310 ahead recipes

Christmas Lizzies are boozy Southern fruitcake cookies loaded with candied cherries, raisins, dates, pecans, and citrus zest, soaked in whiskey. Make them weeks ahead and drizzle with spirits to age.

Chilled wild rice chicken salad tossed with sweet green grapes, crunchy water chestnuts, and cashews in light mayo. A refreshing make-ahead lunch or potluck crowd-pleaser that serves six.

Slice-and-bake cheddar cheese biscuits with Worcestershire and hot sauce, topped with poppy, sesame, or celery seeds. Make the dough ahead and bake crispy, golden rounds whenever guests arrive.

Roast beef tortilla roll-ups with bacon horseradish dip and crisp lettuce, sliced into pinwheels. A no-cook appetizer or lunch that chills ahead and cuts clean for party platters.

Frozen mocha toffee dessert with coffee-spiked vanilla ice cream and crushed toffee bars in a ladyfinger-lined springform pan, topped with Kahlua whipped cream. No-bake and make-ahead.

Gingered cabbage-beet salad with red cabbage, pickled beets, sweet cherries, crystallized ginger, and red wine vinegar. A vibrant make-ahead slaw that marinates overnight and keeps for 2 days.

Creamy mashed potato casserole made with cream cheese, sour cream, and a paprika-dotted golden top. A make-ahead holiday side that frees up stovetop space on the big day.

Spinach pesto appetizer: a sliceable, high-protein cheesecake-style savory loaf with spinach, cottage cheese, cream cheese, and Romano. Perfect make-ahead party food served chilled with crackers or crostini.

Turtle pie deluxe, a no-bake frozen ice cream pie with chocolate cookie crust, fudge layer, pecan-praline ice cream, butterscotch sauce, and toasted pecans. A make-ahead dessert showpiece.

U.S. Mints are intensely fudgy mint chocolate brownies spiked with espresso and creme de menthe, then topped with a smooth mint chocolate glaze. Make-ahead chocolate-mint squares for entertaining.

Chilled pasta shells layered with basil pesto, spinach, Roma tomatoes, black olives, and shrimp. This make-ahead Italian pasta salad is a crowd-pleasing potluck star that only gets better as it sits.

Minted peaches and melons is a fresh summer fruit salad of ripe peaches and cantaloupe in a light orange-lemon dressing, finished with chopped mint and toasted almonds. No cooking, and easy to make ahead.

Polish-style fried onion seasoning: finely chopped onions browned with flour in oil, finished with a knob of butter. The make-ahead golden flavor base for Polish soups, dumplings, and gravies.

Crunchy no-mayo coleslaw with shredded red cabbage, cauliflower, and carrots tossed in a tangy tarragon-dill vinaigrette. A vibrant, make-ahead side dish that holds up at cookouts and potlucks.

Asparagus vichyssoise made in the microwave with fresh asparagus, potatoes, and skim milk. This light, low-fat cold soup is blended silky-smooth and chilled overnight for a refreshing make-ahead starter.

Vanilla-limeade ice cream pie: a chocolate wafer crust ringed with cookies, layered with vanilla ice cream and ribbons of tart green limeade, then frozen firm. A no-bake, make-ahead summer dessert.