Pork Chop Mac and Cheese
Serves: 4
 
Ingredients
  • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided
  • 1½ cups chopped yellow onion
  • 2 teaspoons kosher salt, divided
  • 2 teaspoons ground black pepper, divided
  • 4 (½-inch-thick) bone-in pork rib chops
  • 5 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 5 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 5 cups whole milk
  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh sage
  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary
  • 1½ cups shredded whole-milk mozzarella cheese
  • 1 (16-ounce) package cavatappi pasta, cooked according to package directions
  • ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
  • 2 tablespoons panko (Japanese bread crumbs)
  • Garnish: fresh rosemary
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 375°.
  2. In a deep 12-inch ovenproof skillet, heat 1 tablespoon oil over medium-high heat. Add onion; cook, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Remove from skillet.
  3. Heat remaining 1 tablespoon oil to skillet over medium heat. Sprinkle ½ teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon pepper onto pork chops. Add chops to skillet; cook until browned, about 3 minutes per side. Remove from skillet.
  4. In same skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Whisk in flour until smooth; cook, whisking constantly, for 1 minute. Gradually whisk in milk until smooth; whisk in sage, rosemary, remaining 1½ teaspoons salt, and remaining 1½ teaspoons pepper. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, whisking constantly. Reduce heat to medium-low. Cook, whisking constantly, until thickened, about 2 minutes.
  5. Remove from heat; whisk in mozzarella until melted. Stir in pasta. Top with pork chops, overlapping slightly; sprinkle with onion, Parmesan, and bread crumbs.
  6. Bake until pork chops are tender, about 25 minutes. Let stand for 10 minutes before serving. Garnish with rosemary, if desired.
Recipe by Paula Deen Magazine at https://pauladeenmagazine.com/pork-chop-mac-cheese/