What’s one-and-done, with minimal fuss and cleanup? Sheet pan dinners. All your supper ingredients are roasted together on one rimmed baking sheet. Yay, fewer dishes or pots to wash. Think of turning out recipes like lemon garlic chicken, talapia and vegetables, steak fajitas or curry pork chops and sweet potatoes on a single pan.
Of course, sheet pan meals don’t appear on our tables magically, much as we may wish. As convenient as they can be, some forethought ups the odds of a flavorful, evenly-cooked supper the whole crowd will enjoy. Here are a few suggestions to keep in mind, from bonappetit.com. Visit bonappetit.com/story/tips-for-better-sheet-pan-dinners for additional tips.
At tasteofhome.com, Lindsay D. Mattision also cautions that older, thin or inexpensive sheet pans tend to warp in the cooking process. Go for the heavy-gauge aluminum. She notes, too, that overcrowded sheet pans can result in steamed food with watered-down flavors. Keep some space between ingredients.
The Mississippi State Extension Service recommends lining your pan with aluminum foil or parchment paper to make cleanup easier and to keep foods from sticking. (If you’re planning to use the broiler, go with foil so you don’t catch the parchment paper on fire.)
Experiment with ingredients and figure out what works and what doesn’t. Start with some simple recipes and branch out from there in your “oneness.”
SHEET PAN CHIPOTLE-LIME SHRIMP BAKE
Prep time: 10 minutes
Bake time: 40 minutes
Makes 4 servings
1-1/2 pounds baby red potatoes, cut into 3/4-inch cubes
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
3/4 teaspoon sea salt, divided
3 medium limes
1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
1 teaspoon ground chipotle pepper
1/2 pound fresh asparagus, trimmed
1/2 pound broccolini or broccoli, cut into small florets
1 pound uncooked shrimp (16-20 per pound), peeled and deveined
2 tablespoons minced fresh cilantro
Note: Don’t throw out the squeezed limes. You’ll be surprised by how much juice comes out of them after they’re roasted. Can’t find baby red potatoes? Try baby Yukon Gold potatoes.
Nutrition Facts: 1 serving: 394 calories, 17g fat (8g saturated fat), 168mg cholesterol, 535mg sodium, 41g carbohydrate (4g sugars, 6g fiber), 25g protein.
(Source: tasteofhome.com, Colleen Delawder)
SHEET PAN GREEK CHICKEN
Cooking spray
8 bone-in chicken thighs (skin on)
16 ounces baby red potatoes, halved
16 ounces fresh green beans, trimmed
2 tablespoons olive oil
Salt and pepper
2 tablespoons fresh parsley (optional)
Marinade:
1/4 cup olive oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
Juice of one lemon
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon dried oregano leaves
Salt and pepper (to taste)
Garnish with fresh parsley if desired and serve immediately.
(Source: extension.msstate.edu/blog/sheet-pan-greek-chicken)
EASY ROASTED VEGGIES
5 cups assorted vegetables cut into chunks (potatoes, winter squash, turnips, carrots, onions, or mushrooms)
1 tablespoon oil (canola or vegetable)
2 teaspoons dried Italian seasoning
1/8 ground black pepper
1/8 teaspoon salt
Nutrition Facts: Calories: 90, Fat: 6g, Carbohydrates: 16g, Dietary Fiber: 3g, Protein: 2g, Sodium: 95mg. Serves 5 (1 cup) servings.
(Source: South Dakota State University Extension Service)
Jan Swoope is the Lifestyles Editor for The Commercial Dispatch.
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