Sheet Pan Meals

When choosing your sheet pan, just make sure there is a lip at the edge and you have enough space to spread things out into a single layer.

One way to get started is to try sheet pan eggs. They are an easy way to cook 6 eggs quick. These eggs are great to feed a crowd, use for quick omelets, or for a big batch of make-ahead freezer breakfast sandwiches.

Sheet Pan Eggs

Ingredients

• 6 large eggs
• 1 tablespoon water

Directions

• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• Prepare in a 11x7-inch sheet pan (or 9-inch-square pan) with non-stick cooking spray.
• Whisk the eggs and water together and pour on the sheet pan.
• Bake for 12 to 15 minutes until eggs are cooked through (no loose liquid), but not too brown.

OK, you made sheet pan eggs. Now what?

Try making some egg rounds. Use a biscuit cutter or circle cookie cutter to make egg rounds for English muffin or bagel sandwiches. The leftover egg bits can be added to a breakfast bowl or stirred into fried rice for dinner.

Or, you can make quick omelets. If you want to make quick egg omelets, slice the sheet pan eggs lengthwise into three equal slices. Fill one half of the slice with meat, vegetables and cheese; fold the egg slice over, and warm it until the cheese is melted. It makes an easy breezy breakfast.

Another option would be to make breakfast roll-ups. Layer ham and cheese (or thinly sliced avocado and tomato) on a slice of sheet pan eggs. Roll them up and secure with a toothpick for perfectly portable breakfast roll-ups, with or without a tortilla.

A quick online search yields endless sheet pan meal ideas and recipes to make sure dinner happens at home, on time, with ease, while still appealing to the eater. Some of the one-pan ideas include a potato, salmon and asparagus dinner, and a chicken and roasted vegetable meal.

Sheet Pan Fajitas

Ingredients

• 1 pound of sliced boneless, skinless chicken breast
• 2 limes
• 2 teaspoons chili powder
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon paprika
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 large bell peppers, mixed colors, sliced into wedges
• 1/2 red onion, sliced into wedges (as a quick and convenient alternative, a bag of mixed frozen peppers and onions would also work well)

Directions

• Preheat oven to 450°F.
• To make the fajita mixture, in a container or ziplock bag, squeeze the 2 limes. Add the oil and spices. Toss in the chicken, peppers, and onions.
• Spread mixture out on a sheet pan. Bake for 10 minutes, then stir and continue to bake for 5-7 minutes more until the chicken is cooked through. Remove from oven.
• To serve, scoop fajita mixture into a tortilla and top with pico de gallo, guacamole and cilantro.

Another idea is to make grilled cheese sandwiches in the oven. For each sandwich, simply spread the outsides of two pieces of bread with oil or softened butter. Then, place half the slices on the baking sheet, butter-side down. Layer desired number of cheese slices onto the non-buttered side. Top with the remaining bread slices, buttered-side up. Bake at 450 F for about 10 minutes, flipping the sandwiches halfway through cooking.

Sometimes, we are looking for a fast, efficient, and tasty meal, and balancing our desires to cook at home with the realities of time and a busy schedule. When your situation requires something fast, something easy, and something you can feel good about serving, consider sheet pan meals.

Be sure to use some of the time you save to enjoy the company of those at your table.