Ok, so I need to plan these recipes a little better.  I have no pictures to share with you of this easy and yummy dinner, none.  Not the process, not a picture of it while it’s cooking, or the end result of an easy weeknight meal.  Can you believe I thought I was too organized earlier this week?  But never the less, this recipe is easy enough that you don’t need pictures.  Just like a good old Junior League cookbook recipe, take a leap of blind faith and with a tried and true recipe my family has enjoyed for years.

Like your day I hope, yesterday was a typically good day.  The kind of day that ends with a smile on my face, although my back hurt and my feet ached from standing entirely too long all day.  As usual I was asleep on the couch before 10:00 pm, despite my intentions of watching the NC State basketball play in’s (BTW, go wolfpack!).  Oh well.  This isn’t my typical week though, but that is a post for another time.  A post that I am taking pictures of along the way to share with you the in’s and out’s of preparing for two fun filled days of catering for hundreds.

Days in the kitchen are always two things: 1. fun and 2. physically tiring.  So last night after taking a much needed shower, it was time to think about feeding my family dinner.  Wait…did I mention that the kids were out of school yesterday because of winter weather?   Talk about a kink in the plans, I went to bed the night before thinking there was a two hour school delay.  Delay, no problem, but I awoke to a phone call that school had been cancelled, as in no school at all.  Let me take this time to repeat the paragraph above, this isn’t my typical week, food for hundreds and school is out!!??  REALLY?   Thanks to having some wonderful family in town and a husband who graciously helped out,  I was able to accomplish all I had planned to do at work.  I left feeling even better than I would have if it had been a normal day.  Just goes to show, sometimes we just have to go with the punches, since we just can’t control the things that happen around us.

So, fast forward to when I got home, didn’t shower until 5pm and got dressed to find hungry kids waiting.  I had to do something for dinner, but I had nothing planned.  Terrible, isn’t it?  Sometimes I am so busy cooking for the rest of the world that cooking a meal at home seems so much harder!?!  How can that be?  Drudgery set in as I opened the fridge door.  I simply didn’t want to wash one more dish.   I am relieved to say that after a brief inventory of available options, I was able to prepare a quick and easy family favorite, Pan Fried Parmesan Pork Chops.  This is a similar base to my popular oven crispy chicken, so if you enjoyed that give this a try.  I served the plates in about 30 minutes from start to finish, and I knew I wanted to share it with you in case you need a home cooked meal that is quick to fix, and one every one will enjoy be it two, four, or ten guests at your table.  Served with Israeli cous cous, Naan bread, and steamed asparagus, this meal was just what the doctor ordered.  I literally only had two pans to clean…I could handle that.  The asparagus was leftover and just had to be reheated, can I get an hallelujah to that?  Success.  Sweet success, job (s) done, time to go put my feet up.

I hope you enjoy it, too.  The best of food and life can be found all around us, no matter how tired we are, how much things don’t happen according to our plans, as long as we are willing to look for the best in the situation.

Pan Fried Parmesan Pork Chops

one package thin cut pork chops, can be thin cut with bone in or boneless.  (You’ll want at least 6 thin chops to serve 2 adults and 2 children, without leftovers.)

3/4 cup all purpose flour

1-2 to 3/4 cup grated parmesan cheese

salt and pepper to taste

oil for sauté pan

Directions:

• In two plastic grocery bags, measure out the flour, parmesan and salt and pepper.    (Feel free to adjust the seasoning here to your liking, you could add herbs, Garlic salt, Cajun seasonings, get creative!) 
• Add oil to a skillet, enough to coat the bottom very generously with a little left over coming up the sides, about 1/8 inch. 
• Turn heat up to just over medium high and get pan hot, then begin adding chops one at a time straight from the bag.  (you might have to do chops in two batches) 
• As soon as you can see that the chops are nicely browned on the bottom, flip it over. 
• The key is to have your pan hot enough that it sizzles as soon as the pork hits it, and don’t flip your meat more than once- you want golden crispy on each side!  With the thin chops, once it is golden brown on each side it should be cooked through.  IF you are using bone in, you will want to cook your pork a little bit longer.
• Quick and easy, throw the bag away and just wash the skillet
• Enjoy, you deserve it!