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Chicken & Vegetables with White Sauce

Chicken & Vegetables with White Sauce

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Yield: 4 Servings

Adapted from Fortunecooking

A very simple clean tasting stir fry made with vegetables and left-over chicken. Your choice of vegetables. I usually use broccoli, snow peas, mushrooms, carrots, celery and sometimes water chestnuts.

My white sauce was not as white as the original. It is fixed now. 😊 😊

  • 2cups total:
  • broccoli florets
  • pea pods
  • button mushrooms, sliced or quartered
  • carrots, sliced thin on a diagonal
  • celery, sliced thin on a diagonal
  • sliced water chestnuts
  • chicken, cooked and sliced 
  • 1heaping tsp garlic, minced
  • 1heaping tsp ginger, minced
  • 2cups water or stock
  • salt & pepper
  • 1TBS cornstarch mixed with 1 TBS water for slurry
  • 1sesame oil to taste (optional)


Blanch vegetables:

Bring 2 cups of stock or water to a boil in a wok or pan.

Add the 2 cups vegetables and chicken and cook for about 1½ minutes.

Reserve some of the vegetable cooking water and set aside.

Season with salt and pepper. Taste and adjust seasoning. 

Chicken & sauce:

Add ginger and garlic and cook for 30 seconds. 

Add slurry and stir to thicken.

If desired, add sesame oil to taste.

Serve.

Shrimp Boil

Shrimp Boil

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Sheet Pan Dinners

Yield: 4 Servings

Adapted from: CarlsbadCravings

This sheet pan version of the Shrimp Boil is loaded with succulent shrimp, tender potatoes, sweet corn and smokey sausage all enveloped in Cajun seasonings then baked to perfection then drizzled with Lemon Parsley Butter.

Note: Came out spicier than expected. Might use less Old Bay.

  • 1lb fingerling or baby potatoes
  • 4TBS extra virgin olive oil divided
  • 1TBS + 1 tsp Old Bay seasoning divided
  • 1tsp garlic powder
  • ½tsp ground mustard
  • ½tsp ground coriander
  • ½tsp dried dill
  • ¼tsp pepper
  • ¾tsp salt divided
  • 3ears sweet corn, cut into 4 pieces (12 pieces total) or kernels removed from cob
  • 111-12 oz pkg. smoked Andouille sausage sliced ½-inch thick
  • 1zucchini, sliced ½-inch thick (optional)
  • 1red or yellow onion, cut into ½-inch wedges (optional)

Parsley lemon butter: (optional)

  • 4TBS melted butter
  • 1½TBS finely chopped parsley
  • 1½TBS lemon juice

For serving:

  • chopped parsley
  • lemon slices
  • hot sauce


Preheat oven to 425°F. Line a half-sheet pan with foil and lightly spray with cooking spray, set aside.

Pre-cook potatoes: Depending on size, chop potatoes in half or thirds. Transfer cut potatoes and onions to a prepared half-sheet pan and spread out into an even layer. Bake at 425°F for 15 minutes.

Mix: Meanwhile, in a very large bowl, whisk together 3 TBS olive oil, 1 TBS Old Bay seasoning, garlic powder, ground mustard, coriander, dill, pepper and ½ tsp salt. Add par cooked potatoes, corn, zucchini, and sausage. Stir until evenly coated.

First Bake: Pour bowl onto prepared half-sheet pan and spread out into an even layer. Reduce heat to 400°F and bake for 15 minutes.

Season Shrimp: Meanwhile, add shrimp to the same bowl (don’t wipe out). Drizzle with 1 TBS olive oil, 1 tsp Old Bay Seasoning and ¼ tsp salt. Stir until evenly coated.

After 15 minutes, remove the half-sheet pan from oven and give everything a good stir. Add shrimp and spread everything into a single layer.

Second Bake: Place pan back into oven and bake for an additional 10-12 minutes, or until the shrimp is opaque and cooked through.

Parsley Lemon Butter: Meanwhile, whisk Parsley butter ingredients together, set aside.

Serve: As soon as the shrimp is done, drizzle the entire pan with Parsley Lemon Butter. Serve with additional freshly cracked salt, pepper, lemon wedges, parsley, Old Bay seasoning and hot sauce on the side.

