A recipe you will definitley want on your menu, the Dine & Dish Menu Plan for the week, and a great giveaway from Marzetti’s Simply Dressed Salad Dressing, all below!

I am obsessed, with a capital “O”, with fish tacos lately. I just can’t get enough of them… so much that they’ve made a weekly appearance on our table for the past several weeks. I’ve made fish tacos before, but those tacos contained fried fish. Now, my favorite form of fish tacos is with thick cuts of white fish, cheese, cabbage and tomatoes, all with a douse of Marzetti Simply Dressed Balsamic Dressing. Oh dear me… these fish tacos are my new “I need dinner on the table in 15 minutes” meal. So fresh and so good…if you haven’t made fish tacos at home, I beg of you to give these a chance. Once you enjoy fish tacos for the first time, I think Taco Tuesday might start having a whole new meaning at your house!

Our menu for this week is full of classic winter dishes. We had over a foot of snow dumped on us this past week and we’re supposed to get at least that much again tomorrow. We’re hunkering down, staying warm, and filling our bellies with comfort foods. (more…)

This giveaway is now closed. Congratulations to Rebecca Olson! Thanks to all for entering.

As part of my 2012 focus word to “connect” more with others, I have decided to shoo away my Reluctant Entertainer and open up my home to others more often. Occasions big and small, I’m happier and my home is a happier place when we share it with others.

Budget is often something that we have to take into consideration when we entertain, so when Sam’s Club challenged me to create a menu on a budget for a get together, I jumped at the chance. My assigned budget was $60.00. I decided for a New Year type gathering (or even a Super Bowl party) snacks and appetizers were the way to go. Into my cart went:

• A package of large shrimp (For Panko Crusted Shrimp..recipe below) $11.98
• A bag of Italian Meatballs (For Game Day Meatballs) $13.98
• A package of Chicken Wings (For Oven Baked Chicken Wings) $13.98
• A large bag of Pretzel Crisps $5.98
• A box of Clementines $5.96
• A box of Red Grapes $7.98
• I picked up a Diet Coke fountain drink as a special treat for me $.89
• Grand Total: $59.65

With a few pantry staples to create the recipes, I think this makes for a quick and inexpensive entertaining menu, don’t you? I always appreciate when hosts set out fresh fruit to snack on. If it is there, I’m more likely to to munch on that versus chips, which my waistline appreciates! Sam’s Club has some of the best fresh fruit around, in my opinion, all season long!

When you think about entertaining in 2012, remember, you don’t have to break the budget to open your home to others. Shop smart, think simple, and shoo away your “Reluctant Entertainer“. Open your home and people will be thankful for your hospitality.

Entertaining is certainly  more fun with the right equipment, right? How would you like to win a KitchenAid mixer so you can whip up more great things for your guests? Sam’s Club has offered to give one lucky Dine & Dish reader a new KitchenAid Professional Stand Mixer! To enter the giveaway simply leave a comment on this post telling me your best tip for entertaining on a budget.

For additional entries:

• Become a fan of Sam’s Club on Facebook. Leave a separate comment on this post letting me know you completed this.
• Tweet the following: “I’d love to #win a @KitchenAidUSA Stand Mixer from @SamsClub and @DineandDish http://bit.ly/yWzhWt ” Leave a separate comment on this post letting me know you completed this.
• Share the link to this giveaway with your Facebook friends.  Leave a separate comment on this post letting me know you completed this.

All entries must be received by midnight CST on Thursday January 12th, 2012. Winner will be chosen via Random.org and notified via valid email address. Thanks for entering and best of luck!

Now for the recipe…

Recipe: Oven Baked Panko Crusted Shrimp

• 20 large shrimp, peeled, deveined with tails intact
• 1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon cracked black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon Zatarain’s Original Creole Seasoning
• 1 egg
• 1 cup Panko bread crumbs
• 3 Tablespoons olive oil, divided

1. Preheat oven to 450° F. Drizzle a baking sheet with 2 Tablespoons olive oil.
2. Place shrimp in a large bowl and sprinkle with Kosher salt and black pepper. Toss.
3. Beat the egg and pour over the shrimp. Stir until the shrimp is well coated.
4. On a large plate, combine the Panko bread crumbs with creole seasoning. Mix well.
5. Coat each shrimp with the bread crumb mixture. Place on the baking sheet.
6. Drizzle the shrimp with 1 Tablespoon olive oil and bake for 8 minutes or until golden brown.

