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Su’s Garden Chinese Restaurant on Marco Island, Florida

Dining Outside the Home: Su’s Garden Chinese Restaurant on Marco Island, Florida! Pay no attention to the golden lions guarding the serpent-wrapped columns as you enter through the glass doors, unless you want to take a photo. Dining areas are set with white tablecloths, printed placemats, and flatware. Meals are served in Old World style on blue and white designed dishes by attentive servers. Portions are generous and filling. The menu offers tasty appetizers, savory soups, and extensive house specialties with steamed or fried rice. Pay attention to the dishes that promote peppery hot, spicy ingredients for those who crave that Szechwan kick. One mustn’t forget a pot of the blended hot tea for the ultimate dining experience. When you can go no further, sit back, break open the fortune cookie, read the message, and eat the cookie. Perfect meals require perfect endings.

Zucchini Onion Chips

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Country Casual Cravings: Zucchini Onion Chips! We all know how versatile a meal can be once you add zucchini to the menu. But have you ever thought about an appetizer using a can of those classic crispy fried onions? It’s definitely a game-changer. Hear me out. Forget the holiday green bean casserole for a minute as you dip a fork into the can to nibble on these crunchies before tossing them onto a garden salad. Who can resist a sampling of that unique onion flavor? Not me. Now send everyone out of the house so you can work your magic. When they return, their mouths will begin to drool at the aromas from the kitchen. I’m guessing no one will suspect you disguised heart-healthy zucchini wrapped up in a delicious onion crust.

ZUCCHINI ONION CHIPS

Ingredients:

1 medium zucchini, sliced into rounds

Coarse salt

Vegetable oil, for frying

1 large egg, beaten

1 tablespoon flour

1/2 cup Italian breadcrumbs

1/2 cup crispy fried onion rings, crumbled

Ranch dressing, for dipping

Instructions:

Line a baking sheet with paper towels. Place a single layer of zucchini rounds on top. Sprinkle with coarse salt. Cover with another layer of paper towels. Press down. Allow to sit for 10 minutes to draw out excess moisture. In a wide skillet, add vegetable oil to be 1/4” deep. Warm oil over medium-high heat. In a shallow dish, combine flour, breadcrumbs, and crumbled onion rings. Mix well. Dredge one zucchini round in beaten egg and then breadcrumb mixture, coating completely. Place in the skillet; repeat until skillet is full. Do not allow zucchini rounds to touch each other. Cook 2 minutes per side until crispy and golden brown. Transfer zucchini chips to a paper towel-lined plate. Sprinkle with coarse salt. Repeat with remaining zucchini. Serve immediately with ranch dressing for dipping.

Mashed Potato Fritters

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Country Casual Cravings: Mashed Potato Fritters! Time to stretch the budget a little bit. Whether you have leftover mashed potatoes from another meal or purchase your favorite prepared brand at the grocery store, this recipe offers a flavorful experience that is unforgettable. Is it the gooey combination of cheeses? The crisp potato cake with the fluffy center? Or perhaps it’s the zing of spice that piques the taste buds. For me it’s all about nostalgia. My mother made them for supper when I was a child.

MASHED POTATO FRITTERS

Ingredients:

2 cups mashed potatoes

1 tablespoon yellow onion, diced

1/4 cup cheddar cheese, grated

2 tablespoons parmesan cheese, grated

1 egg, whisked

2 tablespoons flour

2 tablespoons cornmeal

1/8 teaspoon garlic powder

1/8 teaspoon cracked black pepper

3/4 cup vegetable oil

Green onion snips, for garnish

Instructions:

In a mixing bowl, combine mashed potatoes, yellow onion, cheddar cheese, parmesan cheese, beaten egg, flour, cornmeal, garlic powder, and cracked black pepper. Mixture should be stiff. By heaping spoonful, form a small disc with your hands, about 1/2”-inch thick. Set aside. Repeat with remaining mixture. In an iron skillet, warm vegetable oil over medium-high heat. Meanwhile, line a baking sheet with paper towels. Place potato cakes in the skillet without touching sides. Cook 2-3 minutes until deep brown. Flip and cook 2-3 minutes longer. Transfer potato cakes to the paper towel-lined baking sheet to absorb excess oil. Place on a platter and garnish with green onion snips. Serve with dipping sauce.

SRIRACHA MAYO

Ingredients:

1/4 cup mayonnaise

2 tablespoons Greek yogurt

1 tablespoon sriracha hot sauce

1 teaspoon lime juice

1 teaspoon soy sauce

1/8 teaspoon kosher salt

Red pepper flakes and green onion snips m, for garnish

Instructions:

In a bowl, combine mayonnaise, Greek yogurt, sriracha hot sauce, lime juice, soy sauce, and kosher salt. Stir until smooth. Garnish with red pepper flakes and green onion snips.