Sumac Spiced Chicken Legs

Sumac Spiced Chicken Legs

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with Cauliflower and Carrots

Sheet Pan Dinners

Yield: 4 Servings

Adapted from: CookingLight

This one-pan supper embraces two trends we love: sheet pan cooking (both the main and side cooking together on a single pan) and embracing less-familiar spices (in this case, lemony ground sumac, available at most supermarkets). Sumac is also delicious sprinkled over grilled vegetables or in vinaigrettes. Bone-in chicken thighs and drumsticks will stay moist and become beautifully bronzed in the oven as the vegetables become golden brown and tender. The vibrant parsley mixture brings the entire dish together. Serve with hot cooked whole-wheat couscous, if you like.

  • 6TBS olive oil, divided
  • 1TBS sumac
  • 1¼tsp kosher salt, divided
  • 1tsp light brown sugar
  • 1tsp paprika
  • ground red pepper to taste
  • 1lb cauliflower florets
  • 2(6-oz) pkg. small rainbow carrots, halved lengthwise
  • 1lb bone-in chicken thighs, skinned
  • 1lb skinless drumsticks
  • 1small lemon, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced
  • 1small red onion, cut into ¾-in. wedges
  • ½cup finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
  • ½cup chopped fresh cilantro
  • 1TBS fresh lemon juice
  • 1small garlic clove, minced


Preheat oven to 425°F.
Line a half-sheet pan with foil, parchment or a Silpat.

Oil Mixture:

Combine 3 TBS oil with sumac, 1 tsp salt, brown sugar, paprika, and red pepper in a medium bowl.

Place cauliflower and carrots on the half-sheet pan. Add half of oil mixture, toss to coat.

Add chicken thighs, drumsticks, and lemon slices to sheet pan. Rub the remaining oil mixture over chicken. Bake at 425°F for 20 minutes.

Stir vegetables. Sprinkle onion wedges over pan. Bake at 425°F for 20 more minutes or until chicken is done, (185°F in thickest part).

Parsley mixture:

Combine the remaining 3 TBS oil, ½ cup parsley, ½ cup cilantro, 1 TBS lemon juice and minced garlic in a small bowl.

Spoon parsley mixture evenly over chicken and vegetables.

Capellini Aglio E Olio

Capellini Aglio E Olio

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Via Toscana Copycat

Roasted garlic, fresh Roma Tomato, Basil, extra-virgin Olive Oil

Yield: 2

Via Toscana ()
  • ½head roasted garlic
  • 8oz capellini
  • 4TBS olive oil
  • 1-2Roma tomatoes, seeded & diced
  • basil, julienned

Optional

  • 110-12 oz chicken breast, boneless, skinless
  • olive oil as needed.
  • salt & pepper
  • parmesan cheese


Cook pasta:
Heat 3-4 quarts water to boiling in a large pot. Season generously with salt when boiling.
Add and cook capellini al dente.
Reserve 1 cup cooking water and drain.

Chicken:
While capellini is cooking, season and sauté the chicken breast in a sauté pan over medium high heat. Remove to plate, covered lightly in foil.

Sauce & finish:
Heat 2 TBS olive oil in the sauté pan over medium heat and add roasted garlic cloves.
Mash garlic and heat for 30 seconds.
Add drained capellini and mix well.
Add 2 TBS reserved cooking water.
Cook and mix well to create an emulsion.
Add diced Roma tomato and mix.
Slice chicken breast on an angle and arrange on top of pasta.
Serve.

Beef Fajitas

Beef Fajitas

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Sheet Pan Dinners

Yield: 4 to 8 Servings

Adapted from: NY Times

Adapted from Kenji’s grilled skirt steak fajitas recipe—with its rich and flavorful lime, soy sauce, and cumin-spiced marinade—this version reworks the technique so that all you need is an oven and a single sheet pan. The best part about making these fajitas on a sheet pan, aside from the quick and easy prep and cleanup, is that it yields a large serving size to feed a crowd, or a very hungry few.

