Fill-in-the-Blank Fridays: Slammin' Southwestern Salmon

Salmon is one of my favorite fish dishes, mainly because it's easy to find and easy to make. But without the right seasoning, the kind of salmon you find in the supermarket can taste pretty bland. This recipe adds spice and heat for a big flavor explosion. It's also a quick dish--literally 15 minutes from prep to table. I've also included below some simple side dishes you can make to round out the meal.

A couple of shopping tips:

1. Bigger isn't always better--I actually like smaller portions of salmon because they seem to hold the flavor better.

2. Buy wild salmon instead of farm-raised whenever you can; it's less-likely to have PCBs (polychlorinated biphenyls), dangerous contaminants found in farm-raised salmon. If you must buy farm-raised, eat it only once a month, max, and trim the fatty parts, where most of the PCBs reside.

Makes 2 servings

1/2 teaspoon chipotle seasoning

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

1/8 teaspoon black pepper

1/2 teaspoon brown sugar

2 8 oz. salmon fillets, washed and patted dry

1/4 teaspoon butter

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Mix all dry ingredients in a small bowl to make a fish rub; apply rub all over fillets. Coat a roasting pan with non-stick cooking spray, and place fillets, meaty side up, in pan. Place 1 pat of butter on top of each fillet. Roast in oven for approx. 10 minutes, or desired doneness. Serve with Sweet Corn and Peppers Medley recipe below and Spanish rice (one to try: Kashi Fiery Fiesta 7 Whole Grain Pilaf. It's microwavable and ready in 60 seconds) Hint: if you prefer your salmon to be less spicy, you can either take out the black pepper, or take the chipotle seasoning down to 1/4 teaspoon.

SWEET CORN AND PEPPERS MEDLEY
Serves 4

1 can sweet whole kernel corn, drained

3 small sweet peppers (red, yellow, orange), diced small

1/2 small white or red onion, diced small

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

Preheat olive oil in medium-size skillet over medium heat. Add chopped onions and peppers. Saute until soft, about 5 minutes. Add corn, salt and pepper to taste. Cook about 5 minutes. HAVE A DINNER DILEMMA? SEND IT TO ME AND YOUR INGREDIENT COULD BE FEATURED ON FILL-IN-THE-BLANK FRIDAYS!