The latest issue of Martha’s Vineyard magazine is out, and it’s a beaut. I love the cover story about Fred Hancock’s iris collection and the article on MV Garden Club president Susan Hobart’s deer-resistant garden, both by Brooke Kushwaha. And you’ll definitely want to read The Fun House, Sissy Biggers’ story about how Chef Jon Ashton and his wife Erica transformed their Cape Cod-style house in Edgartown. I’d like their kitchen!

My column in this issue, Waste Not, Want Not, is, you guessed it, another plea from me to get creative about preventing food waste. To that end, I put together an earthy Leek, Fennel, and Carrot Soup with Ginger and Coriander as a delicious excuse to talk about what to do with the leftover parts. Put the carrot greens into Carrot Top Pesto; use the leek tops, fennel stalks, and ginger peel in Rich Vegetable Broth. Or freeze any of the above to use later in any broth. Also, know that you can use the recipe as a template and sub with other veg.

I ran into Cook the Vineyard reader Lynne Whiting last week. She mentioned how much she enjoys making our recipes with her grandchildren, particularly anything on a sheet pan! Crispy Smashed Potatoes is a favorite (naturally!). She asked for more sheet-pan recipes, which sent me digging in the archives (see below) and also thinking about developing more sheet pan recipes soon.

I love my heavy-duty rimmed sheet-pans made by Nordic Ware and Chicago Metallic. They’re very sturdy and never warp. My newest pans from Nordic Ware have an embossed design that promotes better airflow. The size I use most often is the half-sheet pan, which is 13” x 18,” but I use my quarter sheet-pans (9 ½” x 13”) a lot, too. The smallest pan in the photo above is a one-eighth size (6 ½” x 9 ½”) that I picked that up at Vineyard Cash & Carry, which has a range of sizes. (Full size pans are for restaurant ovens.) Le Roux at Home is also a good source.

For years I’ve used my sheet pans most often for roasting vegetables: Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Orange Balsamic Butter Sauce; Quick Roasted Tomatoes, Roasted Cherry Tomatoes, and Slow Roasted Beefsteak Tomatoes; Sweet Potato Mini-Fries and Caramelized Sweet Potato Halves with Lime Butter, Shallots & Chili Crisp.

And Roasted Cauliflower Steaks with Smoky Tomato Rub; Vanilla, Maple & Cardamom Glazed Squash Rings; Roasted Koginut Squash for stuffing; Crispy Broccoli Florets with Tamari-Lime-Ginger Dipping Sauce; Quick-Roasted Eggplant Slices; Quick Roasted Beets – to name a few!

But sheet pans are also indispensable for baking. I use them for puff pastry tarts (Asparagus & Spring Onion Puff Pastry Tart, Roasted Tomato Parmesan-Ricotta Puff Pastry Tart) and rustic tarts (both sweet and savory).

Heck, you can even bake a cake in a rimmed sheet pan; Abby Dodge’s Red Velvet Cake with Vanilla Cream Cheese Frosting is only one example from her entire book of Sheet Cakes.

And don’t forget things like Savory Parmesan Crisps, Rustic Croutons, Crispy Roasted Chickpeas, and toasted nuts.

Then the all-in-one sheet pan dinner came along. Last week I mentioned two: Sheet Pan Chicken with Baby Potatoes, Cherry Tomatoes, and Smoked Paprika and Sheet Pan Lemon Salmon with Crispy Potatoes.

But we’ve also got Local Sausage and Vegetable Sheet Pan Dinner with Fresh Corn Dressing and Fluke with Parmesan Crumbs, Potatoes, Tomatoes, Bell Peppers, and Thyme. And more to come!

Happy sheet-pan cooking and pureed-soup making and we’ll see you on Instagram @cookthevineyard. Be sure to follow us if you haven't already.

What's Open, What's Happening

If you're looking to make a dinner reservation or wondering which farm stands and markets are open, visit What's Open on Martha's Vineyard for regularly updated listings.

SOFT OPENING

• Catboat Coffee in Tisbury Marketplace in Vineyard Haven is now open Thursday through Sunday, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. daily.

FOR STARTERS

• The Monthly Sourdough Club meets this Saturday, March 18, from 5 to 6 p.m. at Slough Farm. No pre-registration require.