New Recipe Find

Cooking for one can be rather challenging at times. If you cook something really good, you get sick of it after the 3rd or 4th night of zapping it in the microwave. If you completely botch the meal, you tend to suck it up and eat it anyway. As a single person you remind yourself that you are in fact living on one income. I've also found that no matter how bad a job I've done, adding rice can many times do miracles. I wouldn't call myself a bad cook, rather I like to consider that I'm a cook in need of more practice. So, in attempts to diversify the meals that I cook I have been making a goal to prepare at least one or two new "nice" meals a month.

Yesterday night I made the meal below from my Paula Deen cookbook (did the prep for it over the weekend). Brian ended up coming over to join me and he said he really liked it several times (which gave me quite an ego boost). Just a side note; I didn't have any bourbon, but the salmon was still really good. I also baked the fish since I don't have grill. I also added some white rice on the side. It was delicious!

Maple-Glazed Salmon with Pineapple Salsa
Recipe courtesy Paula Deen

4 (6-ounce) salmon fillets
Marinade: 1 tablespoon maple syrup 1 tablespoon teriyaki sauce 1 tablespoon pineapple juice 1 teaspoon minced fresh ginger 1 clove garlic, mashed
Pineapple Salsa, recipe follows
Place salmon filets in a resealable plastic bag. Combine marinade ingredients in a non-reactive bowl or measuring cup. Pour marinade over filets and refrigerate from 1 to 24 hours.
In a grill basket sprayed with cooking spray, grill the salmon, skin side down, over hot coals. Flip after 2 to 3 minutes and cook for another 1 to 3 minutes, or until desired doneness. Serve with pineapple salsa spooned on the side.

Pineapple Salsa: 1 medium size ripe tomato, chopped into small cubes 1/4 cup chopped bell pepper, 2 pickled jalapeno pepper slices, deseeded and finely chopped, 1/2 cup pineapple chucks, fresh or canned, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 tablespoon sugar
Place all ingredients in a small, non-reactive saucepan. Simmer over low heat for about 5 minutes. Cool. Refrigerate until ready to serve with the salmon.