Fresh Flavors of Summer at Applebees

applebees

This week was our anniversary and I was ready to celebrate with a night off from cooking. They say the way to a man’s heart is through their stomach, but in my case, that’s what works for me. I had received a gift card from Applebee’s to try their new Fresh Flavors of Summer menu inspired by “farmer’s markets, fresh fruit off the vine and family gardens.” We had several options to choose from but in the end we decided to go with two different dishes, meaning I could snag a bite of Bryan’s to “test taste.” Yes, he’s used to it after all these years.

menu

I chose the Margarita Queso Chicken and Shrimp, a mixture of Chipolte lime shrimp and grilled chicken served with Mexican rice, white queso, corn and black beans, until I saw the Lemon Parmesan Shrimp, described as Blackened shrimp sautéed with tomatoes, onions and basil and served over creamy rice with a decadent lemon Parmesan cream sauce. Can you believe this is one of their Weight Watcher choices? I could taste the lemon in each bite. I mixed the sauce together with the rice to create a mellow flavor. Bryan had planned on trying the Blackened Sirloin and Garlicky Green beans, but at the last minute chose the Fish and Chips. I sneaked a bite–or maybe he offered me a bite–the fish was crispy and the fries were nicely seasoned.

Lemon Parmesan Shrimp

Of course, being our anniversary, I wanted to try a dessert. After all, doesn’t a special occasion deserve a chocolately treat? I found the Triple Chocolate Meltdown, a fudge filled chocolate cake served with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and drizzled with fudge sauce. I usually split one of these with the kids, but this time I didn’t have to share. I could enjoy every ooey, gooey bite. Obviously, any leftovers wouldn’t have kept well in the car during the summer heat and I didn’t want it to go to waste! Bryan chose one of the demure dessert shooters, creamy cheesecake with a strawberry sauce, and topped with whipped cream.

dessert

Ready to try the Fresh Flavors of Summer for yourself? Applebee’s has nine new choices. If you’re looking for “fresh off the vine” taste at home, Chef Michael has some tips.

dessert 2

How to Pick a Perfect Tomato:
The type of tomato depends on the recipe. Roma tomatoes are great for cooking while Beefsteak tomatoes make big, juicy slices and are ideal for a sandwich or salad.
Once you know what type of tomato you need, there are a few things that you want to look for:
Color: Tomato should be a deep red without blemishes or bruising
Feel: A great tomato will feel heavy for its size, firm and should yield slightly when you squeeze it but have the resiliency to go back to its original shape
Smell: Tomatoes that are fresh and ripe will have a grassy, earthy smell, especially right where the stem is
Stem: While an intact stem doesn’t mean that a tomato is automatically fresher than one without a stem, it is an indicator that the tomato was handled with care, probably by hand

How to Pick a Perfect Avocado:
Avocados begin to ripen as soon as they are picked off the vine so a freshly picked, hard avocado will need 1-2 days before it is ready to eat.
If you buy an avocado that is perfectly ripe but that you are not ready to eat, a great trick is to put it in the fridge, as that will slow down the ripening process.
Feel: An avocado is ready to eat when you can squeeze it without leaving any indentations. If indentations remain it means the avocado is overripe.
Color: Avoid avocados that are completely green. You want color variation. An avocado that is extremely dark means it is overripe so look for something in between.

237 Comments

  1. Roasted Garlic Sirloin

  2. GRILLED JALAPEÑO LIME SHRIMP
    Thanks for the contest.

  3. My favorite is Blackened Tilipia.

    janetfaye (at) gmail (dot) com

  4. Bourbon Street Chicken & Shrimp is my favorite.

  5. I love their Burbon Street Steak

  6. I like their garlic herb salmon

  7. I loved their Fiesta Lime Chicken or their Triple Sampler Platter

  8. Laurie Emerson

    I love their Oriental Chicken Salad.

  9. Gina Marie Benway

    Triple Chocolate Meltdown YUMMY

  10. My favorite menu item at Applebee’s is their Oriental Chicken Salad. Soooo tasty ~ Yumo! Thank-you for a GREAT Giveaway 🙂

  11. Creamy Parmesan Chicken

  12. Double-Glazed Baby Back Ribs

  13. Love the double glazed baby back ribs

  14. I like the blt sandwich

  15. I like the club sandwich.

  16. Cálaeb Temple

    i love their caesar salad.

