Vanilla- Glazed Pork Chops.....yummmmm.

When I saw this recipe in my Cooking Light cookbook, I thought it sounded so different and inventive that I HAD to try it!! The vanilla sauce was amazing, and the pork chops tasted sooo good after their red wine sauna! :)Try this...but DO NOT substitute vanilla extract for the vanilla bean! The real vanilla totally makes this recipe. I used boiling onions because that is what they had at the farmer's market. I ended up cutting them in half because they were a little big, but it turned out fine. I served this with a baked sweet potato and, of course, red wine. I couldn't find a link to the recipe, so I just copied it from my Cooking Light cookbook:

Vanilla-Glazed Pork Chops with Cipollini Onions
Cooking Light

Ingredients:
4 (4oz) boned center-cut loin pork chops (about 1/2 inch thick)
1/2 teas salt
1/2 teas black pepper
1 teas vegetable oil
Cooking spray
12 cipollini onions or small boiling onions, peeled (about 3/4 pound)
1 (3-in) piece vanilla bean, split lengthwise
3/4 cup Madeira wine
1 T brown sugar
2 T balsamic vinegar
1 teas cornstarch

Directions:

1. Sprinkle pork chops with salt and pepper. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet coated with cooking spray over medium-high heat until hot. Add chops and onions; cook for 4 minutes on each side or until lightly browned. Scrape the seeds from vanilla bean; add seeds, bean and wine to pan scraping pan to loosen browned bits. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 20 minutes or until pork and onions are tender. Remove pork and onions from pan with a slotted spoon; keep warm.

2. Combine the brown sugar, balsamic vinegar and cornstarch in a small bowl. Add to wine mixture in pan, and bring mixture to a boil. Cook the mixture for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Discard the vanilla bean. Serve the vanilla sauce with the pork chops and onions.



Last week, I got to make a cake! It has been a while since I made one, so I was pumped when my friend, Jessica asked me to make on for a baby shower. Look how cute it turned out! So fun!