Roast Pork Chops and Veggies

We've had quite a few days of 60-70-80-and-even-90 degrees. The lilacs have blossomed and finished, tulips are up, daffodils, jonquils, and iris have leaves but no blooms quite yet. Some of our trees have leafed out, but not all just yet. And then we got 10 inches of snow 3 days ago. Welcome to Springtime in Colorado! Today, the sun is out, skies are blue, and all the snow has finally melted, but I felt like making a winter-like dinner. Plus, it is a delicious and super easy meal.

Roast Pork Chops and Veggies

makes 4 servings

Ingredients
non-stick cooking spray
1 1/2 pounds Russet or Yukon Gold potatoes
1 1/2 pounds red cabbage (about 1/2 medium-large head)
optional: Brussels sprouts, carrots, rutabaga, parsnips, beets, pearl onions, apples
3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 teaspoon salt, divided
1 teaspoon ground black pepper, divided
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme leaves, divided
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano leaves, divided
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder (if use garlic salt, decrease the plain salt), divided
4 bone-in pork chops (6 to 7 ounces each)

Instructions
Preheat oven to 400º
1.  Spray a large baking sheet with non-stick cooking spray
2.  In a large mixing bowl, place the potatoes which have been cut into large chunks
3.  Sprinkle with 1 tablespoons of olive oil and about 1/3 of each of the seasonings; toss well to coat all potato pieces; place potatoes along one long side of the baking sheet
4.  In the remaining oil and seasonings in the bowl, coat the other vegetables except the red cabbage
5.  Cut the red cabbage into wedges about 1/2 inch wide; place another tablespoon of oil in the mixing bowl and add another 1/3 of the seasonings; to keep the red cabbage wedges from falling apart, I hold a wedge in one hand and use a piece of red cabbage leaf as a brush to brush on the seasoned oil. Arrange the red cabbage wedges along the other long side of the baking sheet
6. Bake in preheated oven for 15 minutes
7.  While the vegetables are roasting, place the remaining tablespoon of olive oil and the last 1/3 of the seasonings in the large mixing bowl; place the pork chops in the bowl and coat with seasoned oil; place the pork chops in a single row in the center of the baking sheet - they can touch each other but not overlap - and roast for 15 minutes
9.  Turn the pork chops and red cabbage over using tongs, stir the potatoes and other vegetables, and return to the oven for an additional 15 minutes; the total roasting time is 45 minutes
10. Plate 1 pork chop and 1/4 of the potatoes and vegetables per serving

potatoes and vegetables
ready to roast

plated dinner

Note: when I make this for my husband and me, I make the full recipe. After serving ourselves half, I place the remaining food into a glass baking dish, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for a day or two. To serve, remove the plastic wrap and bake the food in a 350º for 30 minutes. The vegetables will get heated through and the pork chops may brown a little to make an easy leftover dinner.