Pork Chops and Asparagus

This is an easy one dish meal that takes no time at all to prepare.  Potatoes, asparagus and bell peppers baked along with pork chops. It is a very colorful meal and healthy too.

Ingredients

3 Tbs. olive oil, divided
3 c. potatoes, diced
1 bell pepper, diced
3 c. asparagus, cut into 1 inch pieces
salt and pepper to taste
1 tsp. Southwest seasoning
1/2 c. parmesan cheese
1/2 c. panko breadcrumbs **
1 tsp garlic
4 pork chops, cut 1 inch thick

Directions

Preheat oven to 350°. Lightly spray or oil a 15 x 10 x 1-inch baking pan. 

Place the potatoes, and bell peppers in the baking pan.  Drizzle 1 tablespoon olive oil over the top of the potatoes. Using your hands, mix the potatoes and peppers until they are all coated with the oil.  Season with salt and pepper to taste and mix them again.  Move the potatoes to one side of the baking pan.

In a low sided dish or pan, combine Parmesan cheese, panko breadcrumbs and garlic powder. 

Place the pork chops in the baking pan. Brush the top side of the pork chops with 1 tablespoon olive oil. Using half of the Parmesan cheese mixture, divide that evenly among the pork chops. Lightly, press the mixture on top of the pork chops, so that it covers the pork chops.

Bake for 25 minutes. 

Add the asparagus to the baking sheet on the other end of the baking pan. Drizzle 1 tablespoon olive oil over the asparagus. 

Turn the potatoes over with a spatula. 

Sprinkle the rest of the Parmesan cheese mixture over the top of the potatoes, asparagus and pork chops.

Bake for another 20 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender, and the pork is cooked through.

Notes

Instead of using panko breadcrumbs, you can use stuffing mix or croutons that you crushed up finely.