Give your casserole dish a break and try a sheet pan meal instead

If you haven't yet heard of sheet pan meals, please allow me to introduce you. Sheet pan meals are the new casserole – where meat, vegetables, starches and seasonings are all roasted together at the same time in one pan. The benefit to sheet pan meals versus casseroles is that they're often faster and fresher than their pantry-heavy, cheesier, creamier counterparts.

As many of you know from past columns, I have an affinity for roasted vegetables. All the best flavor is in the caramelized brown bits, which can only be achieved by a quick roast in a hot oven. The key to a perfect sheet pan meal is to cut all of the ingredients a similar size so they cook at the same rate. That way, you can avoid a crunchy underdone bite of squash next to a soggy Brussels sprout. No bueno. What you're looking for are browned tender crisp vegetables alongside a sizzling protein.

For November, I made a harvest version of a sheet pan meal. I used salty smoked sausage slices alongside bright butternut squash (you could swap for sweet potatoes, if you prefer), flavorful Brussels sprouts and onions, finished with a sprinkle of dried cranberries. I coated everything in a thin layer of maple mustard and seasoned with sage – an herb whose fragrance immediately evokes Thanksgiving.

The best part is that it was ready less than 20 minutes. This would be great served with some steamed quinoa.

Harvest sheet pan smoked sausage

Serves 2-3

13 ounces turkey smoked sausage, sliced

1 small onion, large chop

1 cup butternut squash, peeled and cut into bite-sized cubes

1 pound Brussels sprouts, trimmed and sliced in half

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

2 teaspoons pure maple syrup

2 teaspoon Dijon mustard

salt and pepper

1/4 teaspoon dried sage

3 tablespoons dried cranberries, chopped

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Line a large rimmed sheet pan with aluminum foil. Scatter the smoked sausage, onion, squash and Brussels sprouts onto the pan. In a small bowl, stir together the oil, syrup, mustard, a generous amount of salt and pepper, and sage until combined.

Drizzle the mixture over the sausage and vegetables on the pan. Toss to evenly coat. Spread everything out so that it's in a single layer, with all the ingredients having direct contact with the pan. Roast for 15 minutes. Check for doneness. The vegetables should be tender, crisp and beginning to brown. If more browning is desired, turn your broiler on high heat and broil for 3-5 minutes.

Remove the pan from the oven and sprinkle with the dried cranberries.