Preparing vegetables. Conger Design / Pixabay.com / 2014 / CC0 1.0
To eat well consistently — both healthwise and tastewise — one secret can be to develop a stable of reliable make-ahead dishes that the cook can draw on to ease the workload when mealtimes roll around. Make-aheads can offer better value nutritionally and economically to commercial alternatives purchased at supermarkets.
This is a really flexible dish. You can serve it hot as a side dish, or refrigerate it and serve it cold as part of an antipasto assortment, or as a side-condiment to roasted meats.
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The melted Brie makes these potato fritters transcendent.
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A good introduction to sprouts for those who are Brussels sprouts hesitant.
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For many people, a creamed spinach dish is often pivotal in getting them to give spinach another chance, after a childhood of being served boiled spinach out of a can.
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A delicious vegetable side that can be made ahead.
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In the food world, Delmonico meant rich in all ways, and this recipe has got it all: butter, cream, cheese and breadcrumbs. In Delmonico restaurants, it was served as a side dish to Delmonico steaks.
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Very easy, can be made a day in advance.
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These beans are even better the next day; the recipe reheats well! An ideal make-ahead dish, served along with good bread and red wine. If you have a slow-cooker hanging around, this recipe is a good excuse to haul it out!
This is a wonderful chilled salad to go with meat dishes such as pork or beef, or as part of a summer salad or barbeque plate. It tastes only slightly sweet, and is like a retro version of tomatoes and basil with a raspberry vinaigrette.
Hands down the best-ever make-ahead recipe for mashed potatoes. Do not be afraid to serve these at Thanksgiving or Christmas, they are even better than regular mashed potatoes, and it’s one less vegetable side to have to worry about at the last minute.
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A Thanksgiving side dish that is now traditional in the U.S. Putting marshmallows on sweet potatoes originated sometime in the 1920s.
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This is a quick cauliflower cheese, as the mascarpone takes the place of a white sauce.
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This is a bit more fussing than plain old mash, but it looks and tastes fantastic and is even great as a make-ahead side dish.
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You can make this up to a day ahead, stored in the refrigerator in a sealed jar or container.
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Even better made the day ahead to give the flavours a chance to marry, then actually baked on the day you need it.
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Rich-tasting potato fritters. Can be made ahead.
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This is a bit fiddly, but you can make it a day ahead.
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You can serve this as you would a pâté with crackers or biscuits, or if you put it into 4 separate small dishes or glasses, you could use it as a main course along with some bread.
These prosciutto and cheese rolls are easy to make, yet they are small little flavour bombs that have people’s mouths in ecstasy. You can see their eyes go wide as the combined warm Mediterranean flavours of prosciutto, goat’s cheese, lemon and olive oil h
This is a refreshing chilled salad with a slightly tangy, slightly sweet taste and a satisfying crunch to it. You can make this a day (or several days) ahead.
This fabulous composed salad is almost a meal in itself. The strong, zippy taste and fresh look will tempt flagging appetites in the summer heat — but the salad is also hearty enough to be satisfying in the winter.
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Great to have on hand in the fridge as part of a quick, salad-plate type meal.