Sheet Pan Dinners

The object of this lesson is to teach you how to make a complete dinner on a sheet pan. Here are some things you need to know:

1. I like to cover my sheet pans with parchment paper. Aluminum has been shown to be connected with breast cancer and Alzheimer's so I don't like to cook on aluminum sheet pans without parchment. If your sheet pans are stainless steel you don't have to worry about that.
2. You can get half sheet pans and lots of other kitchen equipment at AceMart Restaurant Supply. There are many locations. I buy parchment paper there, tongs, leftover containers, etc. Love this place!
3. You can use any kind of meat (even meatloaf) and any kind of vegetables your family likes.
Here are some combination ideas:
- Roast whole chicken, Hasselback potatoes (remember we did these last year), zucchini
- Meatloaf, green beans, red potatoes
- Salmon, Brussels sprouts, sweet potatoes
- Pork tenderloin, asparagus, broccoli
- Chicken thighs, cauliflower, carrots
- Chicken, butternut squash, Brussels sprouts
- Fish, asparagus, roasted cherry tomatoes
4. These can be made up ahead of time and kept in the refrigerator until you need them. If you are using fish or seafood like shrimp, you will want to cook within a day or two. If you are using any other meat, you can wait for several days to cook. Just cover with plastic.
5. Cooking times on different meats and vegetables will require that you will need to cut the vegetables accordingly and, perhaps take the meat off before the vegetables are done.
For example, if you are cooking shrimp and broccoli, and bell peppers on the same tray, you will need to add the shrimp when the broccoli and bell peppers are almost done.
If you are cooking pork chops, sweet potatoes, and Brussels sprouts on the same tray, you will need to cut the sweet potatoes into small pieces and cut the Brussels spouts in half or quarters and you might need to take the pork chops off the tray and let them rest while the vegetables are getting done.
6. The meat and vegetables can be mixed up on the sheet pan OR they can be kept separate if that's the way your family likes them.

STEAK AND VEGGIES

2 pounds baby red potatoes, cut into small pieces
3 cups broccoli florets
2 tablespoons olive oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon dried thyme
salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
2 pounds (1-inch-thick) top sirloin steak, London broil, flank steak or skirt steak, patted dry

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Lightly oil a baking sheet or coat with nonstick spray.

Place potatoes and broccoli in a single layer onto the prepared baking sheet. Add olive oil, garlic and thyme; season with salt and pepper, to taste. Gently toss to combine.
Season steaks with salt and pepper, to taste, and add to the baking sheet in a single layer.
Place into oven and roast until the steak is browned and charred at the edges until desired doneness.
Serve immediately.

SHRIMP FAJITAS

1 1/2 pounds shrimp (raw, peeled, deveined, with the tails removed)
3 bell peppers
1 small to medium red onion
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon cajun seasoning, your choice of brands
1/2 teaspoon finely ground black pepper
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon onion powder
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 tablespoon smoked paprika - make sure you get smoked!
2 limes
1 bunch of fresh cilantro
1-2 packages of flour tortillas

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

If your raw shrimp is frozen, put it in a colander and run barely warm water over them until they are thawed. Leave them to drain the excess water from the colander in the sink.
In a large bowl, combine the oil and all of the dry spices. Mix together really well. Chop or slice your onion and peppers and add them, mixing to coat them evenly. Add your raw shrimp and mix them in well until all of the shrimp and veggies are evenly coated.
Spread shrimp and vegetable mixture evenly into a single layer on a shallow, parchment paper lined, metal baking sheet. This might take two baking sheets.
Wrap your flour tortillas in foil and put them on the extra oven rack. Bake the sheet pans full of shrimp and vegetables along with the foil packet of tortillas in preheated 450 degree oven for 8 minutes if you are using small shrimp. For medium to large size shrimp, bake an additional 2-3 minutes.
Remove from oven and squeeze the juice from cut up fresh limes over the entire pan and sprinkle with chopped fresh cilantro and a fine layer of additional smoked paprika.
Serve with the warm tortillas and enjoy!

SAUSAGE AND VEGGIES

2 cups small red potatoes, cut into small pieces
1 pound green beans
1 large head of broccoli
2 large or 6-7 mini sweet bell peppers
9 ounces smoked sausage link
6 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes, optional
1 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1 tablespoon dried parsley
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
fresh parsley, quinoa/rice, freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
Line a large sheet pan with foil or parchment paper.
Chop the red potatoes (pretty small pieces here so they will be tender in time), trim the green beans and cut in half, chop the broccoli, chop the peppers into thick squares, and cut the sausage in thick slices.
Place all the veggies and sausage on a sheet pan. Pour the olive oil and all the spices on top. Toss to evenly coat all the veggies and meat.
Bake 15 minutes, remove from the oven and flip/stir all the veggies around. Return to the oven and bake for another 10-15 minutes or until vegetables are crisp tender and sausage is browned.
If desired, sprinkle freshly grated Parmesan cheese over the veggies and sausage as soon as they come out of the oven.
Enjoy with rice or quinoa and fresh parsley if desired.

