Mary Bilyeu, Contributor

At the grocery store recently, I found a container of Cajun-spiced smoked salmon spread that was on manager's special: it was nearing its "do not sell" date, so the store was trying to banish it from the premises by discounting it and luring sale shoppers.

Well, it worked! It cost only $1.29; and I could see significant potential for this product, so I took it home with me.

For one thing, it made a lovely evening snack with crudites or even extra-large croutons dipped into it. When I was up late, insomniac that I tend to be, and needed "a little something" (as Winnie-the-Pooh would say), this was just perfection.

It would also have been excellent shmeared onto a toasted bagel, with some lettuce and tomato and red onion tossed into the mix, if I'd had everything I needed for such a sandwich all at the same time rather than perpetually lacking one of the key ingredients.

But even better, my serendipitous purchase contributed to a supremely delicious dinner one evening, spread over some tilapia and baked just until the fish was moist and flaky.

There was a twinge of spice from the Cajun seasoning, and sweetness from both the fish and the mayonnaise base of the smoked salmon spread. The toasted crumbs on top provided the ideal crispness to complement the tender tilapia.

Some things are just meant to be ....

Baked Tilapia with Smoked Salmon Spread

4 4-ounce tilapia filets
3/4 cup smoked salmon spread
half of 1 whole wheat hamburger bun, ground into fresh breadcrumbs
sprinkling of seasoned salt
sprinkling of lemon pepper

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Grease a 9-inch pie pan.

Place the tilapia into the pie pan. Spread each filet with salmon spread, then sprinkle the bread crumbs over everything. Sprinkle lightly with the seasoned salt and lemon pepper.

Bake for 15 minutes, in the top 1/3 of the oven, until the bread crumbs are toasted.

Serves 4.

Mary Bilyeu has won or placed in more than 60 cooking contests and writes about her adventures in the kitchen. She was thrilled to have her post about Scottish Oatmeal Shortbread named as one of the daily "Best of the Blogs" by the prestigious Food News Journal.

Go visit Mary's blog — Food Floozie — on which she enthuses and effuses over all things food-related. Her newest feature is Frugal Floozie Friday, seeking fun and food for $5 or less ... really! Feel free to email her with questions or comments or suggestions: yentamary@gmail.com.

The phrase "You Should Only Be Happy" (written in Hebrew on the stone pictured in this post) comes from Deuteronomy 16:15 and is a wish for all her readers as they cook along with her ... may you always be happy here.