Back in 2015, food writer and professional chef, Vanessa Simmons spoke to my heart. I love to cook, but hate to wash dishes, and Vanessa had some super ideas for this malady. If you can relate, see if these ideas don’t appeal to you, as well. Fantastic food and next to no dishes to wash is definitely THE way to go!

Single sheet pan dinners—that’s the trick. So let’s start putting those cookie sheets to work for something more than dessert! For instance:

PARMESAN CRUSTED SALMON with roasted broccoli. The Parmesan crust gives the fish great depth of flavor, a nice crunch, and also protects it from drying out. Italian seasoned breadcrumbs or even panko would be a delicious addition to the Parmesan cheese. This recipe is from a wonderful site, Cooking Classy (www.cookingclassy.com).

PARMESAN CRUSTED SALMON WITH ROASTED BROCCOLI (yield: 4 servings)

BROCCOLI:

1 1/4 pounds broccoli crowns, stems cut and reserved for another use, florets chopped into bite size pieces

2 1/2 tablespoons olive oil

1 clove garlic, minced

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

SALMON:

4 (6 oz) skinless salmon fillets

1 1/2 tablespoons mayonnaise

1 1/2 teaspoons lemon juice (zest lemon first)

1 clove garlic, minced

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1/4 cup slightly packed finely grated parmesan

1/4 cup bread crumbs

1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley

1 1/2 teaspoons lemon zest

1/4 teaspoon dried thyme

1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil. Spray foil with non-stick cooking spray.

Place broccoli in a mound in center of baking sheet. Pour olive oil over broccoli along with garlic and toss to evenly coat. Season with salt and pepper to taste and spread near edges of baking sheet, leaving enough space in center to fit salmon fillets (note that if you like your broccoli more browned and roasted then let it roast for 5 minutes first then remove and spread to edges, this just gives it a head start. If you like it crisp tender and slightly roasted then no pre-roasting needed).

Season bottom of salmon with salt and pepper and place salmon in center of baking sheet, leaving about 3/4-inch between fillets so they can evenly cook. In a mixing bowl whisk together mayonnaise, lemon juice and garlic and brush about 1/2 tablespoon of this over each fillet. Season top with salt and pepper.

In a mixing bowl whisk together parmesan, bread crumbs, parsley, lemon zest and thyme, then drizzle 1 1/2 tablespoon olive oil into bowl and stir with a fork until evenly moistened. Spread parmesan mixture evenly over tops of salmon fillets.

Bake in preheated oven until salmon fillets have cooked through, about 12 - 15 minutes (for a more golden crust you can broil during the last 1 - 2 minutes of baking if needed).

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ROASTED FALL VEGETABLES WITH ITALIAN SAUSAGE. This is super easy—no recipe required. Just dice peeled winter squash, halve some Brussels sprouts, quarter an onion or two, and layer this amongst the amount of Italian sausages you need for your crowd. Roast in a 400 degree oven for approximately 40 minutes.

COUNTRY HAM AND ONION QUICHE. This comes to us from The Kitchn (www.thekitchn.com) and is not just a quick and easy, minimal dish-washing meal, but is also perfect for an Easter brunch. Instead of using a typical pastry as the base for this dish, it has a shortbread (minus the sugar) foundation instead. You just pat the shortbread crust into the pan and cover it with your egg mixture. This recipe’s from The Kitchn, and it’s a keeper!

COUNTRY HAM AND ONION QUICHE (serves 12)

CRUST

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1 1/2 cups butter, (2 1/2 sticks) cold, unsalted, cut into cubes

1 teaspoon salt

Pinch cayenne pepper

FILLING

Olive oil, to taste

1 cup chopped sweet onion, preferably Vidalia (about 1 large)

1 cup chopped country ham (or cooked bacon or pancetta)

1 cup grated Gruyere cheese

2 cups heavy cream

1 cup whole milk

8 large eggs

1 tablespoon kosher salt

White pepper, to taste

Preheat oven to 350°F.

