These recipes originally appeared in the September 2021 issue of HomeLife Magazine.
Turn your sheet pan into dinner with these three savory recipes.
Last night the temperature dipped just enough to whisper fall is around the corner. While the light chill made for a great night’s sleep, it also offered a gentle nudge that it’s time to kick into high gear as responsibility calls and her twin sister routine beckons. Almost in an instant, life around our little corner of the world goes from blissful summer evenings without a care in the world (except to consider whether the flowers need water), to full calendars and obligated weekends.
As with every new calendar year, there’s an underlying urgency to life that seems to align when school is back in session. The pace steps up and in order to stay lockstep with my schedule, I try to find ways to cut corners albeit keeping a good life balance, while being cautious about what I cut. Time around the dinner table with family is nonnegotiable. However, if you mention a great shortcut for meal prep,
I’m all ears.
This season, make your oven work double-duty. Cozy up your homestead with a little extra warmth while whipping up a sheet pan supper. I’m a huge fan of these one-pan dishes, as combinations of farm-to-table proteins roast on high heat with seasoned and oiled vegetables, delivering a deep robust flavor. Sheet pan suppers are gaining popularity, so there are literally multitudes of recipes out there — not to mention those of you who will be whipping up your own. I like to lean on this style of cooking for the fix-it-and-forget-it factor. Most recipes cook in under 30 minutes, making efficient use of time for other things, such as table setting, helping with homework, or getting in a brisk walk before dinner. Truth be told, my favorite added bonus is the easy one-pan clean-up.
Sheet pan suppers seem to be a good fit for the season. Picture a pan of neatly lined pork roast next to a squared off section of halved Brussels sprouts, and purple onion wedges with sweet potato rounds. Just as order and organization are present on the sheet pan, so it seems this style of one-pan cooking brings organization and efficiency to a busy season.
When the pace picks up this fall, turn your everyday sheet pan into a valuable dinnertime resource with these savory recipes.
Honey Lemon Pork Roast with Sweet Potatoes and
Brussels Sprouts ▶ Makes 4 servings
Ingredients:
1.5 oz. center-cut pork roast
1/4 c. olive oil (divided) + rub
1 tsp. dried thyme (divided: 1/2 tsp., 2- 1/4 tsp.)
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. black pepper
1 lb. Brussels sprouts (ends cut off and halved)
1 large red onion (quartered)
2 large, sweet potatoes (peeled and sliced into rounds)
2 cloves of garlic (minced)
1 Tbsp. honey
1 lemon (cut and deseeded for juice)
1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
Directions:
Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Line a sheet pan with aluminum foil. Pat the pork dry with a paper towel and place in a bowl. Rub with olive oil, then season with salt, pepper, and 1/2 teaspoon of thyme. Place pork roast at one end of the pan. In a medium bowl, add Brussels sprouts and red onion and toss with two tablespoons of oil. Season with salt and pepper and spread down the middle of the pan. Toss the sweet potato rounds with one tablespoon of oil and 1/4 teaspoon of thyme. Place on the end of the pan. Roast for 28-30 minutes, or until pork registers 160-170 degrees and vegetables are tender. In a small bowl, add the remaining one tablespoon of olive oil and 1/4 teaspoon of thyme, minced garlic, honey, juice of the lemon, and crushed red pepper. Whisk until blended and set aside. To serve, slice the roast and plate with cooked vegetables, then drizzle all with the honey lemon dressing.
Tip from Laura:
Cut vegetables with longer cooking times smaller and thinner, so all ingredients cook evenly.
Sweet & Savory Salmon with Cauliflower
and Green Beans ▶ Makes 4 servings
Ingredients:
1.5 lbs. salmon cut into four equal parts
16 oz. fresh green beans
1 head of fresh cauliflower (sectioned into large pieces)
2 Tbsp. melted butter
2 Tbsp. soy sauce
2 Tbsp. brown sugar
2 Tbsp Dijon mustard
Directions:
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Line a sheet pan with aluminum foil. Arrange salmon on the pan at one corner. Wash and snip green bean ends and cut cauliflower into three-to-four inch pieces. In a bowl, melt butter in microwave, then whisk together the next three ingredients. Brush salmon with some of the glaze mixture and toss the vegetables to coat with the remaining glaze. Turn vegetables onto the sheet pan and bake for 18-20 minutes. Salmon is done when it begins to flake.
Tip From Laura:
Save some elbow grease by lining your sheet pan with
aluminum foil.
Mediterranean Chicken with Hummus and Peppers ▶ Makes 4 servings
Ingredients:
1.5 lbs. skinless, boneless chicken breasts
1 red pepper (cored and sliced into 1-inch strips)
1 yellow pepper (cored and sliced into 1-inch strips)
1 purple onion (peeled and sliced into wedges)
1/3 c. olive oil
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
1 tsp. dried oregano
1/2 tsp. ground cumin
1-10 oz. container of hummus
Pita bread
Directions:
Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Line a sheet pan with aluminum foil. Cut chicken into two- to three-inch pieces and prepare vegetables as directed. In a bowl, add olive oil and spices, whisking to combine. Drop chicken pieces and sliced vegetables in bowl to coat with oil. Spread all ingredients onto sheet pan and place in the oven to roast for 20 minutes. Wrap pita bread in aluminum foil and place in oven to heat through. To serve, place one quarter of the hummus in a round dollop on each plate, then top with roasted chicken and vegetables. Quarter pita bread and serve alongside for dipping.
Laura Schupp is the author of Our Newlywed Kitchen: The Art of Cooking, Gathering & Creating Traditions. Learn more about Laura at OurNewlywedKitchen.com.
