Stuffed Italian Pork Chops

This blue ribbon winner came from the American Meat Council. Try it and you'll see why!!

• Ready In: 1 hr 40 mins
• Serves: 8

Ingredients

• 8  thick  pork chops
• 1 1⁄2 lbs hot Italian sausage
• 10  cloves garlic, chopped
• 1  small onion
• 1 (14 ounce) can stewed tomatoes
• 1 (14 ounce) can chicken broth
• 8  leaves basil
• 1⁄2 tablespoon  red pepper
• 1⁄4 cup  Italian breadcrumbs
• 1⁄2 cup mushroom (any mushroom can be used)
•  salt and pepper

Directions

1. Remove sausage meat from casing.
2. Fry meat, garlic, chopped onion in olive oil until meat is cooked and garlic and onion are brown.
3. Lower heat on frying pan and add the stewed tomatoes.
4. Slowly cook mixture for about 15 minutes, stirring so contents do not stick to pan.
5. Empty contents into a separate dish and add bread crumbs, basil and red pepper.
6. Stir until mixture is moldable.
7. Cut thick pork chops down the side to make a pocket.
8. Stuff each pork chop with stuffing mixture until full.
9. Use toothpicks to hold chops together.
10. In frying pan, add chicken broth, mushrooms and some chopped garlic.
11. Cook until garlic is brown.
12. Add pork chops.
13. Cook pork chops on low heat until meat is white (about one hour).
14. Baste chops with juices from pan.
15. Serve with mushrooms on top of each pork chop.
16. Serves eight.