Kirwan - Easy Sheet Pan Cookbook: Creative, Fuss-Free Recipes

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ISBN: Print 978-1-64739-701-2 | eBook 978-1-64739-702-9
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Contents

The most beloved tool in my entire kitchen isnt my expensive electric multicooker. Its not my high-powered blender. Its not even my gorgeous ceramic-coated Dutch oven. No, the piece of equipment I turn to the mostafter a sharp knifeis my trusty sheet pan. It cost less than $20 and is well-worn after more than 10 years of heavy use. And its still what I turn to first whenever I need to get a meal on the table in under an hour, with minimal prep and fuss.

In the two years since writing The Healthy Sheet Pan Cookbook, Ive talked to so many busy people who say their weekdays rely heavily on this simple style of cooking. And every time I speak to another sheet pan lover, I marvel at how this style of cooking has helped so many of you get food on the table even when your days felt busier than ever.

As my work schedule has fluctuated over the years, Ive found myself time and time again turning to the humble sheet pan to get our family moving seamlessly through that crush of time between the end of the school and workday and my kids bedtime. Whether you also have a family to feed or you just love the ease of a delicious sheet pan meal, this book has plenty of options for you to try in your own kitchen. Getting a big, deep flavor from humble ingredients in a short amount of timewith no pots to babysit or gadgets to learnis always a good option!

Sheet pan cooking sometimes feels like a magic formula: Line a pan with vegetables, starch, and protein and use the dry heat of an oven to pull flavor out of the ingredients, with no extra sauces or toppings. In truth, it may be magic. That caramelization of sugars and flavor are what makes sheet pan recipes both reliable and delicious. Let the ingredients, and the heat, do the work. The finished dish will speak for itself.

The magic also lies in the simplicity of preparation. You dont need to be a virtuoso in the kitchen; you dont even need to have cooking experience. If you can slice a vegetable, you can prepare a sheet pan meal. Theyre incredible starter recipes for people who are new to cooking, or unsure of themselves in the kitchen.

Simple ingredients (no truffle oils, expensive cheeses, or gourmet ingredients needed), a little bit of time, and an easy cleanup. Its a recipe style practically made for working parents, or anyone else who finds themselves short on time.

I hope this book brings you joy, time, and ease, with its celebration of simple ingredients and meals made with love. Maybe youll find your next go-to recipe, or maybe youll just feel inspired to get cooking. Whatever it is, I cant wait for you to taste what you make.

Sheet pan cooking really is magic, I fully believe that. Whats the phrase you hear most often when it comes to good, simple cooking? Start with quality ingredients. This is especially true in sheet pan cooking, and this book will help you unlock that simplicity and create culinary magic in your own home. Sheet pan cooking is affordable, its versatile, and it lets quality ingredients speak for themselves.

The Unsung Hero of the Kitchen

The humble sheet pan is actually quite extraordinary. Cooking meat and vegetables on a wide, flat surface ensures that the heat will reach more places to draw out the sugars and caramelize the ingredients, keeping them juicy and tender while at the same time robust in flavor. I also love how a sheet pan makes vegetables really shine, by browning them and softening their edges. Those drawn-out sugars create totally new flavors. Caramelization helps all ingredients, so when everything cooks together on the same pan in the same enveloping heat, the dish comes together quickly, flavorfully, and easilyperfect for any day of the week.

Its also a healthier type of cooking. You dont need heavy sauces or excessive oils to fry and pull out flavor. The crisp texture of breaded and fried meat can be replicated by using an oven-safe cooling rack on top of the sheet pan. And while dry heat is a big part of sheet pan cooking, you can also make perfectly steamed fish by wrapping the pan in aluminum foil and oven-steaming itright on the pan! It shows you just how versatile sheet pan cooking is, and how you dont need to spend a lot of money to extract really good flavor.