For the steak fajita marinade:

  • ½cup soy sauce
  • ½cup fresh lime juice, from 6 to 8 limes
  • ½cup canola or other neutral oil
  • ¼cup packed light brown sugar
  • 2tsp ground cumin seed
  • 2tsp freshly ground black pepper
  • 1TBS chili powder (see note)
  • 3medium cloves garlic, finely minced (about 1 TBS)
  • 2lb trimmed skirt steak (about 1 whole steak, see note), cut crosswise into 5- to 6-inch pieces (see our detailed trimming instructions here)

For the fajitas:

  • 1large red bell pepper, stemmed, seeded, and cut into ½-inch-wide strips
  • 1large yellow bell pepper, stemmed, seeded, and cut into ½-inch-wide strips
  • 1large green bell pepper, stemmed, seeded, and cut into ½-inch-wide strips
  • 1white or yellow onion, cut into ½-inch slices
  • 12–16fresh flour or corn tortillas, hot (see note)
  • 1recipe guacamole, for serving, if desired
  • 1recipe Pico de Gallo, for serving, if desired
  • Sour cream, shredded cheese, and salsa, for serving, if desired

For the Fajita Marinade: Combine soy sauce, lime juice, oil, brown sugar, cumin, black pepper, chili powder, and garlic in medium bowl and whisk to combine. Transfer ½ cup marinade to a separate vessel and set aside.

For the Steak: Place steaks in a gallon-sized zipper-lock bag and add remaining marinade. Seal bag, squeezing out as much air as possible. Massage bag until meat is fully coated in marinade. Lay flat in refrigerator, turning every couple of hours, for at least 3 and up to 10 hours.

For the Fajitas: When ready to cook, preheat broiler and position over rack to highest position. If you have a baking steel or stone, set it on the top rack and allow to preheat. If using a baking steel/stone, set a half-sheet pan on it to preheat as well, otherwise leave the baking sheet at room temperature.

Broil Steaks: Remove steaks from marinade and blot dry with paper towels. Arrange steaks in an even layer on a half-sheet pan. Broil, without flipping, until steaks are well charred on top side, about 4 minutes. Broiler strength and oven designs vary greatly, so cooking times will vary as well, keep a close watch. If your broiler heats unevenly, you may need to move the sheet tray around for even browning.

If not using a baking steel or stone, flip steaks, and broil for 30 seconds longer (steaks cooked with the help of a baking steel/stone do not need to be flipped and cooked longer). Remove from oven and transfer steaks to a platter to rest.

Bake: Switch oven from broil mode to 450°F. Add red, yellow, and green bell peppers as well as onions to half-sheet pan. Pour reserved ½ cup of marinade all over and toss until evenly coated, using a wooden spoon, scrape up any browned bits on the baking sheet. Arrange peppers and onion in an even layer that covers the baking sheet from edge to edge, then cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are tender and browned in spots, about 25 minutes (if your oven heats from the top, you will want to cook the vegetables on a middle rack to avoid excessive scorching and burning). If you’re using a baking steel/stone, you can cook the vegetables on it, but keep a closer eye since they run the risk of scorching on the bottom, if this begins to happen, move the sheet pan to another rack.

Finish: Slice steak into thin strips across the grain, then add back to sheet pan with any juices. Return to oven to warm through, if steaks need additional cooking, leave them an additional minute or two until they’ve reached the desired doneness.

Serve: immediately with hot tortillas, guacamole, Pico de Gallo, and other condiments, as desired.

Notes

If skirt steak is unavailable, substitute with hanger or sirloin flap (also sold as sirloin tip in New England—it’s different from sirloin steak). Flank steak can also be used. For best flavor, grind your own chili powder from a mix of equal parts ancho and guajillo chilies.

You can wrap the tortillas tightly in aluminum foil and pop them in the oven 10 minutes before serving to heat through, while the steak and vegetables are finishing up.

Beef and Broccoli

Beef and Broccoli

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Sheet Pan Dinners

Yield: 4 Servings

adapted from: eazypeazymealz

Don’t you know that beef and broccoli is all about the sauce? This killer recipe for beef and broccoli is cooked on a single sheet pan in the oven so you don’t have to stand over or monitor a wok. And it is delicious. A decadent sauce, tender beef, and perfectly crisp but tender broccoli make this a family favorite.