This is a sponsored post on behalf of Sam’s Club. Sam’s Club provided me with a gift card to cover entertaining expenses and is providing one lucky Dine & Dish reader with a KitchenAid Stand Mixer. All opinions expressed are my own.

We are in part two of the Breakstone’s Holiday Showdown and today’s feature is a main dish that will make you forget all about turkey and ham on your holiday table. Try something different and make salmon your new holiday tradition!

Salmon is a mild flavored fish that even the pickiest of seafood eaters tend to like. This particular salmon recipe, featuring a rich and creamy herb sauce made with Breakstone’s sour cream, is an elegant addition to any holiday menu.

When you are tired of turkey and bored with ham, bring salmon to the table – you’ll be glad you gave salmon a chance at your holiday table!

Head over to the Breakstone’s Better Homes & Gardens Holiday Showdown page to cast your vote. Voters will be entered to win a weekly drawing for a $50 gift card. In addition, one lucky voter will win the  $2500 grand prize. Voting on the Holiday Showdown entries on the contest page will immediately enter you into the grand prize drawing. Thanks for voting and good luck!

Recipe: Oven Baked Salmon with Creamy Herb Sauce

For the salmon:

• 2 pounds salmon fillets, skin removed
• 1/2 cup Breakstone’s sour cream
• 1/8 teaspoon cracked black pepper

For the sauce:

• 1 cup chicken broth
• 2 Tablespoons corn starch
• 1 cup Breakstone’s Sour Cream
• ¼ teaspoon Kosher salt
• 2 Tablespoons Italian Seasoning
• 1 lemon, cut into wedges (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 375° F. Lightly spray a baking dish.
2. Arrange salmon fillets in prepared baking dish. Evenly coat with sour cream. Sprinkle black pepper evenly over salmon fillets.
3. Bake for 30 minutes, or until salmon is easily flaked with a fork.
4. Meanwhile, in a separate saucepan, blend chicken broth and cornstarch. Bring to a boil, and with a whisk, stir continuously. Reduce heat and add sour cream, salt and Italian Seasoning. Continue to whisk until a smooth sauce has formed.
5. Plate cooked salmon and drizzle with creamy herb sauce. Top with one small squeeze of lemon juice, if desired.

 This is a sponsored post on behalf of Breakstone’s Sour Cream. All opinions expressed are my own.

I’ve been thinking a lot about time lately… lack of it, its speed and the meaning behind it. We have 4 weeks of summer remaining. I should be looking forward to those four weeks, anticipating the fun that we can have together, but instead I’ve been looking back, full of regret for the things we didn’t get done that I wanted to.

Where does the time go? Why is it that when you are sitting in a 4×4 cubical, working for someone else, time seems to crawl along at snails pace. When you want time to move slowly, it does the opposite. It steals the moments, the days, the hours and before you know it, the time you thought you had has slipped away leaving behind thoughts of what could have been.

I want more time… but I want it to go slowly so I can have the chance to breathe it in and savor each little moment, roll it around in my mind and enjoy it more.

For some people 4 weeks is what’s left of a lifetime… a gift they have been given. I need to remember that and appreciate it as the gift it is. I guess I should be thankful to have time… whether fast or slow… on my side.

When time is of the essence, I turn to shrimp as our “quick night” meal ingredient. This Lemon Pepper Shrimp over Pasta is a family favorite. Enjoy!

Recipe: Lemon Pepper Shrimp Over Pasta

• 1 (8 ounce) package pasta
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 6 cloves garlic, minced
• 3/4 cup white wine
• 1 lemon, juiced
• 1/2 teaspoon lemon zest
• 1/4 teaspoon Kosher salt
• 2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
• 1 pound medium frozen shrimp, tails removed, thawed
• 1/4 cup butter

1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add pasta and cook until al dente (approximately 9 minutes). Drain.
2. Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat, and saute garlic about 1 minute. Stir in wine, lemon juice, lemon zest, salt, and pepper. Reduce heat, and simmer for 5 minutes.
3. Add shrimp and butter to the saucepan. Cook 2 to 3 minutes, until shrimp is done. Stir in the cooked pasta and toss until well coated.

If you love these flavors you will love some of the flavors I’ve been experimenting with for the Alexia Fry Challenge! I can’t wait to share my final recipe with you.

