Pesto Stuffed Pork Chops

1. Preheat your oven to 375 degree Fahrenheit.
2. In a clean mixing bowl, add softened feta cheese, store bought pesto and pine nuts. Stir them together with a wooden spoon and keep aside.
3. To prepare pork chops, trim the excess fat from the meat.
4. With a sharp knife, slice a pocket in each chop by cutting horizontally; start form the fatty side till near the bone on the opposite side.
5. With a tablespoon, fill each pork chop with the feta and pesto filling. Make sure to equally divide the filling among the pork chops.
6. Secure the opening of the pocket with a toothpick and set aside.
7. In a separate bowl, add black pepper, salt, oregano, red pepper, garlic and thyme, mix together to make a rub.
8. With your hands, coat each chop with the spice rub evenly on both sides.
9. Place the chops on a rack in a shallow roasting pan and place in the oven. Bake for 35-40 minutes or until cooked through and juices run clear. Remember to brush vinegar on the chops the last 5 minutes.
10. Discard toothpicks and serve hot.

Trivia

• The word pesto is the past tense of the Genoese verb pestâ, which means “to pound or crush”; it refers to the original method of pesto preparation where ingredients were blended together by crushing them together with a mortar and pestle.

Did you know that in America pork is one of the most consumed meats types? An average American eats an equivalent of 28 pigs in their lifetime.