John’s Baked Pork Chops Stuffed with Smoked Gouda and Bacon

Ingredients

• 2 ounces smoked Gouda cheese, shredded
• 4 slices cooked bacon, crumbled
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
• 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 2 (2 1/4-inch thick) center-cut boneless pork chops
• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• 1 egg
• 1 cup bread crumbs
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• Ground black pepper to taste
• 1 apple, cored
• 1 green onion
• 2 pieces red grapes

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

Combine Gouda cheese, bacon, parsley, and 1/8 teaspoon black pepper together in a bowl.

Cut each pork chop from one side through the middle horizontally to within 1/2 inch of the other side. Open the two sides and spread them out like an open book. Stuff cheese mixture into each pocket and close; secure with a wooden toothpick. Coat each stuffed pork chop with olive oil.

Whisk egg in a bowl. Mix bread crumbs, salt, and black pepper to taste together in a separate bowl. Carefully dip each stuffed pork chop in the egg; press chop into bread crumb mixture until evenly coated. Place breaded pork chops in a 9×13-inch casserole dish.

Bake in preheated oven until no longer pink in the center, about 45 minutes. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the center should read at least 145 degrees F (63 degrees C). Garnish pork chops with cored apple, green onion, and red grapes.