Just as I enjoy reading paper books and ebooks, I use cookbooks from my shelf as well as online recipes. The Kitchn has been one of my favorite cooking sites for years, and many of their recipes have become favorites in my kitchen. A couple of years ago I was introduced to the idea of sheet pan suppers by Molly Gilbert, a contributor at The Kitchn who literally wrote the book on Sheet Pan Suppers, coincidentally published in 2015 when I had my 2nd kid and finally surrendered my 22 year streak of vegetarianism. I was trying to figure out how to cook and eat meat, and the idea of sheet pan suppers really appealed to me. But frankly, the idea of being a vegetarian also still appeals to me. I don’t love cooking and eating meat, I just continue to do it because it’s convenient. But what’s that on the horizon? Sheet Pan Suppers Vegetarian! Hurrah.
`Recipes I cooked from this book:
- Super Creamy No-boil Mac and Cheese
- My Go-To Rice and Beans with Pico de Gallo
- Slab Frittata with Leeks, Mushrooms, and Ricotta Cheese
- Roasted Strawberry Danish
- Ginger ‘N Cinnamon Roasted Apples and Almond Butter Toast
Review:
Committing an entire cookbook to one kitchen tool sounds a bit gimmicky, but a sheet pan is something we all have in our kitchens, it’s not a funky spiralizer or super-powered blender. It’s a pan. I was very happy with all of the recipes I tried, Raquel Pelzel makes complex flavors with ingredients and techniques that are easy for a home cook. The macaroni and cheese was incredibly delicious, and cooking it in a sheet pan was super quick. Mac and cheese in a sheet pan is like just cooking muffin tops– it’s the best part of the dish, the chewy edges and the crunchy topping without a ton of filler. Definite win. The frittata was also delicious, and quite easy, even though there was some sloshing and a bit of uneven depth because my sheet pan is slightly warped.
My only complaint is with the rice dishes, which require pouring boiling water into a sheet pan and covering it completely with aluminum foil. There is no way to do this safely. I did succeed with the rice and beans because I wanted to try it, but it was pretty scary. I would recommend using a nice, deep, lidded stainless steel skillet for these recipes instead. The rice recipes are worth cooking, but the technique is too dangerous.
Pelzel is the queen of toast, having published a cookbook by the name, and her breakfast dishes really shine. I had never considered making a Danish using an English muffin, or broiling apple slices to make toast that tastes like apple pie. These were really fun techniques and the results were quickly devoured. (Though, sadly, my kids turned down all the food I cooked from the cookbook! I don’t know what is wrong with them.)
Sheet Pan Suppers Vegetarian by Raquel Pelzel
Workman Publishing Company, 2017
4/5 stars
Disclosure of Material Connection: Some of the links in the post above are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission. An advance copy of this book was provided to me by Netgalley and Workman Publishing Company. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will add value to my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
Leave a comment