8 dao ahead recipes

Toss vermicelli, cucumber, radishes, lettuce with store-bought or homemade peanut sauce. The dish can be made a few hours or one day ahead. A deliciously refreshing summer dish.

In China, there are literally thousands of methods to cook potatoes. This sweet and sour potato salad is quick and easy to put together, and it tastes delicious. It can be made one day ahead, served chilled, at room temperature or warm.

Homestead salad with mixed vegetables and kidney beans in a cooked sweet vinegar dressing with mustard. Make a day ahead for the best flavor.

No-cook cranberry relish with crisp celery, fresh apple, and a hit of lemon. Make it a day ahead and let the flavors meld for your Thanksgiving spread.

This lighter chocolate dessert has a bonus because it is also easy to prepare. Plan to make this recipe one day ahead to let the yogurt drain in your refrigerator.

A lighter Cajun mayo made with light mayonnaise and low-fat yogurt, seasoned with cumin, oregano, cayenne, and garlic salt. Mix it up a day ahead and let the spices meld overnight.

Easy new potato salad with skin-on baby potatoes folded into creamy dill dressing and fresh green onions. Make it the day ahead so the flavors mingle and the spuds drink in the herbs.

This is the basic recipe for cooking lentils or beans. Many southern and southwestern regional recipes call for cooked lentils or beans to be stirred gently into a dish near the end of cooking. Therefore, it may be a good idea ot make them a day ahead and have them ready when you begin the actual cooking.