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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Roasted Garlic Sirloin
GRILLED JALAPEÑO LIME SHRIMP
Thanks for the contest.
My favorite is Blackened Tilipia.
janetfaye (at) gmail (dot) com
Bourbon Street Chicken & Shrimp is my favorite.
I love their Burbon Street Steak
I like their garlic herb salmon
I loved their Fiesta Lime Chicken or their Triple Sampler Platter
I love their Oriental Chicken Salad.
Triple Chocolate Meltdown YUMMY
My favorite menu item at Applebee’s is their Oriental Chicken Salad. Soooo tasty ~ Yumo! Thank-you for a GREAT Giveaway 🙂
Creamy Parmesan Chicken
Double-Glazed Baby Back Ribs
Love the double glazed baby back ribs
I like the blt sandwich
I like the club sandwich.
i love their caesar salad.
I love the Riblets
The triple chocolate meltdown is amazing
I love the Grilled Jalapeño Lime Shrimp
chicken fajita rollup
ROAST BEEF, BACON & MUSHROOM MELT
I love the Cajun Shrimp Pasta
I am a fan of their Oriental Chicken
I love their Baby Back Ribs and the Three Cheese Chicken Penne.
BLACKENED STEAK PENNE
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My favorite is the ROASTED GARLIC SIRLOIN.
I love the Spinach Artichoke Dip!
Woo Hoo! Says it all!
Three Cheese Chicken Penne. Yum!
I like the clubhouse grill.
California Shrimp Salad
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
Ribs look good.
bacon cheddar cheeseburger
I love the chicken wonton tacos
Double-Glazed Baby Back Ribs
The Bacon Cheddar cheeseburger.
the Roasted Garlic Sirloin
I like the blackened tilapia
grilled shrimp
The crunchy onion rings are my favorite
My favorite is the shrimp and parmesan sirloin.
I like the Bourbon Black & Bleu Burger
I lvoe their Bacon Cheddar Cheeseburger
My favorite is the Fiesta Chicken Chopped Salad.
Their grilled shrimp!
blackened tilapia
I like the Bacon Cheddar Cheeseburger.
ashaldridge at gmail dot com
I love the oriental chicken salad
I love the steak
my favorite is their oriental chicken salad!
Apple riblets are my fave
I love the Three-Cheese Chicken Penne.
Three-Cheese Chicken Penne is what I order when I go to applebees.
thank you for the giveaway opportunity-
Californian Shrimp Salad, yum!
I hope you will stop by and enter my new giveaway Hugs!
I like the DOUBLE-GLAZED BABY BACK RIBS
I like the House Sirloin !
I always get the Chicken Fingers Platter.
I love the boneless buffalo wings. I get them as hot as possible with plenty of ranch on the side!
chicken quesdillias
Love the place.
shrimp combo platter.
Ribs
I like Quesadilla burgers.
Thanks for the chance.
mogrill12@gmail.com
Love the Bourbon Street Chicken and Shrimp!
I love the cowboy burger, always good times with a good burger
Roasted Garlic Sirloin
I love their fried shrimp & garlic mashed potatoes!
I love the boneless chicken Buffalo hot
Cowboy Burger
I have never tried this restaurant, but if I did I would try the Philly Burger.
I could eat the Green Goddess Wedge Salad every time I go there.
I love their Three-Cheese Chicken Penne 🙂
Roasted Garlic Sirloin
kport207 at gmail dot com
Roasted Garlic Sirloin is the best
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.
Baby back ribs
the riblets are my fave
I love this place and next month is our 33 year anniversary
I usually get a burger
I like the Zesty Roma Chicken and Shrimp!
The chicken wonton tacos
I love their classic boneless wings. Thanks for the chance.
Double glazed baby back ribs…yummm!
bourbon street steak
vmkids3 at msn dot com
i like their burgers and fries
oriental chicken salad.
I like their cowboy burger. Thank you!!
their bbq riblets are my favorite.
Ribs and mashed potatoes
I Love the BLACKENED CHICKEN PENNE!! Can’t help it, order it every time I go…Lol!!
My favorite is the Triple Chocolate Meltdown!
I like the Napa Chicken & Portobellos
sweetheart4171(at)yahoo(dot)com
shrimp combo platter for me
Cajun Shrimp Pasta is my favorite
the Double-Glazed Baby Back Ribs
Chicken Tenders are my favorite.
I love their french onion soup and the ribs
i like the roasted garlic sirlion
i like the three cheese chicken penne
I love their steak fajitas
The ribs are so yummy 🙂
They have great ribs, messy but good!
I love the Cowboy Burger!
I had the Margarita Queso Chicken and Shrimp for the first time a few weeks ago, IT WAS GREAT!!!!
DEFIANTLY THE RIBS!!!!!!!!!!!! YEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
I like their Riblet platter
I love the Oriental Chicken salad
THREE-CHEESE CHICKEN PENNE
I love their slider burgers.
Grilled Jalapeño Lime Shrimp !
I like their Crispy Orange Chicken.
I like the Fiesta Chicken Chopped Salad
I love the Clubhouse Grill sandwich
I love Applebee’s! I want a bacon cheddar cheeseburger now so I hope I win. LOL! Thanks for the chance!
It’s been a while, but I was quite fond of the shrimp Caesar salad…
I like the New York Strip steak.
I would like the bourbon street steak.
always love the burgers there
shrimp combo platter
I loved the Cowboy Burger
I haven’t had the chance to eat there, but if they serve burgers, they’re all right.
Blackened Tilapia is good!
