Dried Fruits

For those of you that actually know me in real life knows that dried fruits are the only things that could actually gross me out. I won't even touch a raisin, not to mention something like a prune. =P As times goes on, I have managed to find a few that I won't mind eating as much when incorporated in a recipe. I still won't snack on them though (except maybe tropical fruits that not all brown and leathery). Cherries are definitely one fruit I don't mind dried, especially when cooked in something savory to provide the sweetness to balance out the saltiness.

Pan-fried pork chops w/ dried cherries black pepper sauce - Serves 2

4 thinly sliced pork chops
handful of dried cherries
1 teaspoon of black pepper
1/4 cup chicken stock
butter and olive oil

Salt and pepper the pork chops and cook in butter and olive oil over medium high heat for a couple of minutes on each side (my chops were really thin). Remove pork chops from pan and add the chicken stock, cherries, and black pepper to the pan. Season with a little sugar and salt to taste. Finish sauce with a pat butter off the heat. I served the pork chops with cooked quinoa mixed with saute kale and cherry tomatoes.