It’s National Sunday Supper Day

Today is the Second Sunday in January, the second Sunday in Ordinary Times. Every year on the Second Sunday in January, we are encouraged to sit down together as a family and partake in something that was once commonplace – the Sunday Supper.

Growing up, we didn’t have a fancy supper just because it was Sunday. Sure, often it was a roast chicken or roast beef, but only because of the multitude of left overs that such a meal would yield. That is, unless the house was packed with extended family. I have never liked the words extended or worse yet, step. Family, when I was growing up, was family. My cousins were as close as siblings. Friends of the family were family. There might be six of us, or sixteen of us at any given Sunday Supper. The adults were dressed nice, having just come from church. The men hung up their sports coats, and might have even gone so far as to remove their tie. It was still a nice shirt and a pair of slacks. The women might have exchanged high-heals for flats, and put their veils away, but they still looked nice. It was the children who lost the Sunday Church Clothes for something far more suited to romping in the yard.

Sundays were special. Families were special. We played together, ate together, attended Mass together and even prayed together. The food was always blessed. Thanks was always given – even if Sunday Supper were barbecued burgers and home-churned ice cream. I’ve never understood the breakdown of families. But I do believe it has led to the breakdown of society. And I haven’t a clue how to fix things. When we say Make America Great Again, we don’t mean white. We mean a place to raise families, to worship, to grow up feeling safe. I know not all children knew that sense of safety and respect for one another. Maybe that’s a good place to begin.

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These days although Sunday Suppers aren’t what they once were, it doesn’t mean we can’t still enjoy the time we have together. After all, togetherness is the most important aspect of Sunday Supper.

Apricot Glazed Pork Chops
4 Center Cup Pork Chops
Olive Oil as needed
Salt to taste
Black Pepper to taste
1/4 Yellow Onion
2 garlic Cloves
2 Green Onions
1/3 cup Apricot Jam
1 tablespoon Soy Sauce

Heat oven to 300-degrees. Place a serving platter in the oven to warm.

Brush the chops with a little olive oil; season to taste with salt and pepper. Set pork chops aside.

Peel and mince the onion. Peel garlic, leave whole until ready to use. Slice green onions for a garnish, set aside.

Place a skillet over medium to medium-high heat; add a little olive oil. Swirl the pan to coat the bottom. Place the pork chops in the skillet. Cook for 6 minutes on one side. Turn, continue to cook another 3 or 4 minutes longer, just until barely pink. Transfer pork chops to the warm platter, tent with foil and hold in the oven until ready to serve.

To the now empty skillet, quickly sauté the onions until translucent, about 2 minutes. Spoon the apricot jam over the onions, add soy sauce. Place garlic in a press, crush directly into the sauce mixture. Stir over medium heat for about 3 minutes, just until sauce beings to come together and thicken into a glaze.

Remove skillet from heat. Remove pork chops from warm oven. Place chops into the glaze, turn to coat well. Arrange pork chops on the platter, spoon any remaining glaze over the pork. Garnish with green onions, serve and enjoy.

Great with Rice Pilaf and Green Beans.

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In the written scroll it is prescribed for me,
to do Your will, O my God, is my delight