My parents live in Michigan, and I live in Vermont. Since our daughter is a busy tween and my parents are retired, they visit us more than we visit them. But when we do manage to make a trip to Michigan, I know there are certain things I’ll always see on their kitchen island: an oval ceramic bowl filled with fruit, a rectangular basket with random recipes printed from the internet and a plastic-and-wooden cookbook holder featuring past issues of EatingWell. And more often than not, the September 2014 issue is on display, open to the recipe for Mini Meatloaves with Green Beans & Potatoes. 

Even though I have worked at EatingWell for more than 20 years, I hadn’t tried the recipe until I saw it displayed on my parents’ island. (I was on parental leave when it was developed.) After my mom told me how much she loved the recipe, I decided to make it at home, and it instantly became a family favorite.

There are so many things I love about the recipe. First, while lots of recipes are just the main event or the side, this is the entire meal in one recipe. You get two vegetable servings and a healthy serving of protein without needing to think about what else to make for dinner. Plus, it takes only 20 minutes of active time to get it in the oven. While it bakes for another 20 minutes, I fold a load of laundry, help our daughter with her homework or unwind. 

This meal meets our nutritional needs to a tee. Our daughter is a multisport athlete, so ensuring she gets enough protein to support her energy needs is top of mind. And my husband is training for a couple of bike races and all of that cycling means he’s almost always hungry. Upping his protein intake helps tame his hunger. This meal clocks in at 29 grams of protein per serving, so we all feel satisfied after digging in.

The meal is made with pantry staples I always have on hand—paprika, garlic powder, Worcestershire sauce and ketchup—so I typically just need to add ground beef, potatoes and green beans to my shopping list. And sheet-pan meals mean less cleanup, so whoever’s on dish duty has less work to do.

This recipe is also adaptable. If the green beans don’t look so hot at the grocery store, I’ll swap in broccoli. My husband prefers sweet potatoes, so I’ve been known to use those instead of regular—or do half of each. Or if we’re in the mood for something a little more comfort food-y, I’ll boil the potatoes instead of roasting them and make mashed potatoes.

On top of all that, my whole family loves it. The first time I made it, our daughter asked if we could add it to the regular monthly rotation. And she requested that I pack up the leftovers for her lunchbox the next day. So if you’re looking for a new sheet-pan dinner to try, may I suggest Mini Meatloaves with Green Beans & Potatoes? I hope you like it as much as my family does.