154 ahead recipes

Whole pears poached in spiced white wine with cinnamon, cloves, ginger, vanilla bean, and citrus zest, served warm with burnt sugar ice cream. An elegant make-ahead dessert.

Whole pears poached in apple cider with vanilla bean and cinnamon sticks, then glazed with a reduced spiced syrup. An elegant, make-ahead autumn dessert.

Freeze-ahead oatmeal cookie dough made with vegetable shortening, ready to slice and bake whenever cravings strike for chewy raisin nut cookies.

White bean soup with rosemary, country ham, and mirepoix simmered in chicken stock then pureed smooth. Make up to three days ahead.

Shrimp and spicy black bean spread on crackers with jalapeño, lime, garlic, and cilantro. Easy make-ahead party appetizer from the pantry.

Asian-style brown rice salad with sesame oil, rice vinegar, snow peas, corn, carrots, and scallions. A nutty, crunchy cold salad that's vegan and make-ahead.

Fruit and nut breakfast bars packed with rolled oats, golden raisins, and chopped almonds, sweetened with brown sugar. Make-ahead, freezer-friendly bars for grab-and-go mornings, no boxed granola required.

Layered Italian bake with rotini, salted zucchini, potatoes, prosciutto, tomatoes, and Parmesan dotted with butter. A hearty make-ahead casserole with serious depth.

Spiced refrigerator cookies with sour cream, sliced almonds, cloves, and nutmeg. Make-ahead dough keeps for 2 weeks refrigerated or freezes for months.

Crunchy sundae topping made from toasted oats, brown sugar, butter, and salted peanuts. A make-ahead crumble for ice cream, pudding, and desserts.

Italian vegetable salad with chickpeas, mixed vegetables, olives, and cherry tomatoes in a basil-garlic vinaigrette. A make-ahead marinated salad for potlucks.

Three-ingredient apple walnut relish with toasted walnuts, diced Golden Delicious apples, and sweet wine. Make it a day ahead for the best flavor.

Tangy Italian antipasto spread packed with artichoke hearts, two kinds of olives, mushrooms, and a zesty vinegar-olive oil dressing. Make it ahead - it's better the next day.

Chicken olive and mushroom bread pudding: savory layered casserole with curried chicken, black olives, mushrooms, and a cream-of-chicken sour cream top. Make-ahead party dish for sixteen.

Mim's cabbage rolls are stuffed with ground beef, rice, and nutmeg in a sweet-tangy tomato sauce with brown sugar and lemon juice. Make-ahead freezer-friendly casserole, classic comfort.

Make-ahead oatmeal pecan cookies shaped into logs, chilled, then sliced and baked fresh whenever you need them. Freezer-friendly dough lasts 3 months.