Cooking with Zoe: Pork Popper Pasta

I love to cook, but I'm not exactly proficient and I mostly just stick to recipes I find. But last night, I tweaked a recipe in enough ways, that I feel like I kind of created my own dish [though I'm sure others have made something similar enough]. So not to claim originality, but just to share a creation that turned out tasty enough, here it is:

Pork Popper Pasta 

Ingredients:

1/2 lb. pork chop, cut in cubes

4oz. pasta

one bundle of asparagus

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. pepper

1/2 cup flour

1 egg

3/4 cup bread crumbs or panko

cooking spray

2 Tbs. butter

lemon, sliced

1/2 cup lemon juice

1/2 cup chicken broth (or white wine if preferred)

parmesan cheese

Directions:

1. start boiling water for pasta, cook pasta

2. arrange three bowls: 1-flour, salt, pepper, 2- egg beaten with 1 tablespoon of water, 3-bread crumbs

3. coat cubed pork in bowls based on listed order

4. coat skillet with cooking spray, cook pork on medium high until slightly browned on outside and no longer pink on inside, turning as needed, about 8 minutes

5. wash asparagus, cut off hard ends, cut into bite sized lengths, steam until they reach desired softness

6. remove pork from pan, wipe with paper towel, melt 1 Tbs. butter. Add lemon juice, broth, and lemon slices. bring to boil, then simmer until reduced by half. Add remaining butter and mix until melted.

7. Drain pasta and mix with pork, asparagus, and sauce. Top with lemon slices and parmesan cheese.

Makes 4 servings.

[influence for this recipe taken from Barefoot Contessa at Home: Everyday Recipes You'll Make Over and Over Again, recipe for Chicken Piccata, p.96]