I’ll admit it… I don’t watch football. Before my husband and I were married, I pretended like I liked football and would lay around on the couch with him all weekend during the fall and winter acting insanely fascinated by the college and NFL football games. To be honest with you… I could have cared less about the football. The laying around on the couch with him, all cozied up was nice, but the football? Snoozerama. I think now that we’ve been married for 11 years, he looks back and sees right through my “marry me” scheming ways. Oh well… I’ve got him now and he’s a keeper!

I do love football food. You know, your favorite bar type food? Chicken Wings, Tasty Dips, Nachos… all those foods that you are willing to pay more for because you are in the spirit of the game, surrounded by other fans, cheering on your favorite team?

Well, along with football, I don’t really love the bar scene. I mean, sometimes it is alright, but I prefer to sit around in my comfy clothes, munching on my own goodies and not paying out the wah-zoo for every beverage I decide to partake in. A true football celebration happens when I get to cook up the treats, we invite friends over, and enjoy the competition in the comfort of my own home.

My husband’s favorite bar food, hands down, is Fish and Chips. In fact, he loves Fish and Chips so much that he requested that for his recent birthday meal. Since I have my handy dandy new deep fryer, I was more than happy to oblige! If you are cooking up some treats for the Super Bowl coming up soon… (I assume it is soon isn’t it? The blogosphere is all a buzz with super bowl recipes!) give this classic bar food recipe a try!

Recipe: Classic Fish & Chips (Adapted from Allrecipes.com)

• 4 large potatoes, peeled and cut into strips
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 cup milk
• 1 egg
• 1 quart vegetable oil for frying
• 1 1/2 pounds Tilapia Loins

1. Place potatoes in a medium-size bowl of cold water. In a separate medium-size mixing bowl, mix together flour, baking powder, salt, and pepper. Stir in the milk and egg; stir until the mixture is smooth. Let mixture stand for 20 minutes.
2. Preheat the oil in a large pot or deep fryer to 350 degrees F
3. Fry the potatoes in the hot oil until they are tender. Drain them on paper towels.
4. Dredge the fish in the batter, one piece at a time, and place them in the hot oil. Fry until the fish is golden brown. If necessary, increase the heat to maintain the 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) temperature. Drain well on paper towels.

I’m going to just get right to business here. The scale was not so nice to me this past Monday for weigh in, and after some of my behavior from this past week, I wouldn’t expect it to be.

I knew when I first posted my weight on my blog, it would be hard putting it all out there. I do have to tell you though, what is even harder is coming back to you all, merely two weeks later, and saying I flubbed up. I had a somewhat stressful week, and like I do when I’m stressed, I ate. In fact, if you can jump in here and make me feel a little better by at least admitting that my logic is somewhat typical, I’d appreciate it. Here’s the deal…

I had a weak moment at the grocery store this past Tuesday and purchased a bag of Cookies & Cream Hershey’s Kisses. On Wednesday, I opened up the package and had one little kiss. Then I had two… then I had three, four and five. Finally, I realized that I cannot trust myself to have Cookies & Cream Hershey’s Kisses in my house and since I had already screwed up, I decided I’d better get rid of the Hershey’s Kisses. So, I did what any sane person trying to watch their weight would do. I spent the day eating the WHOLE package of Hershey’s Kisses!! I mean, if I was going to screw up, I might as well just go all out in one day, get rid of temptation all together so that the rest of the week those Hershey’s Kisses wouldn’t be calling my name. Great logic, right?

So, I’m back on the wagon again. Thank goodness I’ve been keeping up on my exercise as that is the one and only thing that kept the scale from tipping even further up! This week, so far so good and I plan to keep it that way. Hopefully you’ll hear cheers from me next Monday as I step on the scale again. For anyone keeping track, I am up .9 from 178.1 last week, which isn’t horrible, but still… My Eat. Live. Be friends did much better than I did this week! Make sure to check out the Eat. Live. Be Facebook page to see their updates.

Finally, I promised you all this wouldn’t turn into a diet blog, so because of that I’m going to go to extremes and share with you a recipe that convinced me to go out and buy a deep fryer. I’ve never owned a deep fryer, but after Rachelle from the blog “Mommy? I’m Hungry” shared with me on the Dine & Dish Facebook page that her favorite fish taco recipe was this one from Recipe Girl, I knew I had to try it. And try it, I did… 5 times since the first time in mid-December. I haven’t had it since joining Weight Watchers, but I think I’m going to have to build in a splurge day sometime in the next month to have these again… they are so good! Head over to Recipe Girl’s site to find the recipe for Beer Battered Fish Tacos with Creamy Baja Sauce. If you are looking for a good All Purpose Mexican Seasoning recipe to use for her delicious Fish Tacos, this is the recipe Rachelle turned me onto for that as well. Enjoy!