  17. I love the Riblets

  18. The triple chocolate meltdown is amazing

  19. I love the Grilled Jalapeño Lime Shrimp

  20. chicken fajita rollup

  21. ROAST BEEF, BACON & MUSHROOM MELT

  22. I love the Cajun Shrimp Pasta

  23. I am a fan of their Oriental Chicken

  24. I love their Baby Back Ribs and the Three Cheese Chicken Penne.

  25. joseph gersch jr

    BLACKENED STEAK PENNE

  26. My favorite is the ROASTED GARLIC SIRLOIN.

  27. Patricia Wojnar Crowley

    I love the Spinach Artichoke Dip!

  28. Woo Hoo! Says it all!

  29. Three Cheese Chicken Penne. Yum!

  30. I like the clubhouse grill.

  31. California Shrimp Salad

  32. I love their lunch pick a pair, I usually get the Three Cheese Chicken Penne pasta with the Classic spinach salad
    its always delicious 🙂

    thanks for another awesome giveaway

  33. Ribs look good.

  34. bacon cheddar cheeseburger

  35. I love the chicken wonton tacos

  36. Double-Glazed Baby Back Ribs

  37. The Bacon Cheddar cheeseburger.

  38. the Roasted Garlic Sirloin

  39. Rebecca Peters

    I like the blackened tilapia

  40. grilled shrimp

  41. The crunchy onion rings are my favorite

  42. My favorite is the shrimp and parmesan sirloin.

  43. I like the Bourbon Black & Bleu Burger

  44. I lvoe their Bacon Cheddar Cheeseburger

  45. My favorite is the Fiesta Chicken Chopped Salad.

  46. Their grilled shrimp!

  47. blackened tilapia

  48. I like the Bacon Cheddar Cheeseburger.
    ashaldridge at gmail dot com

  49. I love the oriental chicken salad

  50. I love the steak

  51. my favorite is their oriental chicken salad!

  52. Apple riblets are my fave

  53. Paula Michele Hafner

    I love the Three-Cheese Chicken Penne.

  54. Three-Cheese Chicken Penne is what I order when I go to applebees.

  55. thank you for the giveaway opportunity-
    Californian Shrimp Salad, yum!
    I hope you will stop by and enter my new giveaway Hugs!

  56. christine jessamine

    I like the DOUBLE-GLAZED BABY BACK RIBS

  57. I like the House Sirloin !

  58. I always get the Chicken Fingers Platter.

  59. I love the boneless buffalo wings. I get them as hot as possible with plenty of ranch on the side!

  60. chicken quesdillias

  61. Love the place.

  62. shrimp combo platter.

  63. I like Quesadilla burgers.
    Thanks for the chance.
    mogrill12@gmail.com

  64. Love the Bourbon Street Chicken and Shrimp!

  65. I love the cowboy burger, always good times with a good burger

  66. Roasted Garlic Sirloin

  67. I love their fried shrimp & garlic mashed potatoes!

  68. Cowboy Burger

  69. I have never tried this restaurant, but if I did I would try the Philly Burger.

  70. I could eat the Green Goddess Wedge Salad every time I go there.

  71. I love their Three-Cheese Chicken Penne 🙂

  72. Roasted Garlic Sirloin

    kport207 at gmail dot com

  73. Roasted Garlic Sirloin is the best

  74. I haven’t been there before and a lot of the menu items look great. I would like to try the rosemary chicken or berry spinach salad.

  75. Baby back ribs

  76. the riblets are my fave

  77. I love this place and next month is our 33 year anniversary

  78. I usually get a burger

  79. I like the Zesty Roma Chicken and Shrimp!

  80. The chicken wonton tacos

  81. I love their classic boneless wings. Thanks for the chance.

  82. Double glazed baby back ribs…yummm!

  83. Valerie Taylor Mabrey

    bourbon street steak
    vmkids3 at msn dot com

  84. i like their burgers and fries

  85. oriental chicken salad.

  86. I like their cowboy burger. Thank you!!

  87. their bbq riblets are my favorite.