  • 1½lb flank steak
  • 1lb broccoli florets
  • sesame seeds for garnish

Steak Sauce

  • 2TBS oyster sauce
  • 1TBS soy sauce
  • ¼tsp garlic powder
  • ½TBS minced garlic
  • 1tsp sesame oil
  • 1tsp corn starch

Sauce

  • 1TBS oyster sauce
  • 1TBS hoisin sauce
  • 1TBS brown sugar
  • 1TBS soy sauce
  • â…“cup vegetable stock
  • ¼tsp red pepper flakes or to taste

Preheat oven to 425°F.

Place the flank steak on a half-sheet pan.

In a small bowl mix the “Steak Sauce” ingredients: oyster sauce, soy sauce, garlic powder, minced garlic, sesame oil, and corn starch, and whisk until smooth.

Pour over flank steak and spread evenly over the top.

Bake for 15-17 minutes depending on the thickness of the steak.

While the steak cooks, blanch the broccoli for 90 seconds in boiling water. Remove to ice water.

Meanwhile, mix sauce ingredients: oyster sauce, hoisin sauce, brown sugar, soy sauce, vegetable stock, and red pepper flakes, in a medium sized bowl, whisking until smooth.

When time is up, remove steak from oven, and slice into super thin slices, against the grain (this will help it be tender).

Return steak and any juices to the pan.

Dump broccoli over the top of the steak.

Pour sauce over the top of all of it and stir to mix it all together.

Return to 425°F oven and bake an additional 5-8 minutes until broccoli is fork tender.

Remove from oven. Top with sesame seeds, stir well to coat everything in sauce.

Serve over jasmine rice, and spoon some of the pan sauce over the top if you wish.

Roast Salmon

Roast Salmon

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with Potatoes, Red Onion, Zucchini, Mushrooms

Sheet Pan Dinners

Yield: 4 Servings

Scott Nowell

Hmm good.

  • 1½lb skin-on salmon, about 1 to 1½ inches thick
  • ¾lb potatoes, peeled and sliced ½-inch thick
  • 1zucchini, sliced ½-inch thick
  • ½-1red onion, sliced
  • 8oz mushrooms, halved if large to be about the size of other vegetables
  • olive oil
  • salt & pepper

Heat oven to 450°F.

Place potatoes in a medium bowl and add 1-2 TBS olive oil, salt and pepper. Mix well and add to half-sheet pan. Roast for ten minutes.

Add the zucchini, red onion and mushrooms to the bowl and add additional olive oil. Season with salt and pepper, mix well.

Fold thin salmon edges and tail, if necessary, to form an even thickness. Season with salt and pepper.

When the potatoes have roasted for ten minutes, remove and salmon to open area and add remaining vegetables. Separate everything into a single layer.

Roast for 12 to 20 minutes depending on salmon thickness and desired doneness.

Garlic Butter-Roasted Salmon

Garlic Butter-Roasted Salmon

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with Potatoes & Asparagus

Sheet Pan Dinners

Yield: 4

Adapted from: Eating Well

This one-pan salmon recipe makes a healthy and satisfying weeknight dinner. Melted garlic butter coats the salmon and vegetables, adding depth of flavor and richness to the dish.

  • 1lb baby Yukon Gold potatoes, halved
  • 2TBS extra-virgin olive oil, divided
  • ¾tsp salt, divided
  • ½tsp ground pepper, divided
  • 12oz asparagus, trimmed
  • 2TBS melted butter
  • 1TBS lemon juice
  • 2cloves garlic, minced
  • 1¼lb salmon fillet, skinned and cut into 4 portions
  • Chopped parsley for garnish

Preheat oven to 400°F.

Toss potatoes, 1 TBS oil, ¼ tsp salt and ⅛ tsp pepper together in a medium bowl. Spread in an even layer on a half-sheet pan. Roast until starting to soften and brown, about 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, toss asparagus with the 1 TBS oil, salt and pepper in the medium bowl.

Combine butter, lemon juice, garlic, salt and pepper in a small bowl.

Sprinkle salmon with salt.

Move the potatoes to one side of the pan.

Place the salmon in the center of the pan, drizzle with the butter mixture.

Spread the asparagus on the empty side of the pan.

Roast until the salmon is just cooked through and the vegetables are tender, 10 to 15 minutes depending on thickness.

Garnish with parsley.

