Fall Pork Dinner

My husband really likes pork. I really like squash. And we both really like apples with cinnamon and sugar (really, who doesn't?). You won't find a better compromise than this "fall pork dinner." Speaking of which, I should really give this dish a new name. Fall Pork Dinner? Is that the best you can come up with, Betty? It really doesn't do justice to the squash or delightfully cinnamony smells that will fill your kitchen.  But on second thought, I'm going to leave the name as is. We've been making this dinner for years now...and calling it the Fall Pork Dinner. So thus it shall remain.

Anyway. The pork gets a lovely bisquick-saltine treatment. Throw everything together in one dish and you have your meal. Now depending on the thickness of your pork, you may want to cook the squash (covered) for 10-15 minutes before adding the pork (if it's thin). Otherwise you'll end up with rock hard squash and dry-as-bones pork. 10-15 minutes before the pork is done, add the apples. And then have a taste of autumn with every bite.

Fall Pork Dinner 
Recipe adapted from bettycrocker.com
Pictures by Caroline  

1/2 cup packed brown sugar
2 tablespoons butter, cut up
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 small acorn squash, seeded and cut into thin rings
2 small unpeeled red cooking apples, cut into chunks
2/3 c Bisquick 
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt
10 saltine crackers, crushed
2 egg whites (or 1 egg)
1 tablespoon water
5-6 boneless pork loin chops, 1/2 inch thick

1. Heat oven to 350°F. In small bowl, mix brown sugar, butter, and cinnamon until crumbly; set aside.
2. In shallow dish, stir together Bisquick mix, salt, pepper and cracker crumbs. In another shallow dish, mix egg white and water. Dip pork into egg mixture, then coat with Bisquick mixture.
3. Spray 10-inch skillet with cooking spray; heat over medium-high heat. Cook pork in skillet 6 to 8 minutes, turning once, until coating is brown.
4. Place pork in ungreased 8-inch square or 11x7-inch (2-quart) glass baking dish. Arrange squash and pork. Sprinkle with 1/2 brown sugar mixture. Bake uncovered 25-30 minutes. Add apples and sprinkle with remaining brown sugar. Cook about 15 minutes more or until pork is no longer pink and squash is done through.