  88. Ribs and mashed potatoes

  89. I Love the BLACKENED CHICKEN PENNE!! Can’t help it, order it every time I go…Lol!!

  90. My favorite is the Triple Chocolate Meltdown!

  91. I like the Napa Chicken & Portobellos

    sweetheart4171(at)yahoo(dot)com

  92. Sharon Kaminski

    shrimp combo platter for me

  93. Cajun Shrimp Pasta is my favorite

  94. the Double-Glazed Baby Back Ribs

  95. Chicken Tenders are my favorite.

  96. I love their french onion soup and the ribs

  97. i like the roasted garlic sirlion

  98. i like the three cheese chicken penne

  99. Stephanie Larison

    I love their steak fajitas

  100. The ribs are so yummy 🙂

  101. They have great ribs, messy but good!

  102. I love the Cowboy Burger!

  103. I had the Margarita Queso Chicken and Shrimp for the first time a few weeks ago, IT WAS GREAT!!!!

  104. DEFIANTLY THE RIBS!!!!!!!!!!!! YEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

  105. I like their Riblet platter

  106. I love the Oriental Chicken salad

  107. THREE-CHEESE CHICKEN PENNE

  108. Grilled Jalapeño Lime Shrimp !

  109. I like their Crispy Orange Chicken.

  110. I like the Fiesta Chicken Chopped Salad

  111. I love the Clubhouse Grill sandwich

  112. I love Applebee’s! I want a bacon cheddar cheeseburger now so I hope I win. LOL! Thanks for the chance!

  113. virgomomwriter (aka Brenda W. Quinn)

    It’s been a while, but I was quite fond of the shrimp Caesar salad…

  114. I like the New York Strip steak.

  115. I would like the bourbon street steak.

  116. always love the burgers there

  117. I loved the Cowboy Burger

  118. I haven’t had the chance to eat there, but if they serve burgers, they’re all right.

  119. Blackened Tilapia is good!

  120. Signature Sirloin with Garlic Herb Shrimp

  121. I like the double glazed baby back ribs.

  122. I like lemon parmesan shrimp!

  123. MY FAVORITE MENU ITEM IS THE NAPA CHICKEN AND PORTOBELLOS. INFACT, I JUST ATE IT YESTERDAY AND ITS SO DELICIOUS.

  124. I love their Shrimp and Spinach salad but I’m thinking the Margarita Queso Chicken and Shrimp might be a new contender!

  125. I like the roast beef, bacon and mushroom sandwich. The rueben looks great too!

  126. Love the oriental chicken salad

  127. I have loved the Fiesta Lime chicken since back in the day when it was called Tequila Lime chicken!

  128. I like the three cheese chicken penne.

  129. Three-Cheese Chicken Penne

  130. love their ribs

  131. I like the burgers and the chicken tenders platter.

  132. My new favorite is Margarita Queso Chicken & Shrimp

  133. melissa Resnick

    the LEMON SHRIMP FETTUCCINE

  134. The ribs are delicious.

  135. I love the bacon chedder burger med rare

  136. I like the french onion soup

  137. I like the cajun shrimp pasta

  138. I love the GRILLED JALAPEÑO LIME SHRIMP. It taste great and is part of their weight watchers menu.

  139. french onion soup!

  140. Nataly Carbonell

    I love ribs, I always get them

  141. I like the fiesta lime chicken

  142. Donald Hornbaker

    I love your food!!

  143. American BLT – I love those sandwiches! Thanks!

  144. The Applebee’s Riblet Basket

  145. The BLT is the best

  146. I love the Cajun Shrimp Pasta at Applebee’s!

  147. Love the french onion soup.

  148. french onion soup is my fav

  149. Where to start… I LOVED the blackened chicken penne, but it was a promotional item I believe because it’s gone now. I currently rotate between the cajun shrimp pasta and the three cheese chicken penne! 🙂 mmmm!

  150. Double Barrel Whiskey steaks… Oh YUM YUM. I wish I could go there tonight.

  151. My favorite menu item is the SHRIMP ‘N PARMESAN SIRLOIN.

  152. trisha kilpatrick

    It’s not what I usually order, but if I were going to Applebee’s today I would order the Bourbon Street Chicken & Shrimp. It just looks unbelievably good. I know where my husband is taking me on our next date night.