Fried Goat Cheese Rounds

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Equal Measures: Fried Goat Cheese Rounds! Now you’re speaking my language. Something fried, something cheesy. And throw in a salad for good measure. Goat cheese, to begin with, is similar to feta but with a nuttier tang to it. Does that make sense? When it’s coated with a dusting of Panko breadcrumbs and Italian seasoning, then quick-fried in an olive oil-butter blend, the results are amazing. The outside is crunchy while the inside melts in your mouth. I prefer an oil and vinegar dressing, but certainly you can opt out for your favorite bottled dressing if you’re short on time. Either way, the cheese is the main attraction on a plate of mixed salad greens. You know you wanna try it. Permission granted.

FRIED GOAT CHEESE ROUNDS

Ingredients:

4-ounce log goat cheese, refrigerated

1 egg white, beaten

1/2 tablespoon water

1/2 cup Panko breadcrumbs

1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning

Mixed Salad Greens

Cherry Tomatoes, cut in half

1/2 tablespoon olive oil, for frying

1 tablespoon butter, for frying

Ingredients for Dressing:

1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

1 tablespoon garlic wine vinegar

1/8 teaspoon sugar

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

1/8 teaspoon black pepper

1 egg yolk

1/2 cup olive oil

Instructions:

Cut the cold goat cheese into 1/2” thick slices. Whisk the egg white (save yolk) and water together in a small dish. On a sheet of waxed paper, combine Panko breadcrumbs and Italian seasoning. Dip each slice of cheese in the beaten egg white, then coat both sides with breadcrumbs. Place cheese rounds on a wax paper-lined platter. Refrigerate 15 minutes. To make the dressing, use a small food processor. Combine apple cider vinegar, garlic wine vinegar, sugar, kosher salt, black pepper, and egg yolk. Blend for one minute. With the motor running, slowly pour the olive oil through the top of the lid. As it seeps through the holes, the vinaigrette will thicken. Toss the salad greens and tomato halves with enough dressing to moisten. Divide among salad plates. Warm 1/2 tablespoon olive oil plus one tablespoon butter over medium high heat. Do not scorch. Quickly fry the goat cheese rounds until golden brown on both sides. Do not melt the cheese inside. Top each salad with 2-3 fried goat cheese rounds. Serve immediately.

Xavier Grilled Steak

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Foodstuff Redefined: Xavier Grilled Steak! Just when you thought a juicy New York Strip steak couldn’t get any better, here you go. Grilled to taste, smothered in gooey Swiss cheese and crowned with fresh asparagus spears is a meal-in-one guaranteed to make anyone feel like royalty. For those who love onions, take it one step further. Sprinkle crispy French-fried onions over all before serving. Looks good, doesn’t it? Try not to stare.

XAVIER GRILLED STEAK

Ingredients:

2 New York Strip steaks, 1 1/2 inches thick

2 tablespoons olive oil

Sea salt and cracked black pepper to taste

10 asparagus spears, ends trimmed

4 slices Swiss cheese

1/4 cup French-fried onions

Instructions:

Rub both sides of the New York Strip steak with olive oil. Season to taste with sea salt and cracked pepper. Place in a shallow dish. Marinate steak for 45 minutes in the refrigerator, turning once. Remove from refrigerator to allow meat to come to room temperature, approximately 15 minutes. Preheat outdoor grill. Cook steaks over medium heat 4-5 minutes until slightly charred. Turn the steaks over and grill 3 minutes longer for medium-rare, 5 minutes longer for medium, or 8 minutes longer for medium-well. Meanwhile to steam asparagus spears, bring water to a boil. Reduce to simmer. Place asparagus spears into the steamer basket. Cover and steam approximately 3-5 minutes until asparagus turns bright green, but is still tender. Remove from steamer. When steaks are cooked to perfection, place them on a platter to rest so the juices are absorbed. (This is the secret to juicy steak.) While the meat is resting, place two slices of Swiss cheese on each. Divide asparagus spears between them. Tent with foil. Let rest 5-7 minutes. Top with crispy French-fried onions before serving.

Fried Cinnamon Sugar Pears

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? After the Holidays: Fried Cinnamon Sugar Pears! Impulse buys. We all get lambasted as soon as we step through the automated doors of the supermarket. The colorful array of succulent fruit and glistening vegetables appear as lush as if they were grown in the Garden of Eden. Before you know it, the grocery cart is overflowing with a mountain of luxuriant produce. In your mind, you’re already forming mental images of gastronomic creations where you spin around the kitchen like Julia Child waving a wooden spoon in the air. That is until you get home. The fruit is ripening faster than you can say, “go bananas”. Now two weeks in, you’ve already exhausted several different ways of consuming that box of winter pears. Allow me to offer a quick ‘n easy side dish. It goes especially well with pork loin or spiral ham. I promise you, your family will be singing your praises from now on.

