Making the most out of your weekend meals is easy with the variety of flavorful ingredients available today. For cooks looking to spruce up weekend family dinnertime, try these chops to add a little variation to the family-favorite pork chop by serving with black beans and topping with saffron-tinted garlic mayonnaise.

Chili Chops Aoili

6 pork loin chops
2 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon EACH garlic powder, ground cumin, salt
2 teaspoons vegetable oil

Black Beans (recipe below)

Saffron Aioli (recipe below)
1 fresh avocado, peeled and sliced

1. Mix chili powder, garlic powder, cumin and salt in a small bowl. Season chops with mixture.
2. Heat oil in a 16-inch or large saute pan over high heat. Sear chops on both sides; remove to sizzle platters and place in a 450°F (230°C) oven and roast to an internal temperature of 155°F (approximately 65°C), about 8 to 10 minutes.
3. Serve chops with a portion of the Black Beans, and garnish plate with dollops of the Saffron Aioli and avocado slices.

Makes 8 servings.

Black Beans:
2 teaspoons olive oil
1/2 cup diced onion
3 cloves garlic, crushed
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon curry powder
1/2 cup dry sherry
3/4 pound black beans, soaked overnight and drained
1 1/2 quarts pork stock
1 teaspoon fresh thyme, chopped
1 teaspoon salt

1. Heat oil in a 2 1/2 quart saucepan over medium-high heat; saute onions and garlic for 20 seconds. Add cumin and curry powder; deglaze pan with sherry; add beans and stock and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer until beans are soft (about 2 1/2 hours). Season with salt and thyme. Remove from heat and keep warm.

Saffron Aioli: In a small bowl, soften a few threads of saffron in some warm water. Stir saffron into 1/2 cup of mayonnaise along with 3 crushed garlic cloves and 1/2 teaspoon curry powder. Place in a plastic squirt bottle and refrigerate until serving.

Nutrition Facts: Calories 617 calories Protein 45 grams Fat 38 grams Sodium 1692 milligrams Cholesterol 114 milligrams

Recipe provided courtesy of Pork: The Other White Meat.