A pleasant surprise

I know chain restaurants excite a lot of people, but I'm not one of them.  There are a few that we'll occasionally eat at, but the majority of them don't usually see us in their establishments.  I live in an area where there are so many great restaurants to choose from (thankfully!), as well as kid friendly, so there's no need to go where we feel the food is sub par.

So, why would I even bother trying a recipe from a restaurant I don't like in the first place?  Well, I'm always looking for new ways to prepare salmon, and since I had all the ingredients on hand, I figured I'd try it out.  Homemade is always better anyway, right?

I'm glad I tried it!  You should, too.

By the way, I ended up cooking these in a grill pan because it was POURING outside and grilling wasn't happening.  We were very happy with the result, so if you can't grill for any reason, don't be afraid to cook this inside.

Honey Pepper Glazed Salmon
slightly adapted from Food. com (Applebee's copycat recipe)


3/4 cup honey
1/3 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup packed dark brown sugar
1/4 cup pineapple juice
juice of 1 lemon
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
4 salmon filets, skin removed
pineapple chunks and chopped scallions, for topping


For the sauce - combine all ingredients (aside from salmon) in a medium saucepan and stir and cook over medium-low heat.  Once it starts to boil, simmer for 15 minutes or until syrupy.  Do not overcook.


Rub each filet with a little oil, followed by salt and pepper.  Place on grill (medium heat) and cook for 4-7 minutes on each side.  The same instructions apply to a broiler or pan.  Top with pineapple and scallions before serving.