Set the stage for a Quick and Easy Dinner:

I am such a fickle cook. My preferences and tastes change like the weather in Texas: quickly and without warning. Today, it is fish. Tomorrow, it could be soup, or pasta or Mexican. Each day produces a new favorite and so tomorrow under different circumstances and frame of mind a whole new set of dishes will volunteer to come forward. The pages of my cookbooks are strewn with bits of paper to mark a favorite page; each merrily standing guard for my return visit. The page itself splattered and stained as beautiful as a Monet. The special recipes, though, are those lucky enough to be hand-written and stored in a three-ring binder. Those enjoy more frequent visits. They are the lucky few?the chosen ones.Today, I am tired after working all day, but yet I don?t want to succumb to ?fast? food. I want sustenance; I want comfort. So the menu is a ?big? salad with grilled fish: Tilapia, the "star" of the day. Actually, it is still frozen, but not to worry, the grill will be the stage tonight: thawing and cooking all in one scene.These are the days I love bagged salad: convenient and, well, mostly convenient. I have chosen the Mediterranean Blend starring Romaine with his sidekicks Arugula and Radicchio because I am feeling sassy and little bit of a tart tonight. I?ll add chopped carrots for sweetness and color; tomatoes because they are good for me, and red onions, well because I love onions. Humm?.how about some diced cucumber? Throw in some sliced Kalamata olives (I think I see a Greek emerging!) and top with Feta cheese. I have some homemade vinaigrette (recipe below) for the dressing rehearsal. Meanwhile, the gas grill has been heating. I coat my nonstick grill pan with a little olive oil and place my frozen fish. A little sprinkling of lemon pepper and we are ready to pay homage to the heat. Since my fish are thin (1/2-inch), it takes only about 5 minutes per side---to thaw and cook, ready as my salad comes together. Tonight crushed Saltine Crackers will play the part of Croutons (just my luck, I get the understudy). Not too worry, though. She is a good stand in, almost as good as the real thing and I am tired.

Greek Vinaigrette
yield: 1 cup

1 (0.7 ounce) packet dry Italian salad dressing mix
1/3 cup vinegar
2 tablespoons freshly-squeezed lemon juice (1/2 lemon)
1 clove garlic, finely crushed (1/2 teaspoon)
1 pinch dried oregano

1/2 cup oil (canola or olive oil)

1. Mix dry salad dressing mix with vinegar, lemon juice, garlic and oregano by shaking together in a jar until thoroughly combined.
2. Add oil and shake until mixed. Refrigerate until ready to serve. Best when made ahead.