Pork Chops and Potatoes Hotdish

I received this recipe from my SIL years ago, and then just saw it recently posted on a blog as well. This is pork chops on a bed of creamy and cheesy hashbrown potatoes, and then topped with a bit more cheese and fried onions. The pork chops are browned on a skillet and then baked until done. The meat is not as tender as the slow cooker pork chop recipe I posted in the past, but this is still a great one-dish meal.

Recipe written from What's for Dinner?

8 pork chops
1 teaspoon seasoned salt (I used Von Hanson's special spice, and I did not exactly measure this part)
1 tablespoon vegetable oil

2 cans (10-3/4 ounces) condensed cream of celery soup, undiluted (I prefer to use homemade cream of celery, see recipe below)
1 1/3 cup milk (omit this if you are using homemade cream of celery soup)

1 cup sour cream
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
2 packages (20 ounces) shredded hash brown potatoes (I used the Simply Potatoes brand found in the dairy section)
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese, divided
1 container (2.8 ounces) french-fried onions, divided (optional)

Directions

Sprinkle pork chops with seasoned salt. In a skillet, brown chops on both sides in oil. (I browned three pork chops at a time, for 5 minutes on each side at medium-high heat.) In a large bowl, combine the soup, milk, sour cream, salt and pepper; stir in hash browns, 1/2 of the cheese and half of the onions. Spread into a greased 13-in. x 9-in. x 2-in. baking dish. Arrange pork chops on top. Cover and bake at 350° for 50-60 minutes. Uncover; sprinkle with the remaining cheese and onions. Bake, uncovered, 5-10 minutes longer or until potatoes are tender, cheese is melted and meat juices run clear.

This is what it looks like after the pork chops have been browned, but before the dish has been baked. You must brown the pork chops in a skillet before baking.

 

Homemade cream based soup:

1 1/2 cups chicken broth
1/2 teaspoon poultry seasoning
1/4 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt (more or less; taste to test)
1/4 teaspoon parsley
dash of paprika
1 1/2 cups milk
3/4 cup flour

Saute some fresh celery and/or onions on the side and add it to the soup at the end.'

Instructions: 

1. In medium-sized saucepan, boil chicken broth, 1/2 cup of the milk, and the seasonings for a minute or two.
2. In a bowl, whisk together the remaining 1 cup of milk and flour. Add to boiling mixture and continue whisking briskly until mixture boils and thickens.