Signature Sirloin with Garlic Herb Shrimp
I like the ribs
I like the double glazed baby back ribs.
I like lemon parmesan shrimp!
MY FAVORITE MENU ITEM IS THE NAPA CHICKEN AND PORTOBELLOS. INFACT, I JUST ATE IT YESTERDAY AND ITS SO DELICIOUS.
I love their Shrimp and Spinach salad but I’m thinking the Margarita Queso Chicken and Shrimp might be a new contender!
I like the roast beef, bacon and mushroom sandwich. The rueben looks great too!
Love the oriental chicken salad
I have loved the Fiesta Lime chicken since back in the day when it was called Tequila Lime chicken!
I like the three cheese chicken penne.
Three-Cheese Chicken Penne
love their ribs
I like the burgers and the chicken tenders platter.
My new favorite is Margarita Queso Chicken & Shrimp
the LEMON SHRIMP FETTUCCINE
The ribs are delicious.
I love the bacon chedder burger med rare
I like the french onion soup
I like the cajun shrimp pasta
I love the GRILLED JALAPEÑO LIME SHRIMP. It taste great and is part of their weight watchers menu.
french onion soup!
I love ribs, I always get them
I like the fiesta lime chicken
I love your food!!
American BLT – I love those sandwiches! Thanks!
The Applebee’s Riblet Basket
cowboy burger
The BLT is the best
I love the Cajun Shrimp Pasta at Applebee’s!
Love the french onion soup.
french onion soup is my fav
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!
Double Barrel Whiskey steaks… Oh YUM YUM. I wish I could go there tonight.
My favorite menu item is the SHRIMP ‘N PARMESAN SIRLOIN.
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.
I always get their Fiesta Lime Chicken.
I like the three cheese chicken penne.
I like the turkey, bacon, and avocado sandwich!
demureprincess7(at)gmail(dot)com
I had a delicious burger the other day topped with jalapeno peppers. IT was soooo good
CAJUN SHRIMP PASTA
beer pub pretzel sticks
I like the Clubhouse Grille sandwich
Jerk Chicken
I like the Seasonal Berry & Spinach Salad .
I would like to try the Cajun Shrimp Pasta.
My favorite is the Bacon Cheddar Cheeseburger.
SHRIMP ‘N PARMESAN SIRLOIN
I think the Bourbon Street Steak looks good.
I love the Fiesta Lime Chickeno – thank you.
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i like the cowboy burger
the chicken tenders and the shrimp combo platter
I love their broccoli cheddar soup!
I love Applebee’s Double Crunch Shrimp.
I’ve had their Blackened Chicken Penne and it was to-die for!
I love their spinach and shrimp salad
The Bacon Cheddar Cheeseburger
I love the Cowboy Burger>
Thanks so much
Sizzling Double Barrel Whisky Sirloins
My favorite is the Blackened Sirloin & Garlicky Green Beans…yum! 🙂 Thank you.
The chicken quesadillas.
I like the Napa Chicken & Portobellos .
Oh I love the SIGNATURE SIRLOIN WITH GARLIC HERB SHRIMP!
I love their Crispy Orange Chicken bowl.
The Four Cheese Grille.
Sizzling Double Barrel Whisky Sirloins! I’m drooling as i write this! Yuuumm
I like their desserts. I’d pair one with the Clubhouse Grille sandwich.
Bacon cheddar cheeseburger
I love their oriental chicken salad and also the spinach & artichoke dip
Roasted Garlic Sirloin sounds yummy
I haven’t been in ages, but I’d love to try the Three Cheese Chicken Penne!
My Favorite Is The Quesadilla Burger !
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.
love their riblet basket
Haven’t eaten there in years since we didn’t have one near us but the †SIZZLING DOUBLE BARREL WHISKY SIRLOINS sounds so good.
I like Signature Sirloin with Garlic Herb Shrimp from the under 550 calorie meals
lovely contest idea
I love their chicken fajita platter. Delish!!
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
Double-Glazed Baby Back Ribs
GRILLED JALAPEÑO LIME SHRIMP
I love the Bourbon Street Chicken and Shrimp.
Thanks for the giveaway! =)
I like the chicken fingers.
LEMON SHRIMP FETTUCCINE would be my favorite!
I love their French Onion Soup.
I love the Fiesta Chicken Chopped Salad.
I love the Oriental Chicken Salad. Thanks for the giveaway.
May favorites are the ROASTED GARLIC SIRLOIN, STRAWBERRY CHEESECAKE DESSERT SHOOTER with a Frozen Cherry/Limeade.
I like the Bourbon Street Chicken & Shrimp.
I like the Fiesta Chicken Chopped Salad
Bacon Cheddar Cheeseburger, yumm!
I like their riblets.
I like ZESTY ROMA CHICKEN & SHRIMP
Roasted Garlic Sirloin
I really like the Clubhouse Grille sandwich
Bacon cheddar cheeseburger
I love the Riblets
I like the Double Glazed Baby Back Ribs.
I like their cowboy burger.
I like the chicken quesadillas with bacon.
I like a lot of their items, but Hubz’ absolute favorite is the Bourbon Street Steak.
I really LOVE their ribs 🙂
Shrimp Combo Platter
I want the double glazed ribs
I’m a big shrimp fan! I would go for California Shrimp Salad.
I like the Roasted Garlic Sirloin
grilled shrimp
Roasted Garlic Sirloin
signature sirloin with garlic shrimp
I like the double barrel whiskey sirloins!
Love the LEMON SHRIMP FETTUCCINE
I love their French Onion Soup
I love the cajun shrimp pasta. Yummy.