Definition of Comfort Food: Pork Chops Supreme

As this was cooking, the kids wandered through the kitchen saying things like, "Mom, that smells REALLY good." During dinner, there were a lot of satisfied sighs and agreeable murmurs. To me, that classifies as homey-comfort-food! I can my own chicken broth by the quart, but store-bought will certainly work here. *Created for RSC #10*

• Ready In: 1 hr 15 mins
• Serves: 5

Ingredients

• 3  tablespoons butter
• 3  cups biscuit mix
• 2  teaspoons dried thyme, divided
• 5  pork chops
• 1⁄2 cup Dijon mustard
•  salt & pepper, to taste
• 4  cups chicken broth, divided
• 1  cup barley
• 2  tablespoons butter
• 1  large red onion, chopped (or sliced in rings)

Directions

1. Melt butter in large frying pan or Dutch oven over medium-high heat.
2. In a shallow bowl or on a plate, mix biscuit mix with 1 teaspoon thyme.
3. Spread each DRY chop with mustard on both sides, then dredge in biscuit-thyme breading mixture--pressing firmly; lay in sizzling butter.
4. Brown chops (about 3 minutes per side), turning very GENTLY to keep breading intact; add extra butter (or olive oil) to the pan if necessary.
5. When chops are nicely browned (after about 10-12 minutes), remove from pan to a warm plate, add ONE cup of the broth to the frying pan/Dutch oven, scratch up any fond and mash any larger pieces; simmer for several minutes, stirring.
6. Add another cup of broth and the barley; cover with lid and cook for 15 minutes.
7. Add third cup of broth, stir things up a bit, put cover back on and continue cooking.
8. Melt butter in frying pan; sauté red onion until lightly browned. Add sautéed onions to barley.
9. Check things; add remaining cup of broth, stirring it again, barley should be getting nice and plump.
10. Return chops to the pan, snuggling them into the gravy and barley, cook another 5 minutes or so.
11. Sprinkle with remaining teaspoon of thyme.
12. Serve from the cooking pan (since this IS comfort food!) or do the serving dishes up nice -n- perty.