Happy Halloween! Maple glazed pork with apples

It's the spook-spookiest day of the year.  Full of treats and tricks.  We got started a bit early this year.  Carlsbad did a special Halloween event this weekend that a bunch of us were going to hit up.  But other plans and illness got in the way, so in the end it was just our little family that ventured out to check out the festivities.

The event got scaled back big time this year, and ended up being just trick or treating from store to store.  I wasn't too impressed, but Thatbaby loved it!

Especially when he figured out the whole "TRICK OR TREAT" = people giving you candy.  And as adorable as he was, most people were more than happy to let him look through their candy bowls to find the "purple one."  Although he also had a knack for picking lollypops and candy bars.

After a good hour of trick or treating, we were only able to steer Thatbaby away from his newfound favorite hobby by the promise of pizza.

Pizza and candy is the perfect way to spend a day.  Tonight we're headed out for more Trick Or Treating fun.  We'll eat with the Jurisslaves and then take the boys out.  Which means two nights this week I didn't have to worry about dinner.

But if we were eating at home, we would probably do something like this - porkchops glazed in maple syrup and topped with apples.  So very fall appropriate.  Pork, apples, raisins, cinnamon.  And just as Halloween is a mix of the tricks and the treats, this dish is a mix of sweet and savory.  All treat.

Maple Glazed Pork with Apples

4 apples, cored and chopped
1 cup apple cider
3 Tbsp brown sugar
1/4 cup golden raisins
1 tsp ground cinnamon
4 pork chops
2 Tbsp olive oil
2 Tbsp Dijon mustard
1/4 cup maple syrup

1. Combine apples, cider, sugar, raisins, cinnamon, and a pinch of salt in a pot and cook over medium high heat for 12 minutes.
2. Heat oil in a skillet over medium heat.  Season chops with salt and pepper and cook for 6 minutes a side.
3. Add mustard and maple syrup and cook for another minute.
4. Top chops with the apples and serve.