It’s Thanksgiving week! Our celebrations are well underway, as we had our first Thanksgiving dinner with Kirk’s family on Saturday in Athens. We started the day by heading to the game, then back to his Uncle’s house for an early dinner that went into the wee hours. It was great to catch up with all the cousins, aunts, and uncles. I love our early celebration, since it’s a great way to make sure everyone is always able to join us.
Tomorrow we will hop back on a plan to head down to Florida for the second half of our celebrations at my sister’s house. She will be hosting her very first Thanksgiving dinner and I’m hoping it will also include some time at Disney World. There will be photo updates on Instagram if that happens. I love the Happiest Place on Earth!
Now back to this recipe. Kirk created this porkchop a few weeks ago (the same weekend as my Pulled Pork & Waffles) as a Friday evening dinner for two. We have been staying in more often on Friday nights to unwind after a busy week, enjoy a good bottle of wine, and just spend time together. This type of meal is perfect for nights like this, because the active cooking time is minimal and you can use the time for marinating to catch up on the week.
The sweeter marinate balances nicely with the savory pork and is a great choice for a chilly fall or winter evening. Although we loved this unique flavor the peach cider added, I think apple cider would also work well.
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup
- 2 tablespoons cherry preserves
- 1/4 cup peach cider
- 2 4-6 ounce thick-cut pork chops
- Mix together maple syrup through cider and microwave on high for 30 seconds to warm.
- Place pork chops in a shallow dish and pour cider mix over the top. Allow to marinade for at least 1 hour.
- Preheat grill to 400 degrees. Place the porkchops directly on grill rack and cook for 15-18 minutes, or until internal temperature is 145 degrees. Remove and let rest for 5 minutes.
- Serve with your favorite veggies (we chose mashed sweet potatoes!). Enjoy!
[Tweet “A delicious #recipe for dinner tonight –> Maple Cherry Porkchop from @FITaspire. “]
I’m not saying this recipe is better than turkey on thanksgiving, but you know how I feel about poultry. The flavors in this would be a nice subsitute for the bird, if you’re so inclined. Or you can save this recipe for after the family has gone home and you want something different than the leftovers in the fridge. Either way, make sure you let me know what you think!
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Questions for you:
- What are you looking forward to most on Thanksgiving?
- What is your perfect Friday night right now?
