Chocolate Spiced Pork Chops

Ingredients
• 2 tablespoons firmly packed brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
• 2 teaspoons onion powder
• 1 1/2 teaspoons unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 1/2 teaspoons garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon ground red pepper flakes
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 4 (1 1/2-inch-thick) bone-in pork chops
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
In a large bowl, combine the brown sugar, Italian seasoning, onion powder, cocoa powder, garlic powder, paprika, red pepper, cumin, salt, and black pepper. Rub the mixture evenly over pork chops and let sit for a few hours.
Add the oil to a large cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add the pork chops and cook for 3 minutes per side. Put the skillet in oven and bake the pork chops until cooked through, about 3 minutes.
Remove the skillet from the oven, transfer the chops to a serving platter and serve.

Pecan Praline Cake

Cake
2 1/2 cups cake flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
2 cups sugar
4 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup whole milk
1 1/2 cups chopped pecans

Syrup
3 tablespoons water
3 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon bourbon


Vanilla Cream Cheese Frosting
Pecan Praline Topping


For cake:
Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 350°F. Butter two 9-inch-diameter cake pans with 2-inch-high sides. Line bottoms of pans with waxed paper; butter paper. Whisk flour, baking powder and salt in medium bowl to blend. Using electric mixer, beat butter and sugar in large bowl until fluffy. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating until well blended after each addition. Mix in vanilla. Beat in dry ingredients in 3 additions alternately with milk in 2 additions, beginning and ending with dry ingredients. Stir in chopped pecans. Divide batter between pans.

Bake cakes until tester inserted into center comes out clean and cakes begin to pull away from sides of pans, about 35 minutes. Cool cakes in pans on racks 10 minutes. If necessary, run small knife around pan sides to loosen cakes. Turn cakes out onto racks; peel off waxed paper. Cool cakes completely. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Wrap in foil and store at room temperature.)

For syrup:
Stir 3 tablespoons water and sugar in small saucepan over medium heat until sugar dissolves and mixture comes to simmer. Remove from heat. Stir in bourbon. Cool.

Using 9-inch-diameter tart pan bottom as aid, transfer 1 cake layer, flat side up, to platter. Brush some of syrup over top of cake. Spread 1 cup cream cheese frosting over top. Top with second cake layer, flat side up. Brush top and sides of cake with remaining syrup. Spread remaining frosting over top and sides of cake. Arrange Pecan Praline Topping all over top of cake, mounding slightly in center. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover with cake dome and refrigerate. Let stand at room temperature 1 hour before serving.)