Growing up our parents always cooked a huge lunch to bring in the New Year. For as long as I can remember we always had the same thing each New Years Day. Each part of the meal was made because it was going to bring us something in the New Year. Mom would always have fried pork chops and they were always seasoned to perfection and fried perfectly. Pig/pork represents progress in the New Year. Mom would have a huge pot of greens cooked in pork neck bones. The greens symbolized money or economic fortune. She would make an Army pot full of black eyed peas. The black eyed peas symbolized luck and prosperity; the peas were also cooked in pork. We liked to have plenty of pork so that we were sure to have some progress in the New Year. To sop up the pea juice and pot liquor from the greens she would make a big black skillet full of cornbread. The cornbread represented gold. We would also have mac and cheese. I don’t remember the mac and cheese having any significance. We just had it because it goes great in between the greens and black eyed peas. Those flavors just work well together. Our mother did not use panko back in the day because quite frankly, we didn’t know about panko. The Sister’s wish you a lot of progress, economic fortune and luck in the New Year! Happy New Years!!!

Fried Panko Pork Chops

Ingredients

• 2 eggs
• 1 ½ cups panko
• 1¾ cups flour
• 8 thin cut pork chops
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1 cup vegetable oil (for frying)

How to make

1. The first thing you need to do is take your pork out of the fridge and season your with the salt, pepper and garlic powder. 
2. Get you 3 shallow dishes out. 
3. We are going to set up a little station. 
4. Add your flour to the first dish. Season your flour with salt, pepper and garlic powder. 
5. In the second dish add your eggs and give it a whisk. 
6. Go on and season your eggs with a little salt, pepper and a few shakes of hot sauce. 
7. In the third dish, you guessed it, add your panko. 
8. Keep the dishes in that order-flour, egg and then panko. 
9. Dredge pork in the flour, then run through the egg and then coat that baby with panko. 
10. Put your pork on a plate and let them hangout for about 10 minutes or so. 
11. This will help all that yummy coating set. 
12. Go on and get you oil hot. 
13. Heat the oil in large heavy bottom skillet over medium to medium high heat. 
14. You don’t want your oil too hot. 
15. Fry the pork for about 3 to 4 minutes per side or until golden brown. 
16. Do not overcook the chops.

Enjoy!!