Recipe: All Purpose Mexican Seasoning (for use in tacos, fajitas, etc from About.com)

• 1/4 cup dried oregano
• 3 tablespoons dried chile powder
• 2 teaspoons cumin
• 2 teaspoons garlic powder
• 1 tablespoon onion powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 pinch ground cloves
• 1 pinch ground cinnamon

1. Mix together ingredients thoroughly and store in an airtight container.

If you have read Dine & Dish for any amount of time, it won’t be any secret to you that I feel like I’m not living in the right place. As lovely as Kansas is to raise a family, I have always had a very strong pull towards east coast living. The coast of the Carolina’s, Nantucket, Martha’s Vineyard…I have always felt like that is where I need to be.

Well, with four kids and a husband pretty much firmly planted in his “forever” job, my dream of moving East is most likely not going to happen. So, what does one do when they are faced to continue the rest of their life living in Kansas? They bring the East Coast to the Midwest!

This past weekend we hosted a shrimp boil, a classic coastal living party with our neighbors, right here in our Kansas backyard. Instead of the rush of waves, we heard the rush of traffic passing by. Instead of buying shrimp fresh off the boats, we got ours “fresh” from Costco. Our firepit was freestanding in our cul-de-sac versus dug into the sand. The squeal of kids took the place of squealing seagulls. The end result, however, was the same regardless of the location… we all had a fantastic time eating delicious shrimp and being together.

So yes, I would adore east coast living and hope that someday I’ll get to experience it first hand, but as I sit back and count my Kansas blessings, I would have to say the only way you are getting me there is if I can bring my friends and neighbors with me.

Original Old Bay Seasoning Shrimp Boil

4 quarts water (16 cups)

1 can (12 ounces) beer (optional)

1/2 cup OLD BAY® Seasoning

2 tablespoons salt

8 medium red potatoes, quartered

2 large onions, cut into wedges

2 pounds lean smoked sausage, cut into 2-inch pieces

8 ears fresh corn, shucked and halved crosswise

4 pounds unpeeled jumbo shrimp (21 to 25 count)

Bring water, beer, OLD BAY Seasoning and salt to boil in 12-quart stockpot on high heat. Add potatoes and onions. Cook 8 minutes. Add smoked sausage. Cook 5 minutes. Add corn. Cook 7 minutes.

Stir in shrimp. Cook 4 minutes or just until shrimp turn pink.

Drain cooking liquid. Pour contents of pot into large serving bowl or platter. Or, mound on paper-covered table. Sprinkle with additional OLD BAY Seasoning, if desired.

For our pots, we used Turkey fryers filled with water and that worked out great!

Don’t miss your chance to win an apron from The Hip Hostess! Check out the giveaway on my Peanut Butter Pancake post!

Show me a kitchen, and I’m right at home. Take me out to the grill and I freeze up without a clue as to what to do with the thing.

My husband is the “grill master” in our home. Like many homes, the grill is his domain. He can cook up a mean burger, make an awesome pork loin, and can even grill some delicious desserts. Last time I attempted to grill, the thing caught on fire and flames were shooting up into the air. Neighbors were running over because from their angle, it looked like our house was on fire. That, my friends, was a proud moment…not!

My goal this summer is to finally master the grill. I got the spark of inspiration by all the ladies tweeting about grilling during the Girls Night Out sponsored by Lawry’s. So many of you gals have taken the grill away from your husbands and YOU are the grill master extraordinaire in your family. That is impressive!

First step… learn how to turn the darn thing on. Our Brinkmann grill knobs melted off or something soon after we got it, so turning it on is a fine science only my husband seems to understand. (On a side note – I think I’m going to get him a new grill for Father’s Day… would love your suggestions.)

Grilling can mean less mess in the kitchen, lighter and healthier meals, plus the chance to enjoy the weather while manning the flame. I’m looking forward to my adventure in learning how to grill. Who, in your home, is the “Grill Master”?

Grilled Lime Shrimp (From Recipezaar)

This is such an easy recipe to put together and with a delicious end result!

22 min | 15 min prep

SERVES 4

I get slightly obsessive about things, especially when it comes to food and cravings. For example, last week I received an email from a friend about Cinco de Mayo and the very mention of that awesome holiday sent me into a “I MUST have Mexican food, now!” frenzy. Later in the week, I was at McDonald’s with my girls for a playdate and one of the employees was passing out free samples of their new McCafe Caramel Frappe. I had never had a cold coffee drink before and thought I would hate it. Wrong. I loved it and have had 4 since, including another one the same day I had the sample. I’m officially addicted.

