Sheet Pan Pierogi and Peppers

Put the "easy" in easy weeknight dish using frozen pierogi.  Added veggie goodness plus tons of flavour will make this a favourite side. Or add fully cooked sausage, like brats, for a complete meal.

Ingredients:

2 lbs (907g) frozen pierogi (your favourite flavour)

2 medium bell peppers, sliced 

1 medium onion, sliced 

2 tbsps bacon fat

1 tbsp olive oil (or skip bacon fat and use 3 tbsps olive oil)

1 tsp smoked paprika

1/2 tsp celery seed

Black pepper to taste

1 tsp Tabasco sauce

1 1/2 cups packed baby spinach 

Sour cream and grainy dijon mustard to serve

Mix the fat or oil, paprika, celery seed, black pepper and Tabasco together. Then toss with the pierogi, onions and peppers. 

Spread out on a parchment lined baking sheet trying not to overlap pierogi. Add fully cooked sausage if you like.

Bake at 400°F for 15 minutes. Flip the pierogi and return to the oven for another 15 minutes. 

Once the pierogi are tender and golden remove from the oven and add the spinach leaves and toss together. They will slightly wilt with the heat.

Serve with a dollop of sour cream and a little dab of grainy dijon.

Serves 4

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Garlic Butter Pork Tenderloin Tray Bake

The reason home cooks love sheet pan dinners? Because they make a stress-free, minimal-fuss semi-fancy meal!

Ingredients:

2 - 1 lb pork tenderloins

1/4 cup hoisin sauce

1 lb mixed frozen vegetables

1 1/2 lbs (5 or 6 medium) potatoes

3 tbsps olive oil

salt and pepper to taste

4 tbsps butter

2 tsps minced garlic

2 tbsps fresh chopped parsley

First, position the oven rack to the lower position and preheat to 450°F. Cut the potatoes into 1 1/2" pieces and place them in a pot of water. Boil for 10 minutes then remove from heat and drain.

Toss the frozen vegetables with 1 tbsp olive oil, salt and pepper. Place in the center of two baking sheets. You could use one sheet but I didn't want to crowd the portatoes.

Take the drained potatoes and toss with 2 tbsps olive oil, salt and pepper and arrange on either side of the veggies.

Place the pork tenderloins on top of the vegetables and brush with hoisin sauce, salt and pepper.

Roast in a 450°F oven for 25-30 minutes or until the thickest part of the pork has an internal temperature of 140°F.

Combine the butter, minced garlic and parsley, salt and pepper. When the trays come out of the oven dab each tenderloin with 1 tbsp of the herbed butter and divide the remaining butter to toss with the potatoes and vegetables.

Let rest 5-10 minutes before slicing.

Each tenderloin serves 3-4 people and you can easily freeze one for a later date.

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Chicken, Potatoes and Kale

Tender juicy chicken with golden roasted potatoes and crispy kale all in this one pan dinner. 

Ingredients:

4 chicken legs, split

5 kale leaves

4 potatoes, cut 1/4 - 1/2" thick

1 onion, thinly sliced

1/4 cup olive oil

salt, pepper, smoked paprika and dry oregano to taste

1 or 2 sprigs of rosemary

lemon to serve

Take the kale leaves and remove the stems. Then massage them with a little oil until softened and bright green. Roughly chop then place in large oiled roasting pan. Cut the potatoes and onion and toss with olive oil. Spread out in the pan with the kale and sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Cut the chicken legs in half and lay them in between the potatoes. It's ok if they cover the kale and onions. Give everything a good shake of salt, pepper, oregano and paprika.

Cover with foil and bake in a 450°F oven for 30 minutes, then remove the foil and return the pan to the oven for another 30-40 minutes.

Add a little green to the plate and you're good to go!

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Sausage Tray Bake

Your choice of sausages, I had cheddar bacon and hot Italian, with russet and sweet potatoes, add some veggies and you've got dinner done!

Ingredients:

2 medium potatoes

1 medium sweet potato

1 sweet bell pepper, sliced thick

2 celery stalks, sliced thick

1 onion, sliced thick

2 tbsps olive oil

1 tbsp lemon juice

2 tsps minced garlic

4 pork sausages, halved

fresh rosemary sprigs

salt and pepper to taste

1/4 cup cubed feta

Cut the potatoes and sweet potato in half then slice about 3/4-1" thick. Place them in a roaster pan and add water to mostly cover. Cover with foil and boil for 7 minutes, then drain and return to the warm burner just for a minute, then remove from heat. 

Add the bell pepper, celery and onion. Combine the olive oil, lemon juice and garlic and mix everytime together Then take each sausage and twist in the middle, cut to form two mini sausages and toss them in the pan too.. Tuck in some fresh rosemary and sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Roast in a 375°F oven for 30 minutes, turn the sausages over and return to the oven for an additional 10 minutes. Add the feta cubes and broil for 3-4 minutes.

Serves 4

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Rustic Chicken Tray Bake

If the question is how to make a quick and easy dinner, then tray bakes are the answer. And only one pan to clean!

Ingredients:

8 chicken thighs

2 tbsps butter

a few sprigs of rosemary

salt and pepper to taste

2 tsps thinly sliced garlic

2 tbsps olive oil

2 onions, quartered

3 medium tomatoes, halved

4 carrots, cut in chunks

1 cup chicken broth

1 lemon, zested and sliced

fresh parsley to garnish

Mix butter, salt and pepper and stuff under the skin of each thigh. Spread on top of the skin too.

Mix garlic, onion, carrots and olive oil together and place around the chicken in a large baking pan. Add tomatoes, lemon and rosemary sprigs and salt and pepper everything. Then add lemon zest on top of each thigh.

Pour the broth into the bottom of the pan and bake at 400°F for 45-55 minutes basting 2 times during cooking.

Serve garnished with fresh parsley.

Chicken, Potato and Veggie Tray Bake

Super easy to throw this nutritious meal together and you can substitute veggies you have on hand. Also can be easily doubled.

Ingredients:

4 chicken thighs

1 large carrot, cut in thick slices

2 celery stalks, 2-3" lengths

4 small potatoes, quartered or halved 

1 onion, quartered

5 or 6 garlic cloves, halved

2 tbsps olive oil

1 tbsp soya sauce

1/2 tsp salt

a few grinds black pepper

pinch turmeric

1/4 tsp paprika

1/4 tsp garlic powder

Mix the olive oil, soya sauce and all the seasonings together and toss in the vegetables to coat. I use a waxed cereal bag, but a plastic bag or bowl can be used.

Spoon the vegetables into an oiled 13 X 9" baking dish. Now place the chicken thighs in the same bag and toss. Sit the thighs on top of the veggies and sprinkle on more of the seasonings. Make sure there's enough room for everybody! If you double the recipe remember to use a second baking dish.

Bake at 450°F for 1 hour giving the vegetables a little toss part way through so they don't stick to the pan. And spoon any accumulating juices over the chicken while you're at it.

One pan dinner...one easy pan cleanup!