Surprise! It’s not a cookie. It’s not even a sweet, yet it’s still a very favorite recipe in our house. In fact, when you make something as often as I make this quick dinner dish, it probably deserves to be on the blog.

This beauty is from the New York Times and goes by the incredibly descriptive name Sheet-Pan Baked Feta with Broccolini, Tomatoes and Lemon. But don’t let the name fool you into thinking this is a “same recipe every time” situation. Oh no, there’s so much more to it than that. It’s incredibly flexible and can change up with the seasons. Don’t have/like broccolini? No problem–sub in asparagus instead. (I love using the baby brocoli from Trader Joe’s.) Really, you can use almost any veggie that’s in the fridge, although I’d avoid ones that need a longer cook time (like carrots). I’ve thrown in mushrooms, tomatoes of all kinds, peas, summer squash, zucchini, etc.

What else do I love about this dinner? It’s easy. If you can chop vegetables and turn on the oven, you’ll succeed. Second, it has an unexpected, magic ingredient: lemon. That might strike some people as strange but DO NOT LEAVE IT OUT! The lemon softens in the oven and adds little bursts of acidity to every bite. It such a nice foil for the sweetness the vegetables get through roasting. And finally, let’s not forget the feta. I could roast feta and eat it all on its own. Here, it adds a salty zing that’s incredibly addictive. (Shouting out Trader Joe’s again for its blocks of feta. Definitely use those if you can find them versus the crumbles.)

Here’s the recipe in a relatively vague form:

1. Heat the oven to 400°F.


2. Cook orzo according to package directions.


3. Chop up a bunch of vegetables, enough to moderately fill a sheet pan.


4. Toss the veggies with olive oil and sprinkle with about 1 tablespoon ground cumin and a bit of salt and pepper. Spread on a sheet pan.


5. Tuck slices from 1 lemon, quartered, among the vegetables.


6. Ditto with squares of feta.


7. Bake for about 20 minutes or until vegetables are lightly browned.


8. Serve over orzo.

Bon appétit!