This week, you will notice something on my menu plan that was on there last week – Baked Chicken Legs from Chaos in the Kitchen. My friend Amy turned me on to them one day last week, I added them to my menu the first time for Wednesday, and we just had them for the 3rd time tonight. Besides Wednesday night, I made them Saturday for lunch and then again tonight, for dinner. My kids love them, my husband and I love them, and I can imagine that they will be making an appearance on our menu at least once every week from now until the end of eternity. They are THAT good. Oh, and simple…which totally makes it the best deal ever!

In fact, if I had it my way, my menu plan this week would read “Baked Chicken Legs”, “Baked Chicken Legs”, “Baked Chicken Legs”, etc., etc. You get the drift. They have become an obsession.

In an effort to have my family not start growing feathers and walking around clucking and pecking at the ground from too many chicken legs, I’ve decided to add a tiny bit of variety to our menu this week. But just so you know, my wish, at least until the next craving hits, is really for these baked chicken legs.

• Monday Baked Chicken Legs from Chaos in the Kitchen
• Tuesday Cilantro Lime Shrimp with a Honey Dipping Sauce from For the Love of Cooking
• Wednesday Spaghetti with 10 Minute Mushroom Spaghetti Sauce from Recipezaar
• Thursday Meat Loaf Muffins from Cooking Light
• Friday Zesty Tilapia with Mushrooms from All Recipes
• Saturday Slow Cooker Pulled Pork from Baking Bites
• Sunday Garlic Lovin’ Salmon

For being the person who heads up Adopt a Blogger, I must admit that I’m about the worst adoptive parent ever when it comes to my own adoptees. I hope my new fledglings don’t feel ignored. You can blame it on my real life kiddos… they take all the attention!

I have had the chance to have a few email conversations with both of my adoptees and I must say… they really don’t need my help at all. Bloggers these days seem to be so much savvier then I ever was back in the day… you know, when I had to walk uphill to school, against the wind, without shoes carrying an 80 pound backpack full of textbooks. Yeah… those were rough days. Makes me cold and tired just thinking about it.

Katie, from The Cutting Back Kitchen, is a menu planning, coupon / deal finding queen. She lives in OH and is married to a prince of a guy as well. I wish I had the sense of mind to be so smart with my money when it was just my husband and I. Katie’s blog is a fantastic resource for parents, singles, couples… anyone wanting to save money, cook delicious food, and figure out how to live a great life on a budget! I have a feeling I’m going to learn as much from Katie as she will learn from me!

Stephanie, who writes the blog Desserts for Breakfast, is a lovely CA native. She is a graduate student in linguistics, but I secretly think she should drop all that and just focus on food photography and styling. She is quite talented for being on the newer side of blogging. Stephanie’s blog is full of delicious, indulgent, rich and decadent desserts… all written up with clever writing and beautiful photography!

I hope you will visit both of these blogs and say hi… welcome them to my ever expanding family and give them a little of attention, please. Ask my kids – you kind of have to fight for it around here.

Now, on to menu plan Monday. My menu this week features some really delicious recipes, but I have to give an extra shout out about what we had for dinner tonight. Have you ever eaten at Bonefish Grill™? Have you ever had their amazing Bang Bang Shrimp™? One of the tastiest things on the planet, in my opinion! Well, this past week I found a copycat recipe and made it tonight… Oh. My. Gosh. This stuff is so good. Warning you though… it has quite the kick to it, so if you don’t like spicy food, you might want to skip this recipe!

• Monday: Copycat Bonefish Grill’s Bang Bang Shrimp™ from Recipe Secrets
• Tuesday: Maid-Rite Sandwiches from Recipezaar
• Wednesday: Chicken Pot Pie from Recipezaar
• Thursday: Homey Grilled Ham with Katie’s Scalloped Potatoes, from The Cutting Back Kitchen
• Friday: Worlds Easiest Roasted Tilapia from Kalyn’s Kitchen
• Saturday: Altamont Grade Schools Poor Boy’s, from my childhood
• Sunday: French Dip Panini from Panini Happy

I hope you all have a great week! What’s on your menu? Don’t forget, for more great menu ideas, visit Menu Plan Monday at I’m An Organizing Junkie!