  153. I always get their Fiesta Lime Chicken.

  154. I like the three cheese chicken penne.

  155. I like the turkey, bacon, and avocado sandwich!

    demureprincess7(at)gmail(dot)com

  156. I had a delicious burger the other day topped with jalapeno peppers. IT was soooo good

  157. CAJUN SHRIMP PASTA

  158. beer pub pretzel sticks

  159. I like the Clubhouse Grille sandwich

  160. Jerk Chicken

  161. I like the Seasonal Berry & Spinach Salad .

  162. I would like to try the Cajun Shrimp Pasta.

  163. My favorite is the Bacon Cheddar Cheeseburger.

  164. SHRIMP ‘N PARMESAN SIRLOIN

  165. I think the Bourbon Street Steak looks good.

  166. I love the Fiesta Lime Chickeno – thank you.

  167. i like the cowboy burger

  168. Rachel Rodrigues

    the chicken tenders and the shrimp combo platter

  169. I love their broccoli cheddar soup!

  170. I love Applebee’s Double Crunch Shrimp.

  171. I’ve had their Blackened Chicken Penne and it was to-die for!

  172. Starr Greenwell

    I love their spinach and shrimp salad

  173. The Bacon Cheddar Cheeseburger

  174. I love the Cowboy Burger>
    Thanks so much

  175. Sizzling Double Barrel Whisky Sirloins

  176. My favorite is the Blackened Sirloin & Garlicky Green Beans…yum! 🙂 Thank you.

  177. The chicken quesadillas.

  178. I like the Napa Chicken & Portobellos .

  179. Oh I love the SIGNATURE SIRLOIN WITH GARLIC HERB SHRIMP!

  180. Debbie Welchert

    I love their Crispy Orange Chicken bowl.

  181. The Four Cheese Grille.

  182. Sizzling Double Barrel Whisky Sirloins! I’m drooling as i write this! Yuuumm

  183. I like their desserts. I’d pair one with the Clubhouse Grille sandwich.

  184. Bacon cheddar cheeseburger

  185. I love their oriental chicken salad and also the spinach & artichoke dip

  186. Roasted Garlic Sirloin sounds yummy

  187. I haven’t been in ages, but I’d love to try the Three Cheese Chicken Penne!

  188. Heather Hayes Panjon

    My Favorite Is The Quesadilla Burger !

  189. That is a hard decision to make. It really depends on my mood or the time of day. For dinner I love the Fiesta Lime Chicken. Lunch is more the soup/sandwich combo.

  190. love their riblet basket

  191. Haven’t eaten there in years since we didn’t have one near us but the †SIZZLING DOUBLE BARREL WHISKY SIRLOINS sounds so good.

  192. I like Signature Sirloin with Garlic Herb Shrimp from the under 550 calorie meals

  193. lovely contest idea

  194. I love their chicken fajita platter. Delish!!

  195. I would love to try the double glazed baby back ribs.

    Entered the rafflecopter as “Wild orchid”

    Thanks for the chance to win!
    wildorchid985 at gmail dot com

  196. Heather Poindexter

    Double-Glazed Baby Back Ribs

  197. GRILLED JALAPEÑO LIME SHRIMP

  198. I love the Bourbon Street Chicken and Shrimp.
    Thanks for the giveaway! =)

  199. I like the chicken fingers.

  200. Stephanie Phelps

    LEMON SHRIMP FETTUCCINE would be my favorite!

  201. I love their French Onion Soup.

  202. I love the Fiesta Chicken Chopped Salad.

  203. Natalie J Vandenberghe

    I love the Oriental Chicken Salad. Thanks for the giveaway.

  204. Cheryl Chervitz

    May favorites are the ROASTED GARLIC SIRLOIN, STRAWBERRY CHEESECAKE DESSERT SHOOTER with a Frozen Cherry/Limeade.

  205. I like the Bourbon Street Chicken & Shrimp.

  206. I like the Fiesta Chicken Chopped Salad

  207. Bacon Cheddar Cheeseburger, yumm!

  208. I like their riblets.

  209. I like ZESTY ROMA CHICKEN & SHRIMP

  210. Roasted Garlic Sirloin

  211. I really like the Clubhouse Grille sandwich

  212. Bacon cheddar cheeseburger

  213. Jill A. Collins

    I love the Riblets

  214. Kimberly Schotz

    I like the Double Glazed Baby Back Ribs.

  215. I like their cowboy burger.

  216. I like the chicken quesadillas with bacon.

  217. Mary Beth Elderton

    I like a lot of their items, but Hubz’ absolute favorite is the Bourbon Street Steak.

  218. I really LOVE their ribs 🙂

  219. Shrimp Combo Platter

  220. I want the double glazed ribs

  221. I’m a big shrimp fan! I would go for California Shrimp Salad.

  222. I like the Roasted Garlic Sirloin

  223. grilled shrimp

  224. Roasted Garlic Sirloin

  225. Amanda Sakovitz

    signature sirloin with garlic shrimp

  226. I like the double barrel whiskey sirloins!

  227. Love the LEMON SHRIMP FETTUCCINE

  228. I love their French Onion Soup

  229. Virginia Rowell

    I love the cajun shrimp pasta. Yummy.