Make Ahead

In Chinese culture, noodles symbolize longevity and are often served at New Year celebrations and traditionally left very long.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less but requires additional unattended time.

A nice stuffing for poultry or an excellent accompaniment to pork tenderloin or salmon.

All the good taste of deep-fried egg rolls without all the fat.

This recipe was created to accompany Grilled Cumin Chicken Breasts with Avocado Salsa. Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Potato gratin is, of course, the traditional side dish with roast beef, and this version is just right for a special occasion. Adding flavor are typical steak house ingredients, like mushrooms, garlic and herbs. Place a baking sheet in the oven on the rack below the gratin to catch any liquids that may bubble over.

The spirit of Mexico spices up this home-style, do-ahead main dish. The enchiladas can be assembled one day in advance and refrigerated. If time is short, use 5 cups of shredded skinless cooked chicken from the deli and 4 1/2 cups canned low-salt chicken broth. Begin the party with chips, guacamole and salsa, and blend a pitcher or two of Margaritas for fun. Watch how to cut a whole chicken into parts to use in this recipe.

Asian flavors accent this do-ahead appetizer.

The extra marinade keeps up to three weeks in the refrigerator and is delicious used with chicken, lamb or beef, too.

A tangy sauce turns one of the classic spring vegetables into a lovely first course.

For extra eye appeal, use tricolor pasta in this fresh-from-the-garden salad.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

In this modified version of the Middle Eastern garbanzo bean dip, yogurt is used to replace some of the high-fat tahini (sesame seed paste). The dip is great with fresh vegetables or toasted pita bread wedges. Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

This sweetly spiced dish is a nice substitute for sweet potatoes.