Pork Chops Primavera

This recipe from Bhg.com has become a go to recipe around here. It is simple, made from ingredients I usually have around and everyone loves it. I used to follow it quite closely and what I do is pretty much the same, but I have taken some liberties.

I use

Bacon. I usually fry the whole pack and try to reserve some for another purpose. I probably get about 1/3 of a package into the final mix.

4- 5 slices of pork tenderloin cut into smaller pieces (not quite as small as you would for stir fry)

Fry the bacon in the skillet. Remove and drain on towels. Remove all but about 1 Tbsp bacon grease from the pan and fry the pork pieces until they are golden. Drain the rest of the fat from the skillet.

Add a big splash or two of Soy Sauce. I would guess that I get closer to 2 or 3 Tbsp.
Add about 2/3 cup water.
Add 1/3 - 1/2 cup apple butter.
Stir in 1 - 4 small tomatoes. I use whatever I have around. If using roma or compari, I chop them before adding.
Bring to a simmer, cover and cook for about 10 minutes.
Add fresh or frozen green beans. Cover and simmer until tender.

Remove lid. Allow to cook down enough for juices to thicken slightly. Stir in crumbled bacon and serve over noodles.

The noodles are important, because the juices are very yummy and the noodles catch all the flavor. The nice thing is that the recipe is very flexible. I do tend to add more apple butter which makes it a bit sweeter. You may choose to make it a bit more subtle by cutting back on it. I don't add any additional spices. You may want to add pepper. I find that between the soy sauce and the bacon it is sufficiently salty. I can imagine the addition of onion but haven't bothered to try it.

I have to say, I tried this the first time because I could not imagine how these flavors would come together. It is an amazing blend and well worth the trial.