Pork Chop and Loaded Potato Casserole

3 thick-cut, boneless pork chops
3 lg. Russet potatoes
1 packet Ranch dressing mix
1/3 lb. bacon (4-5 slices, diced)
¼ c. light butter
½-1 c. grated cheddar cheese (depending on your personal taste…I use 1 c.)
2 Tbsp. Diced green onion plus more to garnish
Salt and pepper to taste.

Directions:
1. Brine your pork chops is salted water for 30 minutes prior to beginning (this will keep them moist.) Season with salt and pepper.
2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
3. Cube and partially cook your potatoes (I cooked them for 5 minutes in the microwave. HINT: Boiling will make them too wet for this recipe).
4. Render your bacon and cook until crisp.
5. Melt your butter and mix in the ranch dressing mix; add half of this mixture to the rendered bacon fat.
6. In the same pan, brown your pork chops and set aside.
7. Add the remainder of the butter mixture to your pan and sauté the potatoes until nearly done.
8. Add 2 Tbsp. green onion and fold in. Add the pork chops back to the potatoes and nestle them into the potatoes.
9. Put the pan in the oven for 12 minutes.
10. Remove from oven and add bacon and cheese over the top.
11. Return to oven for 5 minutes (or until cheese is melted).

HINT: I use a cast iron pan for this, which works well. However, if you don’t have one, you can use your favorite frying pan. If it has a plastic or rubberized handle, just wrap it in aluminum foil to keep it from melting in the oven.