Make Ahead

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

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

This dessert tastes indulgent, but it's made with nonfat cottage cheese, nonfat cream cheese and evaporated skim milk.

This thick, spicy sauce is typically used in Moroccan dishes. Use it as an accompaniment for Shrimp Phyllo Purses with Tomato Chermoula Sauce.

Zia Maria is a simple but delightful restaurant in Alghero, a popular tourist resort on a part of Sardinia's west coast known as the Coral Riviera. The dining room is very basic; a large fireplace and some antique cooking equipment are the only things to distract you from the traditional Sardinian menu. But that's a good thing, because once you start in on pickled artichokes and mushrooms, wild boar in sweet-and-sour broth, or ricotta ravioli with tomato sauce, you'll appreciate having few distractions. Each dish, like these tangy onions from the restaurant's selection of antipasti, is cooked and presented in straightforward fashion.

This moist bread is best fresh from the oven, but it can also be made ahead and reheated.

The Shakers, who once had a number of active communities in New England, were known for their creative use of fresh herbs in cooking and baking. This savory yeast bread is a typical example. It is delicious freshly baked or toasted the following day.

The restaurant takes its name from amuse-bouche, a small gift from the chef to "please the mouth." Chicken thighs make a convenient substitute for duck in this pasta dish.

"My favorite restaurant on the New Hampshire coast is Anthony Alberto’s Ristorante Italiano in Portsmouth," writes Holly Price of Newfields, New Hampshire. "The food there is superb. On a recent visit, I ended my meal with the frozen praline mousse cake."

This recipe is an accompaniment for Greek Herbed-Spinach Latkes with Feta-Yogurt Sauce. This do-ahead sauce would also be good drizzled over a salad of fresh mixed greens.

The acidity of the vinegar and grapefruit is balanced by the quince, apple, and pear flavors in this French-style chutney. Bananas add creaminess. Use ripe fruit for best results.

This hearty stew is great served over egg noodles. Bitter greens with a creamy Gorgonzola dressing would be a good side salad. Have sliced bananas and strawberries drizzled with honey and balsamic vinegar for an elegant dessert.

To accompany Frozen Nougat Terrine .

This recipe accompanies Black Bean Soup with Cilantro-Tomato Salsa

This old-fashioned pastry dough makes a deliciously shortbread-like crust. This recipe can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

In a fresh interpretation of the classic Italian dessert, we've replaced the traditional chocolate and coffee with berries and fruit liqueur. For a garnish, we like the looks of fresh berries, but we used frozen berries in the filling to keep it moist. They're also more uniform in flavor--and less expensive.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.