BACON-WRAPPED STUFFED CHICKEN BREASTS

Cooking spray
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
2 ounces of cream cheese , softened
1/4 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1/4 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
2 tablespoons finely chopped parsley
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
salt and pepper to taste
8 slices of bacon
1 pound of small new potatoes , halved (can also use regular sized potatoes cut into 1 inch pieces)
2 medium zucchini , quartered lengthwise and cut into 1/2 inch pieces
Optional garnish: chopped parsley
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Line a sheet pan with foil and coat with cooking spray.
Using a small knife, cut a slit lengthwise partway across each chicken breast to create a deep pocket.
In a small bowl mix together the cream cheese, cheddar, mozzarella, parsley and garlic powder. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Spoon the cheese mixture evenly into the pocket of each chicken breast. Alternatively you can put the filling into a plastic bag and snip the tip to create a makeshift pastry bag to squeeze the filling into the chicken. Use toothpicks to seal the pockets shut.
Season the top of each chicken breast with salt and pepper then wrap 2 slices of bacon around each chicken breast.
Place the chicken breasts on the sheet pan; scatter the potatoes around the chicken. Coat the potatoes in cooking spray and season with salt and pepper.
Place in the oven and bake for 20 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven and add the zucchini, season the zucchini with salt and pepper to taste.
Return the pan to the oven and bake for an additional 20 minutes. Broil for an additional 3-5 minutes or until bacon is browned and crispy.
Serve immediately, with chopped parsley as a garnish if desired.

BALSAMIC CHICKEN AND VEGETABLES

6 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1/2 cup Italian dressing
1 pound chicken tenders
2 heads broccoli
1 cup baby carrots
1/2 pint cherry tomatoes
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
salt and pepper
fresh parsley, optional

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
Spray a large tray with nonstick spray or line with parchment paper and set aside.
Whisk together the balsamic vinegar and Italian dressing.

Place 1/3 cup of the balsamic + Italian mixture in a large bag and add the chicken tenders. Coat and place in the fridge to marinate for at least 30 minutes and up to 6 hours.
Chop the broccoli into small pieces. Slice the baby carrots in half.
Place broccoli and carrots on the prepared tray with the cherry tomatoes, Italian seasoning, olive oil, garlic powder, and add some salt and pepper to taste.
Roast the veggies for 10-15 minutes.
Remove from the oven and flip around. Section the veggies to each side of the tray and place the chicken tenders (discard the marinade) in the center. Brush 1/3 cup of the balsamic and the Italian mixture over the chicken.
Return to the oven and cook for another 7-15 minutes depending on the size of your chicken. Be careful to monitor the chicken so you don't overcook it. The cooking time will vary based on the size of your chicken.
Serve the chicken and veggies with the remaining balsamic and Italian mixture. Top with freshly chopped parsley if desired.
Great served over rice or quinoa!

CHICKEN WITH FALL VEGETABLES

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, lightly pounded to an even surface
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 fresh rosemary sprig - do not chop
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon salt, divided
1/2 teaspoon black pepper, divided
4 cups Brussels sprouts, trimmed and halved (quarter if very large), about 1 pound
1 large sweet potato,peeled and cut into 1/4-inch cubes
1 medium red onion, sliced thinly
1 medium Granny Smith apple, peeled, cored, and cut into large pieces (these pieces should be larger than the other vegetables)

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
Place the chicken breasts in a large zip bag. Drizzle with 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil, then add the garlic, rosemary sprig, cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper. Zip the bag tightly, then shake and rub the bag to coat the chicken in the oil and spices.  Set aside while you chop the vegetables and apples, or refrigerate for up to 1 day.
Once chopped, place the Brussels sprouts, sweet potato, onion, and apple on a large sheet pan. Drizzle with the remaining 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil, then sprinkle with remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper. Toss to evenly coat, then spread into an even layer.
Remove the chicken from the marinade and place on top of the apple and vegetables.
Place in the oven and roast until the chicken is cooked through and the internal temperature reaches 160 to 165 degrees F, about 18 to 22 minutes, or until done. Once the chicken is cooked through, remove to a plate to rest and cover with foil to keep warm.
Toss the apple and vegetables on the pan, then return the pan to the oven and continue baking until caramelized and tender, about 10 to 15 additional minutes. Serve warm with the rested chicken.

RANCH PORK CHOPS

4 (8-ounce) pork chops, bone-in, 3/4-inch to 1-inch thick
1 pound baby red potatoes, halved
1 pound green beans, trimmed
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 (1-ounce) package Ranch Seasoning and Salad Dressing Mix
3 cloves garlic, minced
salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
Lightly oil a baking sheet or coat with nonstick spray.
Place pork chops, potatoes and green beans in a single layer onto the prepared baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with Ranch Seasoning and garlic; season with salt and pepper, to taste.
Place into oven and roast until the pork is completely cooked through, reaching an internal temperature of 140 degrees F, about 20-22 minutes. Then broil for 2-3 minutes, or until caramelized and slightly charred.
Serve immediately, garnished with parsley, if desired.