Pecan Crusted Salmon

We are big seafood fans at our house. Salmon is one of our favorites and this has to be our favorite way to prepare it. This recipe comes from Favorite Family Recipes, which is a great site for recipes. The picture also comes from their website. Why take my own picture when I can just use theirs?!?

1 large salmon (cut into portion sized sections) -- I use 2 frozen salmon filets from Costco (thawed first, of course)

2 c. milk

1 c. finely chopped pecans -- I use the Ninja food processor to chop them

1/2 c. flour

1/4 c. brown sugar

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. Lawry's seasoning salt

1 tsp. pepper

I used a meat tenderizer to increase the surface area of the salmon and help flatten it for more uniform cooking.

Put salmon and milk in a ziploc bag for 10 min.

Combine all dry ingredients in a bowl.

Take out salmon and discard milk.

Completely coat salmon in dry mixture.

Brown both sides in a small amount of vegetable oil in a fry pan at med-high heat.

Bake on a cookie sheet lined with non-stick cooking spray at 400 degrees for 8 to 10 min. or until fish reaches 145 degrees in the thickest part (go buy a meat thermometer!!).

Dish Ratings: On a five point scale (5 being highest/best, 1 being worst)
Greg's Taste: 5+/5

Sue's Ease/Convenience: 4/5 -- maybe 30 minutes?

Family Health: 4/5 -- Fish has omega-3 fatty acids, which are great. Pecans are heart-healthy (antioxidant) and nutrient dense. The only nutritional downfalls of the recipe are the brown sugar (which is fairly minimal in the individual serving) and the sodium levels (salt and seasoning salt)

Total Jackson Score: 13+

Diabetic Carb Count: Approximately 31 grams for one filet

The Impetus

When Greg and I first got married, the idea of cooking meals was somewhat foreign to us. My world had involved take-out and things that didn't require cooking much (salads, cereal, etc). Greg's world involved Papa John's and Del Taco. So, there we were, newly married and sitting across from each other with a plate of dry chicken and plain white rice. In the last few years, we (okay, mostly me) have really come to enjoy cooking and trying new recipes. I certainly wouldn't consider myself a cook. On a good day I can follow a recipe. I have come to enjoy looking for new recipes online and trying them out. Greg is a fabulous taste-tester. He likes almost everything and will eat anything. His positive reinforcement has helped cultivate my desire to be a better cook.

In a lot of ways, cooking is a dying art. Greg and I have had weeks (maybe months) where we have fallen victim to the ease and convenience of take-out dinners and fast food. What we have found in the process is that they usually taste gross and make us feel gross. I realize the economic benefit of making dinners at home, and the health benefit of eating non-processed foods. As we have worked on our cooking skills, we have learned that we can make things at home that taste just as good as restaurant food.

We have tried a lot of recipes lately. I have recipes that I pull from blogs, others from websites, some saved on my computer and more in books. I decided it was finally time to collect and gather all of my recipes into one spot. As the title denotes, I created almost none of these recipes. I modified a few and the rest I stole directly from someone else. I don't profess to be a cooking goddess. I just like to have my things organized.