Bring Excitement to Family Dinners

MISSION, KS--(Marketwire - May 3, 2012) - (Family Features) Hungry to bring some joy back to your family dinner? Distractions and busy schedules mean many families need a dose of inspiration to bring the zing back to their meals. Luckily it only takes a few small changes to achieve an all-around meal makeover that transforms weekly routine into dinnertime excitement.

One great way to cook up fun is to make meals a family affair. From planning to creating, involving your family makes dinner an activity, not an obligation. Plus, it has the added bonus of teaching kids important skills -- like writing grocery lists and prepping veggies.

Need more inspiration? Dial up the dinnertime excitement with these quick tips from Lawry's:

• Play with Your Food. Let kids of all ages unleash their creativity at dinnertime. Retire formality a couple nights a week and replace it with fun themed dinners of their choosing. Whether you're serving up mini-versions of classic recipes -- like meatloaf "muffins" -- or foods on a stick, bringing a dose of whimsy to meals gives your family an amusing and refreshing break from routine.
• Flavor Adventure. Every day, you conquer real challenges to gather your family around the dinner table, and getting them to try new dishes shouldn't have to be one of them. Lawry's iconic Seasoned Salt is already a tried-and-true family favorite, and now it's available in new varieties, like Fire Roasted Chile and Garlic and Santa Fe Chili Marinade. These new blends will help bring bold new flavors to the table for a delicious change your family will eat right up.
• Dinnertise. The easiest thing you can do to make meals more appealing to your family? Eat and enjoy them yourself. Kids model parental behavior, and are more likely to try something new if they see their parents doing it. You can also build anticipation for the night's meal by creating a custom video "ad" on Dinnertising.com. Personalize it with family photos, fun themes and recipes, then share it via Facebook, Twitter or email.

For more recipes and tips on how to make dinnertime as flavorful and fun as possible, visit www.dinnertising.com and www.lawrys.com.

Grilled Chicken with Pico de Gallo
Makes 6 servings
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Refrigerate: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 14 minutes

Mix tomato, onion, cilantro, green onion and 1/2 teaspoon of the Seasoning in medium bowl until well blended. Cover. Refrigerate 30 minutes to allow flavors to blend.

Brush chicken lightly with oil. Sprinkle evenly with remaining 1 1/2 teaspoons Seasoning.

Grill chicken over medium heat 6 to 7 minutes per side or until cooked through. Serve chicken with Pico de Gallo. Sprinkle with additional Seasoning, if desired.

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