love my mother dearly, but what a weirdo.

German Pancakes

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

Put 3 Tablespoons butter or margarine in a 9x13 or split into two 8-9" pans and stick in pre-heating oven. (The butter will burn if you don't watch it. Don't put it in too early. Margarine won't burn if you want to use that. I prefer butter forever and always.)

In a large mixing bowl (I like my glass 8 cup batter bowl with handle and spout) combine:
1 cup milk
1 cup flour
6 eggs
dash of salt (You can add a lid full of vanilla too if you want.)

Beat together with electric mixer until smooth.
By now, hopefully your oven is completely pre-heated and the butter has melted and is bubbly and just starting to brown. Pull the oven rack out a bit and dump in your batter. Try to be quick so you don't let all the heat out. Also try not to burn your forearms.

Cook for 20 minutes. (Turn the oven light on so your kids can watch.)

Serve immediately with your favorite pancake toppings. 
(I prefer applesauce, Cousin Kimmy's Caramel syrup, and spray whip...but that's just me.)

(If we're being honest, this tastes almost exactly like the Yorkshire Pudding I've eaten in England so if you want to go totally crazy, throw some pot roast and gravy on top and go wild. Or, ya know, just some grated cheese...)

ENJOY!