Apple Cinnamon Pork Chop with cranberry-rice stuffing and carrots

I wasn't going to post today's recipe because I actually followed it by the book except for the 5 mushrooms I left out of the stuffing.  However, after eating it, I am posting the alterations I would make if eating it again.  It was OK, but the pork was dry (overcooked) and the carrots were a little dry (a lid should solve that problem.) and the stuffing was too moist.  I also thought it had too strong of a pepper flavor to go with the cinnamon apples and the cranberries in the stuffing.  All that being said, it still has great potential for me as a meal.

Ingredients

• 2 teaspoons garlic powder  (or omit pepper all together and go with garlic blend.  I actually debated this today.)
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper (this is cut in half from original)
• dash salt
• 6 thick pork loin chops trimmed of fat (mine were 2 lbs 10 oz)
• 1/2 teaspoon butter
• 1/2 teaspoon olive oil
• 1/2 onion, diced
• 1 rib celery, chopped fine
• 1 cup brown and wild rice mix (mine is a quick cook one - recipe called for white and wild rice not sure if this made it more runny -the quick cook part- or what)
• 2 cups chicken broth (I may use water next time depending on the packaged stuffing mix and possibly a bit more)
• 1 package stove top (or other stuffing mix) (I may also just use 2 cups.  I think I stir it first and see, or see how much of the package was left - original recipe had 2 cups of large bread crumbs.  I used 4 slices of toasted bread crumbed in the food processor.  Original recipe also had some poultry seasoning and oregano but it wouldn't be necessary with stove top.  Also, if short on prep time, you could leave out the onions and celery altogether and just add the rice and craisins.  I'm always one for adding veggies, but it would save time not to have them there.)
• 1/2 cup craisins
• 2-3 large MacIntosh apples (I got 3, but 2 was plenty.)
• 2 teaspoons brown sugar
•  1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 4 cups baby carrots
• 1 1/2 teaspoon olive oil
• 1 teaspoon marjoram

Directions

1. Mix garlic powder, pepper and salt in a small bowl.  (Ignore if using garlic herb blend) Spray a large frying pan with cooking spray and Heat over medium high heat. Sprinkle 1/2 of garlic blend over one side of  each chop and place it spice side down in the frying pan.  Cook until browned (a couple of minutes)  Sprinkle other side with remaining garlic blend.  Flip and brown the other side of the chops.  Take out of the pan and set aside.  
2. Add oil and butter to the same pan but reduce heat to medium low.  Saute onion and garlic in the oil until tender.  Add the broth and rice and seasoning (if stuffing comes with a seasoning packet.  If mixed, don't worry about it.  Bring to a boil.  Remove from the heat and add the bread part of the stuffing. ( I'd start with 2 cups of stuffing first and add more as needed.  The rice still needs to absorb some liquid, so you don't want it to be totally dry, but ours was definitely too moist.  I think the harder breadcrumbs of stuffing mix would help that though.)
3. Spray a 9X13 pan with cooking spray and place stuffing/rice mixture on the bottom of the pan.  Place pork chops on top of that.  Slice the apples into thin slices and place on top of the pork.  Mix the cinnamon and brown sugar in a small bowl and sprinkle on top of the apples.  Bake for 30-40 minutes or until thermometer reads 165.  (original recipe said 40 but they were definitely overdone, ruining the meal.)
4. Place the baby carrots in a oven safe casserole dish with a lid.  Drizzle with olive oil and marjoram.  Toss to coat.  Cover and place in oven to cook alongside the chops.  (If you want them very soft, you may want to start them before the chops.  Mine were still a bit hard, but fine, but they were in the oven the with the longer time for the chops.  They were a bit dry on the outside.  However I didn't cook them with a lid.  I'm thinking the lid would help the cook faster and not get dry.  The flavor was good.)