Aunt Joyce's Pork Chops

Miss Scarlett, our daughter, is now living in Brooklyn, New York, and is learning to cook.  We armed her with a few cookbooks, but I felt like something was missing.  Then, I remembered my old recipe box filled with "family favorites" so dug it out.

When I was about her age, my Aunt Joyce sent me a stack of handwritten recipe cards.  They were a life-saver, because my repertoire was pretty small.  I ate a lot of ramen.  I have noticed she is eating a lot of spaghetti.  Over the years, I have added recipes from my mother, father, grandmother, mother-in-law, aunts, uncles and good friends. 

Hopefully, I can format this recipe so that she (and everyone else) finds it easy to follow.

Aunt Joyce’s Pork Chop and Potato Scallop

Serves:  2 (so you can have leftovers, tomorrow, chickie)

2 pork chops (either boneless or with bones)
1 can of cream of mushroom soup
1/2 cup of sour cream
1/4 cup of water
1 Tablespoon chopped parsley (optional)
2 large potatoes, peeled and then sliced into ¼ inch slices
About 2 tablespoons of olive oil
Salt and pepper
Aluminum foil

Baking pan
Frying pan
Mixing bowl

Okay, chickadee.  The first thing you are going to want to do is to heat your oven to 375 degrees.  Now, slice your potatoes.

Slice them 'taters

Next, combine the sour cream, water, and cream of mushroom soup in your mixing bowl.

Put a little olive oil into your baking dish and coat it with a pastry brush or paper towel.  This is just so the food doesn’t stick and the pan is easier to wash, later.

Alternate layers of sliced potatoes, salt and pepper, and sauce.  Top with the browned pork chops.  Don’t overfill your baking dish, or it will bubble over, causing a yukky mess in the oven.  Cover the whole thing with foil and pop into the oven for one hour and 15 minutes.  

Layers of potatoes and sauce, topped with browned pork chops.

Remove from oven and carefully remove foil.  Voila!  Dinner.  Sprinkle with parsley if you’re feeling fancy.

When you cook for friends, just double the recipe.  Cooked carrots or green beans are nice with this.

Dressing it up:  Add a layer of thinly-sliced onions, and a ¼ cup of cooking sherry to the sauce.  Definitely add chopped parsley on top.  

Baked and ready to serve

Dinner is served.