Chop, chop! Supper's ready.

Pesto-stuffed pork chops with corn salsa and carrots

Modifications: I was hoping to buy just enough goat's feta for the recipe but, since I wasn't at the market, I could only find pre-packaged cheese. I didn't want to buy a huge block of feta because we don't use it very often, so I switched cheeses. I used goat cheddar - very different but also with a good bite to it.

I forgot to trim the fat off before cooking.

Preparation: Fairly quick and easy. I toasted the pine nuts in the oven on 350 for 3-4 minutes. When cutting the pocket in the meat, I kept the opening at 2 inches but made sure the pocket on the inside was bigger. I didn't find it necessary to use toothpicks to secure the stuffing.

Verdict: very good. This is an easy, but tasty way to eat pork. It looks great, has a nice mix of nuts, cheese, and seasonings and is not too rich.

I baked them for 40 minutes but next time would aim for 30-35 minutes because they were a little overdone.

Served with carrots, garlic bread, and my modified corn salsa:

Corn Salsa:
3 slices red bell pepper

1/2 tin corn
3 slices of Vidalia onion, chopped

1 celery stalk
olive oil
1 garlic clove, minced
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon (approx.) lime juice
1 pinch crushed red pepper

1/4 teaspoon turmeric
Salt and pepper

Heat oil in skillet over medium-high heat. Add garlic, cumin, and crushed red pepper; sauté until garlic begins to sizzle but does not brown, about 30 seconds. Add veggies and heat. Season with salt, pepper, turmeric. When everything is sizzling, add about 6 squirts of lime juice (I used RealLime(c)).