Basil Pork Chops with a side of Caesar Penne

This dinner was taken directly from Katie's Cucina. The flavor combo sounded interesting to me so we gave it a try and it worked really well! A big bonus was how easy it was to prepare on a week night. I overcooked the pork chops on the grill so next time I will be a bit more cautious.

You will need:
* 4 boneless pork chops
* 1/4 cup brown sugar
* 2 tsp dried basil (divide use)
* 1/2 tsp salt
* 1/2 tsp mild chili powder
* 1 tbsp canola oil
* 1/2 cup Caesar dressing
(I love Ken's Caesar Vinaigrette-it is lighter and I only used about 1/4 cup)
* 1/4 cup sliced black olives, drained (I had to omit because Dave won't touch olives)
* 1/4 cup onions, diced
* 1/4 cup chicken broth
* 2 tbsp green onions, diced
* 1 tbsp minced garlic
* 2 cups penne pasta

Directions
1. Place pork chops in a zip lock bag and add brown sugar, 1-1/2 tsp dried basil, salt, chili powder, 1 tbsp canola oil. Seal bag and distribute ingredients evenly over pork chops.

2. Boil water for pasta and salt well. Cook pasta as directed. Drain pasta and return the empty sauce pan to the stove.

3. Add the diced onions, minced garlic, and chicken broth to the pasta pot for 2-3 minutes on medium-high heat. Add Caesar dressing, olives, and green onions. Cook for an additional 2 minutes. Add the penne pasta back to the pot, mix well, and cook on low until pork chops are done.

3. Spray a large skillet with non-stick cooking spray and cook pork chops over medium heat 5-8 minutes on each side or until browned and internal temperature reads 160F.
*I grilled mine which clearly didn't turn out so well. Next time, I will try a lower heat and longer cook time. In the summer, I try to grill anything I can!

Serve chops with a side of the Caesar penne.