212 ahead recipes

Colorful rotini tossed with black-eyed peas, sweet corn, crisp bell peppers, and zesty salsa-lime vinaigrette. Perfect make-ahead potluck side.

Creamy chicken and rice casserole with water chestnuts, celery, and crunchy almond-cornflake topping. Make-ahead freezer meal that feeds a crowd.

Crabmeat supreme casserole with two pounds of crab in a buttery sherry cream sauce with mushrooms, pimentos, and a cracker crumb topping. An elegant make-ahead dish.

Orange icebox cookies are sliceable shortbread-style rounds with fresh orange zest, brown sugar, and chopped pecans. Make ahead dough rolls and chills until baking.

Silky no-bake cheesecake flavored with puréed apricots and set with gelatin in a chocolate crumb crust for an easy make-ahead dessert.

Make-ahead sourdough biscuit batter with buttermilk, self-rising flour, and yeast. Mix once, refrigerate, and bake fresh biscuits anytime you want them.

Layered no-bake candy with a butterscotch-walnut bottom, mini marshmallow middle, and a chocolate chip topping. Make-ahead, sliceable, and seriously sweet.

Party rye pizza: cocktail rye rounds topped with sausage, melted Velveeta, mozzarella, and tomato paste. Make-ahead freezer appetizers ready in 8 minutes.

Cranberry fruit salad jello mold with raspberry gelatin, cranberry sauce, crushed pineapple, walnuts, and orange juice. Classic holiday potluck dish, makes ahead easily.

Black-eyed pea and rice salad with a Dijon red wine vinaigrette, grated carrot, and fresh herbs. A make-ahead vegetarian salad served at room temperature.

Grilled vegetable salad with eggplant, roasted peppers, zucchini, mushrooms, and red onion tossed in a balsamic basil vinaigrette. Make it hours ahead and serve at room temperature for peak flavor.

Pasta primavera salad with tri-color rotini, broccoli, carrots, cherry tomatoes, and red onion tossed in peppercorn ranch dressing. A colorful, make-ahead cold pasta salad for potlucks.

Antipasto pasta salad with rotini, roasted red peppers, marinated artichoke hearts, Muenster cheese, mushrooms, red onion, and fresh basil in a low-fat Italian dressing. A cold make-ahead side for potlucks and picnics.

No-bake peanut butter cream pie with a crushed Oreo crust, cream cheese filling, whipped cream, and chopped peanuts on top. Frozen and make-ahead friendly.

Cheddar cheese pretzels made with aged cheddar, butter, Dijon mustard, and cayenne, topped with poppy seeds. A savory make-ahead appetizer that keeps for days.

Latin-inspired pasta salad with a blended feta-cilantro-lime dressing, diced ham, colorful bell peppers, jicama, and olives. Bright, crunchy, and totally make-ahead friendly.