Parmesan Crusted Pork Chops, etc

I know the title is so revealing, but you know...I made a bunch of stuff to go with the pork chops, and it would be a really long title if I put it all. So instead, I will just list it all here. :)

I made parmesan crusted pork chops, seasoned couscous, parmesan roasted asparagus, and baked cinnamon apples. Mmm. The pork chops are slightly adapted but based on a recipe by Giada De Laurentiis from Food Network. You can find her original recipe here. The Asparagus and Baked Apples are the same as my Easter Dinner. They were so yummy, I decided to make them again. Haha. The couscous, well...that was a new creation and experience all together. I had never made it before, but it was yummy. This may sound like a lot of, and possibly difficult, cooking, but it's really not. Simple ingredients, and simple preparation, but lots of yum. You'll see what I mean.

Ingredients:
For pork chops-
-boneless pork chops, about 3/4 inch thick (enough to feed everyone)
-shredded parmesan cheese (for 4 chops, about 3/4 cup should be good)
-Italian seasoned breadcrumbs(1 cup or so for 4 chops)
-2 eggs
-olive oil, about 2-3 tablespoons, for cooking

For Couscous-
-1/3 cup uncooked couscous per person
-equal amount of heated chicken broth/stock as couscous
-1/2 teaspoon garlic powder per cup of chicken broth/stock
-1/4 teaspoon of Italian seasoning or similar seasoning blend per cup of broth

For Asparagus-
-Asparagus, enough to feed everyone
-olive oil, for drizzling
-salt and pepper, to taste, but probably 1/8-1/4 teaspoon of each depending on how much asparagus you have
-garlic powder, to taste, approximately 1/4-1/2 teaspoon
-parmesan cheese (enough to sprinkle over all your asparagus), around 1/4-1/2 cup

For Apples-
-Baking apples, one per person or so (I actually did 3 apples for 4 people and it was plenty)
-brown sugar, about 2 tablespoons per apple
-cinnamon, about 1/4 teaspoon per apple
-butter, about 1-2 tablespoons per apple

Directions:
For pork chops-
Put the parmesan cheese, eggs, and bread crumbs in three separate shallow dishes. Scramble up the eggs for dredging. Dip the uncooked chops into the parmesan cheese, pressing to adhere. Dredge in the egg, then in the bread crumbs. They will look something like this when they're all breaded. Place the breaded chops in a large skillet with heated olive oil over medium high heat. Cook until the chops are cooked through, about 6 minutes on each side. Let them sit for about 5-10 minutes before eating.

For Couscous-
Heat the broth/stock until just boiling. Add in the garlic powder and other seasoning. In a large bowl, measure out 1/3 cup of couscous per person. Add an equal amount of the broth/stock to the couscous, and just let it sit, without mixing, for about 8 minutes. You must resist the urge to stir in the liquid! Don't do it! After that, fluff it with a fork and serve.

For Asparagus-(This is the same recipe as my Easter Dinner from Ina Garten via Mel's Kitchen Cafe)
Rinse the asparagus, and trim the rough stalk ends off. Lay in a single layer on a baking sheet, preferably a lipped one. Drizzle with olive oil, and season with salt and pepper. Sprinkle LIGHTLY with garlic powder. Roast at 400 degrees for about 15-20 minutes until asparagus is cooked but not mushy. It will be "soft" but still have a bite to it. Sprinkle with the parmesan cheese and return to the oven for another minute or so.

For apples-(my own "recipe," also from Easter Dinner)
Rinse the apples. You can peel them if you want. I like to leave the peel on. It helps keep the wedges together as you cut them, and as they cook. Cut the apple into thin wedges, about 1/4-1/2 inch thick (You're basically cutting the apple into 16ths). Remove the seeds and core. Lay all the apples into a baking dish. Sprinkle with the brown sugar, then cinnamon. Finally, "sprinkle" the butter over the top. Bake in a 350 degree oven for about 20-30 minutes, or until the apples are soft and cooked, but not falling apart mushy. Stir up the apples and sugar and cinnamon and butter as they cook, making sure every apple is coated in yummy goodness. I probably did it 3 times total. Serve while still hot.

Serve everything together for a yummy meal. I enjoyed this meal, as did my husband, Sister in law, and Brother in law. Yum. Hope you enjoy it too!