212 ahead recipes

Layered crabmeat appetizer dip with a seasoned cream cheese base, chili relish, and crab on top. Make ahead overnight and serve cold on Melba rounds.

Four-layer sour cream orange cake with citrus zest, a Grand Marnier glaze, cream cheese coconut frosting, and toasted coconut on the sides. A make-ahead showstopper for celebrations.

Tri-color rotini tossed in a creamy Dijon vinaigrette with crispy bacon, hard-boiled eggs, celery, and scallions. A make-ahead pasta salad for potlucks, picnics, and summer cookouts.

Asparagus with a lemongrass and shallot vinaigrette with Dijon mustard and red wine vinegar. A Southeast Asian-influenced make-ahead side dish served at room temperature.

Red bell pepper bisque thickened with overcooked rice instead of flour, pureed silky smooth with cream, milk, and a touch of cayenne. A make-ahead soup with vibrant color.

Make-ahead slice-and-bake hermit cookies with five warming spices, plump raisins, and buttery dough. Roll into logs, freeze, slice, and bake fresh cookies anytime.

Hearty bran muffins packed with fiber from bran flakes and all-bran cereal. Make-ahead batter stores in the fridge for fresh-baked muffins all week.

Rice and broccoli casserole with cream of mushroom and cream of chicken soup, processed cheese, and sauteed onion. A classic make-ahead comfort food side dish.

Sicilian-style caponata with tender eggplant, olives, capers, and tomatoes in a tangy vinegar sauce. Make it ahead and serve cold as a rustic Italian appetizer.

Golden Cadillac frozen cocktail blended with vanilla ice cream, Galliano, and white creme de cacao. A creamy, boozy dessert drink you can make ahead and freeze.

Two-layer raspberry cheese pie with a baked cream cheese filling and a cool raspberry-whipped cream topping. A make-ahead showstopper dessert for special occasions.

Microwave antipasto with tuna, olives, peppers, mushrooms, and carrots in a tangy tomato-ketchup sauce. Make-ahead appetizer that keeps for two weeks in the fridge.

White chocolate cheesecake on a chocolate wafer crust, covered in glossy semi-sweet chocolate ganache. Two kinds of chocolate in one rich, make-ahead showpiece dessert.

Marinated cabbage slaw with green pepper, onion, and pimentos in a sweet-tangy vinegar dressing with mustard seeds. Make-ahead picnic salad that keeps for days.

Frozen pumpkin mousse ice cream pie layered over vanilla ice cream in a buttery gingersnap crust, finished with caramel-pumpkin topping. A make-ahead Thanksgiving dessert.

Flaky puff pastry pinwheels filled with sauteed mushrooms, Parmesan, and chervil. A make-ahead appetizer you can prep days in advance and bake fresh for any gathering.