K Sarah Designs

Happy Weekend!

This porch is the stuff dreams are made of. Doesn't it look like a fabulous place to lounge, read, or hang out with friends? In other words, the perfect place to spend many a weekend afternoon.

I hope you all have a great one!

*image source

Artwork i love // Christine Soccio

I really love the artwork of Christine Soccio. Her abstracts are beautiful yet powerful, and I adore her brilliant use of color. You can find her amazing work here.

Tasty Eats // Pork Chops with a Fennel Caper Sauce

So I'll be the first to admit that pork chops aren't usually my thing. A lot of times they can be tough and dry, but mostly I hadn't really tried a recipe that I was crazy about... Until this recipe.

This dish is full of bright, fresh flavors, and the pork itself turns out incredibly moist and tender. The fresh fennel provides an unexpected element in both flavor & texture, and I really love it with the shallots, capers, and tomatoes. This is definitely one of my favorite dinner recipes right now!

Pork Chops with a Fennel Caper Sauce

- 4-6 boneless pork chops (about 2 pounds total), trimmed of extra fat
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 2 fennel bulbs with fronds, thinly sliced
- 2 large shallots, thinly sliced
- 2 large garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 2/3 cup chopped fresh flat leaf parsley
- 1/2 cup white wine
- 1 (28 oz.) can diced tomatoes, with their juices
- 1/2 lemon, zested
- 2-3 Tbsp. capers
- salt & pepper 

In a large, heavy pan or skillet heat the olive oil over high heat. Season the pork chops liberally with salt & pepper, and add the pork to the pan. Brown on both sides until they're golden brown, about 4 minutes each side. Remove the pork from the pan, cover loosely with foil, and set aside.

Turn the heat down to medium, and add the fennel, garlic, shallots, and half of the parsley - cook until just starting to brown, about 5 minutes. Add the wine, and scrape the brown bits off the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon. Add the tomatoes and stir.

Add the pork chops back to the pan, nestling them between the fennel and tomatoes so that they are mostly submerged in the pan juices. Cook until the fennel and pork is tender, usually between 20-40 minutes.

When the pork is done, place on a serving dish. To finish the sauce, add the lemon zest, the remaining parsley, capers, and 1/2 tsp. each of salt and pepper. Stir to combine, and spoon over the pork chops. Serve immediately. I like to serve it over a quick and easy pasta of vermicelli noodles, olive oil, garlic salt, and basil, but it's also good served over rice or even mashed potatoes. Enjoy!

*Recipe adapted from Giada De Laurentiis