One & Done!

Our lives are busier than ever — there never seems to be enough time to get it all done! — so here are five one-pan meals to the rescue.

- SIGNE LANGFORD

One pan to wash, everybody's fed — how great is that? Sheet pan dinners are practical, convenient, efficient and delicious, whether you're cooking for one and planning on leftovers, or for the whole gang, it just makes sense. For the fam, just bring the sheet pan to the table, but for company, feel free to transfer to a serving platter.

As with most things in life, timing is everything. The trick to cooking a protein, some veggies and a starch all in one pan is choosing ingredients that have similar cooking times, or cutting slower-cooking foods into smaller pieces than the faster-cooking ingredients.

For example, a delicate piece of fish might only need 20 minutes in the oven, so pair that with very thinly sliced potatoes and a quick cooking veggie such as asparagus or green beans. On the other hand, a pork loin will need more time, so go ahead and pair that with big chunks of sweet potato and cabbage.

Choose the right pan for the job. Pick one with at least 1-inch-high sides — the higher, the better to guard against oven spills when a recipe calls for cooking liquid.

Lining the sheet pan with parchment paper or aluminum foil is optional, but it does make cleanup easier.

Knowing when to include a cooking liquid — stock, water, wine, beer or cider — is vital. Adding stock to a sheet pan dinner adds flavor, is great for cooking starches, helps distribute heat evenly, and keeps meats from drying out. Don’t use stock or broth if crispiness is the goal.

Choose an oven temperature that will cook everything evenly without carbonizing one ingredient, while leaving another raw in the center.

One-pan meal recipes are flexible. If you have more people for dinner than expected, just add more ingredients to the pan. The recipe really won’t change much, therefore, some of the ingredient amounts are approximates.