I’m all for new cooking gadgetry. Just take a peek in my cupboards. The spillover ends up in the extra bedroom, aka “the cookbook and cookery storage room.” So the latest must-have, the Instant Pot, got my attention. It’s a device that seems to be suited for my kind: procrastinators who can’t get on the slow-cooker bandwagon.

Now, I understand why the slow cooker is a favorite among home cooks. It’s a throw-it-in-and forget-it kind of cooking. You prepare in the morning, then you’ve got a one-pot meal ready for dinner. But normal cooking times are about six to eight hours, not so friendly when I leave early and come home late. When I stretch those guidelines, what I generally get is a pot of mush with one infused flavor. Especially when chicken is involved.

I’m not against easy cooking, though admittedly, I usually fill the sink with dirty dishes twice over when I make Sunday dinner. But when I get home late after a long day at work and I have to cook with my kids running circles around my legs, I would be ecstatic over an easy dinner that isn’t leftovers. What I’ve come to find is that I’m old school — my favorite cooking contraption is the oven, and my favorite vessels are sheet pans and Dutch ovens. In essence, the idea is the same as other gadgets. Prepare some food, throw it in the oven, wait for it to cook. It’s often quicker than a slow cooker, and there’s some opportunity for variations in flavor and texture.

One way I prepare a quick meal is using a sheet pan. There are a hundred variations of foods that could make up the sheet pan dinner, and I use what I have — a mix of vegetables, proteins and spices out of my fridge and pantry. You can stick with a simple pan where everything cooks at the same heat and time, or you could go a little more complicated and add elements that need less cooking as you go.

A couple tips: Greens like asparagus and kale are quite good in high heat, as well as various proteins including fish with skin, bacon and chicken. Some fruits, such as apples, are a nice variation. If you are inclined to, offer hot sauce, have some rice on the side, or match with pickled vegetables.

This recipe is the simple version. You could add lemon zest or serve with a chimichurri sauce.

Sheet Pan Dinner

• 1 cup Brussels sprouts, trimmed and quartered
• 3/4 cup sweet potato, sliced
• 1 cup miniature bell peppers
• 1/2 medium zucchini, sliced
• 1 cup broccoli, separated into florets
• 1 cup cauliflower, separated into florets
• 8-10 cloves garlic, peeled
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 2-1/2 teaspoons salt
• Pepper, to taste
• 4 (4-ounce) Italian or other uncooked sausage, each sliced into three pieces
• Eggs (optional)

Heat oven to 400 degrees. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper. Toss veggies and garlic with olive oil and lay out on pan. Season with salt and pepper. Add sausage to pan, nestled in with veggies.

Roast 30 minutes. If you want, crack a few eggs over the top when there’s 5 minutes left in the cooking time.

Serve while still hot. Consider making a frittata with any leftovers. Serves 3 to 4.

Approximate nutritional information, per serving (based on 1 pound sausage and not including eggs): 550 calories, 46 g fat, 14 g saturated fat, 85 mg cholesterol, about 2,000 mg sodium, 15 g carbohydrate, 4 g fiber, 4 g sugar, 19 g protein

Mariko Jackson blogs about family and food at thelittlefoodie.com. Nutritional analysis by Joannie Dobbs, Ph.D., C.N.S.