For the crust, add the flour, Parmesan, butter, salt, and cayenne to the bowl of a food processor fitted with the S-blade. Pulse until the mixture just starts to resemble coarse cornmeal; there should still be some visible pieces of butter. Gently pat the mixture evenly into the bottom (but not up the sides) of a 12-inch x 18-inch half sheet pan. Refrigerate for 30 minutes, then bake until pale golden in color, about 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to cool while making the filling.

For the filling, heat a tablespoon or two of olive oil in a saute pan over medium heat. Add the onions and cook until translucent and tender, about 6 to 8 minutes. Sprinkle the onions, ham, and Gruyere evenly over the baked crust.

Add cream, milk, eggs, salt, and pepper in a blender and mix until frothy. Remove and discard any foam from the top. Pour the custard evenly over the onion-ham-cheese mixture, directly into the crust.

Bake the quiche until the custard is set, about 33 to 38 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow it to cool for a minimum of 15 minutes, or wait to serve at room temperature (Thomas Keller serves his chilled). Cut into 12 large rectangles or small squares; serve with a dollop of sour cream and garnish with sprig of Italian parsley for color.

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ONE PAN CHICKEN FAJITAS. Here’s another idea that needs no recipe. Just prepare your vegetables (yellow and red bell peppers, onions, quartered tomatoes, and maybe some mushrooms) and toss them in a plastic bag with some extra virgin olive oil until well coated. Spread them out on your baking sheet and sprinkle a little taco seasoning over them.

Top all this with some thinly sliced boneless chicken breast strips. And here are a couple hot tips: The chicken is easier to cut if you slice it against the grain. And if you put your chicken in the freezer for 15-30 minutes to firm it up, it’ll be much easier to handle. Sprinkle more olive oil and fajita seasoning over all this. Then bake for 30 minutes at 350 degrees. Garnish with fresh cilantro, take the pan straight to the table, and serve it all up with your favorite guacamole and sour cream (with or without warmed tortillas).

Finally, a most unusual one-pan meal: CHICKEN WITH CHICKPEAS AND TOMATOES. Smoked paprika and Greek yogurt are the secret weapons used in this dish. The yogurt provides both a richness and tangy note, while the smoked paprika gives this dish a fruity earthy pop. Plus, this dish is equally good hot or cold, making it ideal for lunch the next day. I found this suggestion on Taste Food Blog (www.tastefoodblog.com), but the folks on Taste Food said they originally found it on the Bon Apetit site. Whomever we thank for it, one thing’s for sure: Fantastic food and next to no dishes to wash is definitely THE way to go!

ROASTED CHICKEN BREASTS WITH CHICKPEAS AND TOMATOES (yield: 4 – 5 servings)

5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 tablespoon smoked paprika

1 teaspoon sweet paprika

1 teaspoon ground cumin

2 teaspoons salt, divided

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/2 teaspoon crushed red bell pepper

1 cup Greek whole milk yogurt

4 large chicken breasts with skin, de-boned, 6 to 8 ounces each

2 cups grape tomatoes

1 (15-ounce) can chickpeas (garbanzos), drained and rinsed

1 cup fresh sprigs of cilantro

Heat oven to 450°F.

Whisk oil, garlic, paprikas, cumin, 1 teaspoon salt, pepper and crushed red pepper in a small bowl. Transfer 1 tablespoon of the oil to another bowl and whisk in the yogurt. Set aside until serving.

Place chicken, skin-side up, on a rimmed baking sheet. Rub all over and between skin and meat with 2 tablespoons of the oil. Place tomatoes, chickpeas and half of the cilantro in a bowl. Add remaining oil and stir to coat. Pour onto the baking sheet around the chicken. Turn to coat the chicken with any extra oil. Be sure to keep the skin side up for roasting. Sprinkle with 1 teaspoon salt.

Roast chicken in oven until cooked through, 20 to 30 minutes. Transfer chicken to serving plates or a platter and spoon the beans and tomatoes over. Garnish with cilantro and serve with yogurt sauce.

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