154 ahead recipes

Cranberry orange tart with a buttery almond shortbread crust and glistening marmalade-glazed cranberry filling. A stunning make-ahead holiday dessert that chills overnight.

Molasses muffins spiced with cinnamon, ginger, cloves, allspice, and nutmeg, studded with raisins. Make-ahead batter keeps in the fridge for fresh muffins anytime.

Cooked Italian antipasto with carrots, cauliflower, mushrooms, artichoke hearts, black olives, and tuna simmered in tomato sauce and ketchup. A make-ahead party appetizer.

Grilled baby artichoke and white bean salad with thyme, red onion, and a lemon-Dijon vinaigrette with olives. A make-ahead Mediterranean side that improves as it sits in the fridge.

Stuffed pitta breads loaded with spice-rubbed roasted lamb, herbed couscous, griddled eggplant, and black olives in a balsamic-ginger dressing. A make-ahead meal that starts with an overnight marinade.

Better than sex cake is a four-layer chocolate-pecan icebox dessert: a buttery pecan shortbread crust, sweet cream cheese, chocolate pudding, and whipped topping. A make-ahead potluck legend.

Chicken and chili stew with browned drumsticks, white beans, cherry tomatoes, and chili powder, finished with fresh cilantro. A make-ahead one-pot stew loaded with garnish options.

Slow-simmered beef chuck chili with cumin, oregano, and chili powder, made a day ahead for deep flavor. Topped with sour cream and fresh lime.

Coffee-walnut toffee cooked to 290F with espresso, molasses, and cinnamon, then topped with swirled bittersweet chocolate and more toasted walnuts. A two-week make-ahead candy.

Mexican-style cold baked fish topped with chunky guacamole, tomatoes, onion, and chili. Pescado Frio is a make-ahead summer main, served chilled with bright avocado dressing.

No-knead refrigerator bread with mashed potatoes and eggs for an exceptionally soft, golden crumb. Make-ahead dough rests up to 3 days in the fridge before baking.

Sautéed scallops or shrimp with vegetables and couscous, chilled and stuffed into pita bread. A make-ahead seafood sandwich that's picnic-ready and packed with Mediterranean flavor.

Cream cheese pinwheel cookies with a cinnamon-walnut-orange filling rolled jelly-roll style and sliced into spirals. A make-ahead cookie that yields five dozen.

Moroccan-spiced couscous salad with chickpeas, currants, Granny Smith apple, and crunchy vegetables in a lemon dressing. A low-fat make-ahead salad that keeps for up to 3 days.

7-Up Refrigerator Dough: a soft, enriched make-ahead yeast dough where lemon-lime soda stands in for some of the sugar. Mix today, bake tomorrow for tender rolls or coffee cakes.

Smoky black bean chili with bell peppers, summer squash, and jalapeño spooned over split baked sweet potatoes. Vegan-friendly, make-ahead friendly, and loaded with fiber.