Add the salt, pepper, granulated garlic, and thyme to the goat cheese and stir it up well to combine everything. Rip off a piece of waxed paper and place it on a large plate. Now pick out a cookie scoop (the one with the spring release thingy). If you want small patties for a side dish, use the medium scoop. If you want smaller bite size appetizers, use the small scoop. Scoop up some of the goat cheese, pack and level it off with a spatula, and hit the spring release thingy a few times to release the little ball onto the waxed paper. Don’t try to form it now; it’s too soft at this point. Repeat for the rest of the goat cheese keeping the balls separated on the plate. Place the plate in the freezer for 15 minutes to firm up the cheese a bit.

Place a small frying pan over medium-low heat and pour enough peanut oil in to bring the level up to about 1/4" high. Let the oil heat up while you get your dredging operation set up. Place three small bowls on the counter. Throw the flour in the first bowl, beat the egg in the second bowl, and throw the Panko in the third.

Remove the goat cheese plate from the freezer. Pick up a ball and flatten it out slightly in your palms. Form up and tighten the edges to make a nice little puck. Place it in the flour and flip it around to completely cover the patty. Now place it in the egg. I use a fork to flip it around to cover the patty with egg. Now move it to the Panko. Throw some Panko on top and tap it in with your hand. Flip the patty around to cover everything including the edges. Place the patty back onto the waxed-papered plate and repeat for the rest of the patties. You can prepare these ahead of time and refrigerate them overnight if you want.

Check the heat of the oil by throwing in a little piece of Panko. You want a nice and easy frying sizzle. Too low and the goat cheese will melt out; too hot and you’ll have blackened hockey pucks. Adjust the heat as necessary. When you’re ready, place four or five of the patties in the oil. Don’t try to do them all at once; it’s too much to manage. It will take about 20-30 seconds a side. Peak under one and when you see the sides start to turn a nice golden brown, flip them all over for another 20-30 seconds. Remove them from the oil and place the patties on a paper towel covered plate. Repeat for the remaining batches.

Eat them while they’re warm. I like to serve them with a little spoon of Dickinson’s Sweet’n’Hot Pepper & Onion Relish. Or use these as a couple of salad croutons.