Ann Byrn, author of The Cake Mix Doctor cookbook, has extended her food doctoring concept to the dinner table. (Workman Publishing photo)

Ann Byrn didn't have to rely on her years as a journalist to figure out she was on to a good thing. A former food writer at the Atlanta-Journal Constitution and the Nashville Tennessean, Byrne scored big with her cookbooks The Cake Mix Doctor (Workman; $14.95) and Chocolate from the Cake Mix Doctor (Workman; $14.95). So extending the "doctor" concept - creating quick dishes using convenience and fresh products - to family meals wasn't a reach. Hence, Byrn's Dinner Doctor (Workman; $14.95), released this fall.

"This was easy in the sense that I'm a parent and have two kids," she says. "Then I took one trip to the supermarket and realized there are so many different types of canned tomatoes out there. And there's more in the (grocery) freezer than Tater Tots."

Byrn admits doctoring is easier if you've mastered techniques such as sauteing and searing.

"But you don't have to be a scratch cook," she says.

It's more important, she says, for time-deprived cooks to assemble a pantry of convenience products and to use their imagination when serving common grocery staples, such as rotisserie chicken .

Byrn doesn't stop by just serving roasted chicken, she shreds it - even freezes it - for recipes such as Chicken Tetrazzini and Chicken Burrito Bake.

"All convenience foods benefit from adding fresh ingredients," she says.

Most people have a jar of pasta sauce in their cupboard, Byrn says. But most don't realize its potential.

"It's so versatile," she says. "Look in your vegetable bin. Dice onion and carrots and saute them (before adding to the sauce). Adding a bay leaf is great for picking up flavor."

Think beyond spaghetti, Byrn suggests. Serve the doctored sauce on small penne and top it with cheddar or blue cheese - something other than Parmesan.

While her concept might not quite shake up home cooking, Byrn at least offers parents reasonable, realistic ground between preparing time-consuming fresh meals every night and cruising through the drive-through.

"The most important thing is to get dinner on the table for your family," Byrn says.

Oven-Roasted Salmon with Spinach and Coconut

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 pounds salmon fillets, cut into 6 pieces

1/2 teaspoon seasoned salt

1 5-ounce bag baby spinach

1/4 cup heavy cream (or equal

amount of chicken stock with 1 teaspoon lemon zest)

2 to 3 tablespoons sweetened flaked coconut

Place rack in center of oven and preheat to 400 degrees. Pour olive oil into large oven-proof skillet and heat over medium-high. Season salmon with seasoned salt on both sides.

When oil is hot, add salmon and cook until lightly browned, 1 to 2 minutes per side. Remove salmon from skillet and set aside.

Add spinach to skillet. Pour cream over spinach and sprinkle coconut on top. Stir and place salmon on top of spinach mixture. Put skillet in oven and bake salmon until it is opaque and juices are bubbling, 7 to 8 minutes. Makes 6 servings.

"The Dinner Doctor"

E-mail cmartin@enquirer.com