It’s wedding season, and a top item on gift registries is a sheet pan.
Boring? Maybe. But it also happens to be one of the most versatile and fundamental items for kitchens.
In March, The Washington Post attested to the sheet pan’s importance, calling it a “work horse:”
— Sheet pan suppers, like roasted chicken with apples and kale — as one example — are a breeze because of even heat and one-pan cleanup.
— They perfectly roast vegetables.
— Flipped over, a sheet pan serves as a pizza baking surface — or, bake a Sicilian-style pizza in the pan.
— They work to make large sheet cookies, pies and thin brownies for a crowd.
— They catch drippings from other items cooking — and possibly spilling over — in the oven.
— They catch stray sprinkle decorations when placed underneath frosted cupcakes and cookies.
— Much fits on them to dry and harden, such as chocolate-dipped strawberries, peanut butter balls and candied apples.
— They won’t break when dropped.
Foodnetwork.com’s “unexpected uses” include:
— To spread out fruit and freeze solid before transferring to bags or containers.
— To catch corn-on-the-cob kernels when cut on a cutting board.
— To make a large frittata that can be cut into small squares and served for a brunch or shower.
— To soak bamboo skewers.
— To organize ingredients for a recipe.
— As a lid for a large pot.
Plus, a 13-by-18-inch rimmed sheet pan is affordable. Made typically of aluminum or stainless steel, prices range from $3 at a kitchen or hotel/restaurant supply store to $10 at superstores like Walmart, to less than $30 for a Williams-Sonoma version.
The Washington Post points out that it withstands daily use, high temperatures and frequent cleanings. And, replacing one after years of abuse will not break the bank.