#foodeditor

Whether you call them sheet pan dinners, traybakes or one-pan meals, these recipes are all about simplicity. Quick to prepare and a cinch to clean up, they’re the key to savouring the season’s freshest flavours simply

As the weather begins to cool, we find ourselves ready to gather again inside around our tables and hearths, aromas of delicious foods enveloping us as we share stories that bring us nuzzled closer to one another. These recipes are perfect for any type of informal gathering that brings us together in celebration of the Canadian harvest.

Essentially you can use whatever you’d like in a traybake, the one rule is that all of the ingredients should be finished cooking at the same time. The traybake recipe I’m sharing takes abour 35-45 minutes cooktime. If you want to make life easier for weeknight preparation, line your largest baking tray/cookie sheet with parchment paper and assemble your traybake the night before. 

The following day, simply take the trayed meal out of the fridge and pop it into the oven. Leftovers can be cut up and stirred together to get served on top of rice, cous cous, or orzo pasta as an easy next day lunch.

Back to School Traybake Created by Chef ILona Daniel

Serves 4 to 6

Traybake

1 lb baby potatoes, halved

1 red onion, cut into 8 wedges

2 cups sliced or cubed, peeled autumn squash

2 handfuls cherry tomatoes or 2 sprigs cherry tomatoes on their stem

¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil

Salt and pepper

6 sausages (use your favourite variety)

3 bulbs garlic, tops cut off

Selection of hardy herbs like sage, rosemary and thyme (about 8 sprigs total)

Preheat oven to 400°F. In large bowl, toss potatoes, onion, squash, garlic, herbs, and tomatoes in olive oil and season with salt and pepper to taste.

*when adding olive oil, think of the amount needing being similar to the way you would toss salad dressing with the greens.

 Arrange vegetables on large parchment-lined baking sheet, allowing for space around the ingredients. Place sausages overtop, evenly spaced apart. Bake for 25 minutes.

After 25 minutes of baking time have elapsed, toss vegetables around and flip sausages over to ensure even cooking and caramelization. 

Continue baking for 10 to 15 more minutes.