Mediterranean Baked Halibut

Mediterranean Baked Halibut

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with Cherry Tomatoes & Green Beans

Sheet Pan Dinners

Yield: 6 Servings

Adapted from: Mediterranean Dish

Make this easy halibut recipe with green beans and cherry tomatoes in 25 minutes! Baked in a flavorful Mediterranean-style sauce with citrus, olive oil, fresh garlic, and spices.

For the sauce:

  • 2lemons, zest and juice
  • 1cup olive oil
  • 1½TBS freshly minced garlic
  • 2tsp dill weed
  • 1tsp seasoned salt, more for later
  • ½tsp ground black pepper
  • 1tsp dried oregano
  • ½-¾tsp ground coriander

For the fish

  • 1lb fresh green beans
  • 1lb cherry tomatoes
  • 1large yellow onion sliced into half moons
  • 1½lb halibut fillet, slice into 1½-inch pieces

Preheat the oven to 425°F.

In a large mixing bowl, whisk the sauce ingredients together. Add the green beans, tomatoes, and onions and toss to coat with the sauce. With a large, slotted spoon or spatula, transfer the vegetables to a half-sheet pan. Keep the vegetables to one side or one half of the baking sheet and make sure they are spread out in one layer.

Now, add the halibut fillet strips to the remaining sauce, toss to coat. Transfer the halibut fillet to the half-sheet pan next to the vegetables and pour any remaining sauce on top.

Lightly sprinkle the halibut and vegetables with a little more seasoned salt.

Bake in 425°F heated oven for 15 minutes. Then transfer the half-sheet pan to the top oven rack and broil for another 3 minutes or so, watching carefully. The cherry tomatoes should begin to pop under the broiler.

When ready, remove the baked halibut and vegetables from the oven. Serve with your favorite grain, Lebanese rice, or pasta.

Cook’s tip:

As with any fish, do not overcook halibut. It is ready with it flakes easily. Serve immediately, if it sits too long, halibut will turn a bit dry.

If halibut is not available to you, a different white fish fillet will also work. Cod and sole are two good options. Adjust baking time according to thickness of fish.

Roast Cod

Roast Cod

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with Sweet Peppers and Olives

Sheet Pan Dinners

Yield: 3 to 4 Servings

Adapted from NY Times

Quick to make and very pretty to behold, this easy weeknight dish has more verve than most. The roasted bell peppers turn sweet and golden, while olives add a salty note that goes nicely with the mild, flaky fish and a garlicky parsley dressing. If you can’t find hake, cod or flounder make fine substitutes, though you may have to adjust the roasting time. The thicker the fillets, the longer they will take to cook.

  • 1small bunch fresh lemon or regular thyme
  • 1½lb fish fillets (cod, haddock)
  • ½tsp fine sea salt, more as needed
  • pepper
  • 3large bell peppers, preferably 1 red, 1 orange and 1 yellow, thinly sliced
  • 4½TBS extra-virgin olive oil, more for drizzling
  • ¼cup pitted, sliced black or green olives, or use a combination
  • 1tsp sherry vinegar
  • 1garlic clove, grated
  • 1cup loosely packed Italian parsley leaf, chopped

Heat oven to 400°F. Pull 1 TBS thyme leaves off the bunch and finely chop.

Season Fish:

Season fish all over with a large pinch or two of salt and pepper and rub with chopped thyme leaves. Let rest at room temperature while you prepare peppers.

Prepare Peppers:

Spread peppers on a half-sheet pan and toss with 1½ TBS oil, ½ tsp salt and the pepper. Top peppers with the remaining thyme sprigs.

First Bake:

Roast, tossing occasionally, until peppers are softened and golden at the edges, 15 to 20 minutes.

Second Bake:

Increase oven temperature to 500°F. Push peppers to the edges of the pan, clearing a space in the center. Lay fish out on that empty space and drizzle with oil. Scatter olives over the top of fish and peppers. Roast until fish turns opaque and is cooked through, 10 to 14 minutes.

Dressing:

Meanwhile, combine vinegar, garlic and a pinch of salt in a bowl. Whisk in the remaining 3 TBS olive oil, then whisk in parsley. Taste and add more salt or vinegar, or both, if needed.

Serve:

Serve fish and peppers drizzled with vinaigrette.