Maple-Pecan Glazed Pork Chops

Yes, you can have maple syrup with dinner, and no, this isn't your typical breakfast for dinner! Really it's only a little hint of breakfast with your dinner, but who knew maple syrup could be so nommy on pork chops?

We can usually find small pork chops on sale at our supermarket, so they're a great option for meals on a budget. This recipe calls for very few ingredients so your wallet can rest easy.

Ingredients
4 boneless pork loin chops, cut 3/4 inch thick (about 1 pound total)
4 tablespoons butter or margarine, softened
2 tablespoons pure maple syrup or maple-flavored syrup
1/3 cup chopped pecans, toasted

Instructions
1. Trim fat from chops. Sprinkle chops with salt and pepper. In a 12-inch skillet melt 1 tablespoon of the butter over medium-high heat. Add chops; cook for 8 to 12 minutes or until tender (160°F) and juices run clear, turning once.

2. Transfer chops to a serving platter.

3. Meanwhile, in a small bowl combine the remaining 3 tablespoons butter and the maple syrup. Spread butter mixture evenly over cooked chops. Let stand about 1 minute or until melted. Sprinkle with pecans.

Don't be scared of the golden/yellow liquid -- that's just the delicious butter and maple syrup! If you're concerned about calories, I think you could cut the butter and syrup amounts in half and still experience the desired flavors. As you can see we had a lot of the mixture for our little chops.

We rounded out this meal with Veggie Mash & Garlic Cheddar Biscuits so I could share those two nommy recipes with Justin since he was out of town when I first tried them.

As usual, this recipe is from the Better Homes & Gardens Biggest Book of 30 Minute Meals; I hope you enjoy!