I am all about what can make my life easier. Particularly when it comes to meal time. I love using my Crock-Pot, but occasionally I need a quick go-to dinner for when I get home from a long day — or a short day!
A very popular food trend that I have noticed lately is the sheet pan dinner. Sheet pan dinners are the perfect answer to a quick and easy dinner with everything in one pan. You can modify your proteins and vegetables to suit your individual needs.
Always use a rimmed sheet pan that has been sprayed with cooking spray. After assembly of your meal, just sit back and relax until your dinner is ready. The only thing better than that is the quick and easy clean up that will follow. It’s a one-pan wonder.
I hope you will give these recipes a try. Experiment with your own family’s likes and dislikes. Thanks for reading.
BALSAMIC CHICKEN AND VEGETABLES SHEET PAN DINNER
¾ cup Italian dressing
¼ cup balsamic vinegar
4 boneless chicken breasts
½ head broccoli, cut into florets
1 cup baby carrots, cut in half
½ onion, cut into chunks
1 cup cherry tomatoes
½ teaspoon black pepper
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Spray a rimmed cooking sheet with nonstick cooking spray. In a large resealable bag, combine ½ cup of the Italian dressing, balsamic vinegar and chicken. Seal and refrigerate for 30 minutes to an hour. When ready to cook, place remaining dressing in a large bowl and add remaining ingredients. Mix well until evenly coated. Place vegetables on baking sheet and spread evenly. Bake for 15 minutes. Remove from oven, and arrange chicken between the vegetables on the cooking sheet. Bake for 30 additional minutes or until chicken is done and no longer pink in the middle and vegetables are roasted.
SPICY ROASTED SAUSAGE AND POTATOES
1 pound potatoes (about 2 medium), peeled and cut into ½-inch cubes
1 (12-ounce) package fully cooked andouille sausage, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 medium red onion, cut into wedges
1 medium sweet red pepper, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 medium green pepper, cut into 1-inch pieces
½ cup pickled pepper rings
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon Creole seasoning
½ teaspoon black pepper
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Spray a rimmed 15-inch sheet pan with cooking spray. In a large bowl, combine potatoes, sausage, onion, red pepper, green pepper and pepper rings. Mix oil, Creole seasoning and pepper. Drizzle over potato mixture, and toss to coat. Transfer to prepared baking sheet, and spread evenly. Roast for about 30 minutes or until vegetables are tender, stirring occasionally.
PARMESAN CHICKEN AND ARTICHOKE HEARTS
4 boneless chicken breast halves
3 teaspoons olive oil
1 teaspoon dried rosemary
½ teaspoon dried thyme
½ teaspoon pepper
2 cans (14-ounce) artichoke hearts, drained and halved
1 medium onion, coarsely chopped
½ cup white wine or chicken broth
2 cloves garlic, chopped
¼ cup shredded Parmesan cheese
1 lemon, cut into 8 slices
2 green onions, thinly sliced
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Place chicken in a 15-inch rimmed baking sheet that has been sprayed with cooking spray. Drizzle with 1½ teaspoons of olive oil. In a small bowl, mix rosemary, thyme and pepper. Sprinkle half over chicken. In a large bowl, combine artichoke hearts, onion, wine, garlic and remaining olive oil and herb mixture; toss to coat. Arrange this mixture around chicken. Sprinkle cheese on top of chicken, and top with lemon slices. Roast for 30-45 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink inside. Garnish with sliced green onions.
- Contact Lee Ann Flemming at lafkitchen@hughes.net.