FRIED CINNAMON SUGAR PEARS

Ingredients:

6 Oregon pears, peeled, cored, and sliced

2-3 tablespoons butter

1/4 cup sugar

2 tablespoons brown sugar

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 cup apple cider

1 tablespoon cornstarch

Fresh lemon thyme, for garnish

Instructions:

In an iron skillet over low heat, warm butter. Combine sugar, brown sugar, and ground cinnamon in a bowl. Mix well; set aside. In another bowl, whisk together apple cider and cornstarch. Set aside. Add sliced pears to melted butter. Coat well; increase heat to medium setting. Stir gently for about 3 minutes. Sprinkle sugar mixture over pears. Stir. Cook 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until pears are fork tender. Pour apple cider liquid over pears, stirring constantly for 2 minutes longer. Remove iron skillet from heat. Allow fried pears to cool slightly and thicken. Ladle into small bowls. Serve warm.

French Fried Onion ‘n Pork Flatbread

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Talking Points: French Fried Onion and Pork Flatbread! Don’t wait all year to sink your teeth into those crispy onion toppers sprinkled over holiday green bean casserole. Be creative. The onion crunch can be added to soups, salads, burgers, and pizza, too. Simply use your imagination and I guarantee you can talk yourself into something delicious. Barbecue pork, with its sweet and tangy sauce, had me longing for a side order of onion rings. Social distancing and restrictions meant that wasn’t going to happen. So, I opened the pantry door and there on the shelf was a can of the next best thing. French Fried Onions saved the day. Set your wheels in motion, then fork it over.

FRENCH FRIED ONION ‘N PORK FLATBREAD

Ingredients:

1 prepared flatbread

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 tablespoon cornmeal

1/8 teaspoon garlic powder

1/3 cup sweet and tangy barbecue sauce, plus 1 tablespoon for garnish

1 cup seasoned pork, cooked and shredded

2 tablespoons green pepper, chopped

2 tablespoons red pepper, chopped

2 tablespoons yellow onion, chopped

1 cup mozzarella cheese, finely shredded

1/2 cup French fried onions

1 tablespoon ranch dressing, for garnish

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 400°. Brush bottom of flatbread with olive oil. Sprinkle with cornmeal and garlic powder. Bake 5 minutes. Remove from oven. Spread the barbecue sauce over the flatbread. Layer the shredded pork on top. Add the green pepper, red pepper, and yellow onion. Top flatbread with mozzarella cheese. Bake for 8 minutes, then top with French fried onions. Bake 2-3 minutes longer. Remove from oven, slice accordingly, then drizzle reserve barbecue sauce and ranch dressing over all. Serve immediately.

Dirt Dog in Las Vegas, Nevada

Dining Outside the Home: Dirt Dog in Las Vegas, Nevada. You know how it gets really hot outside and you can feel little beads of sweat on your brow? And the sun is beating down on your head because you forgot to wear a hat? And you wish for the umpteenth time you drank a glass of water that morning to keep hydrated, but didn’t? Your body is craving salt or something fried or maybe something dirty. Stop at Dirt Dog for amazing hot dogs, dirty sides, and dirty desserts. Begin with a Dirt Dog like The Mutt Dog topped with chimichurri sauce, guacamole, and spicy tomato chile sauce. Add an order of fries or corn on the cob. The seasonings alone are mind-boggling: garlic, limon and chile, sea salt, or chili powder. Finish it up with a deep-fried Twinkie or Oreos for good measure. That’ll teach you to keep hydrated.

Kohlrabi Fritters

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Appetizers to Desserts: Kohlrabi Fritters! I stumbled onto this odd shaped vegetable at the Farmers Market and was intrigued by the green spiked bulbous shape with its long leafy shoots. It reminded me of a turnip, but had the faint aroma of cabbage. After learning its name, I just had to try it. My mind was already thinking of its seasoned taste fried crisp in olive oil.

KOHLRABI FRITTERS

Ingredients:

1 medium kohlrabi

1 small sweet potato

1/2 yellow onion

1/2 teaspoon seasoned salt

1/8 teaspoon garlic powder

1/8 teaspoon cracked black pepper

1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 cup flour

2 eggs, beaten

1 green onion

Olive oil for frying

Instructions:

Peel kohlrabi and sweet potato. Using a food processor, grate the kohlrabi, sweet potato, and yellow onion. It should equal 3 1/2 cups of shredded vegetables. Transfer to a bowl. Add seasonings, baking powder, and flour. Fold in the beaten eggs to coat well. Snip the green onion with kitchen shears and gently mix in. The fritters should stick together. Pour enough olive oil in a skillet to cover the bottom of the pan. Heat on medium high. Drop kohlrabi mixture by heaping spoonfuls into the oil. Pan fry 2 minutes without burning. Turn over and fry another 2 minutes. Watch! Remove and drain on paper towels. Continue making fritters until all mixture is used. Serve warm with a dollop of Greek yogurt and garnish with green onion snips.