Madge Baird - 101 Things to Do with a Sheet Pan

101 Things To Do With a Sheet Pan

Madge Baird

101 Things To Do With a Sheet Pan

Digital Edition 1.0

Text 2019 Madge Baird

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced by any means whatsoever without written permission from the publisher, except brief portions quoted for purpose of review.

Gibbs Smith

P.O. Box 667

Layton, Utah 84041

Orders: 1.800.835.4993

www.gibbs-smith.com

ISBN: 9781423651604

1. It is imperative that you get to know your oven and how it cooks. If you try a recipe and it doesnt cook in the amount of time indicated, make notes as to whether your food was too dry or overcooked, or if it required more cooking time, so when you make the recipe again you will know what adjustments to make.

2. Most of the recipes in this book serve 4, and many of the meals can be cooked on just one sheet pan. If you are less confident about managing different foods on the same sheet pan, it is perfectly fine to use two pans, placing one on the center oven rack and one above center.

3. Sheet pan cooking works best using heavy-duty pans; thinner pans will buckle in high heat and may not protect your foods from burning.

4. To oil or not to oil the sheet pan? If the food you will be cooking is coated in oil as part of its preparation, you dont need to oil the baking sheet. Each recipe specifies my recommendation on this matter.

5. Oil vs. nonstick spray? I usually prefer to brush oil on the sheet pan (or spread it on with a folded paper towel), because nonstick spray sometimes sticks to the pan at high heat and forms a sticky golden film, requiring a bit more time for cleanup.

6. Unless specified in the recipe, I do not line the sheet pan with parchment or aluminum foil. The main reason is that direct contact with the sheet pan aids in browning and produces a nice caramelization on some foods. Also, cleaning a sheet pan is relatively easy, so saving a few more minutes by using surface protectors doesnt seem worth the expense to me.

7. Cooking temperatures specified in these recipes are not absolute. If you want to combine recipes from different meals together, even though the recipe temperatures differ, you can make it work by using the higher temperature, and keeping an eye on the foods that cook faster and removing them when done, or by adding foods that have a quicker cook time later so that everything finishes at the same time.

8. The best place for the oven rack is in the center of the oven unless otherwise stated in the recipe. If you are cooking on two sheet pans simultaneously, I recommend the lowest sheet pan be in the center of the oven and the second sheet pan placed above it. You can switch the pans halfway through the cook time for more even cooking.

9. If you want a char or caramelization on your food and the recipe directions dont result in that for you, return your food to the oven at a higher temperature for a short time; keep a close eye on it. Alternatively, you can broil the food at the end of cooking for a couple of minutes to develop color. However, beware: There is only a hairs difference between the seductiveness of char and the bitterness of burned food. But, heydont be afraid to experiment!

10. Recommended seasoning blends to keep on hand for recipes in this book: Italian, Mexican or Southwest blend, herbes de Provence or other French blend, Cajun blend, garlic and herb, mesquite.

11. When cooking vegetables that contain a significant amount of water, such as zucchini or butternut squash, its a good idea not to overfill your sheet pan. Leave space between the pieces so they will get heat from all sides. Otherwise, they have a tendency to release liquid to the pan and steam instead of dry roasting. Thats fine if you plan to use the squash in another recipe where it will be pureed, but its harder to get caramelization if the vegetables steam.