To celebrate  Everyday Cooking Adventures’ 100th “like” on Facebook, I wanted to make some “triple-digit” related dishes. While more people wanted me to make the triple chocolate muffins, I decided why not make both recipes?! I had 2 boneless pork chops in the fridge so I started with this recipe tonight. Tomorrow, I will make those yummy sounding triple chocolate muffins.

Toasting the coconut ©Everyday Cooking Adventures 2013

For this dish, I had all the necessary ingredients except the lime zest, and like I said I had boneless pork chops not pork tenderloin. I pounded the two pork chops between some saran wrap for a minute or so just to thin them down a little to more like 1 1/2 inches in height. The directions were simple to follow but I cut slightly into the center of one of the pork chops after they came out of the pan and it was still a little raw in the very middle. So I threw both pork chops in the oven alongside the potatoes for another 5 minutes of cook-time. Next time, I’d just pound them a little thinner to avoid this issue.

Making the orange sauce © Everyday Cooking Adventures 2013

Otherwise, the sauce came out so nice. It was syrupy but not too sticky or thick. I loved the pop of flavor from the mandarin oranges. The cayenne definitely could be tasted but it wasn’t too too spicy. We both loved the dish! It was tangy and filling and different. Food & Wine Magazine’s Jalapeño Potatoes was a great side dish to balance out the sweet notes of the pork chops. All in all, a dinner worth repeating! Here’s my triple orange glazed pork chops:

©Everyday Cooking Adventures 2013

Triple Orange Glazed Pork Chops

From: Food.com, 2013

Prep Time: 10 mins
Total Time: 30 mins
Servings: 2

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup orange juice
• 1/4 cup orange marmalade
• 1 1/2 tablespoons butter
• 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
• 10 ounces pork tenderloin, cut into 4 1 1/2-inch thick medallions, slightly flattened
• 1/2 teaspoon seasoning salt
• 1/2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
• dash cayenne pepper
• 1/2 tablespoon lime zest
• 4 ounces mandarin oranges, drained
• 1/2 tablespoon coconut, toasted
• 1/2 tablespoon parsley, chopped

Directions
1. In a small bowl, mix together the orange juice and marmalade. If you haven’t done so already, toast the coconut in a small fry pan and then set aside.

2. Heat the butter and olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Season the pork chops with the salt and pepper. Add the chops and cook, turning once, until just cooked through, 6 to 8 minutes total. Transfer the chops to a platter and cover loosely with aluminum foil.

3. Pour off all but a couple tablespoons of drippings from the skillet and add the orange juice mixture. Raise the heat to medium-high and stir, scraping up the brown bits on the bottom of the pan, until the sauce is reduced and slightly syrupy, 6 to 8 minutes.

4. Add the cayenne pepper to taste, then the lime zest; check for seasonings and adjust as necessary. Return the pork chops to the pan, reduce the heat to medium, and turn the pork chops a few times in the sauce. Remove the chops and add the mandarin oranges at the very last minute, just to warm them. If left in too long they will simply dissolve.

5. Transfer the chops to serving dishes, drizzle with the sauce, and top with toasted coconut and parsley.