Make It Ahead

Starred review from September 22, 2014
Garten offers smart solutions with over 75 recipes for make-in-advance dishes. Recipes are suited for both family weeknight fare meal planning and for special occasions. There are cocktails, from margaritas to martinis, and plenty of platters and soups for starters, including a wild mushroom and farro soup and walnut roquefortâtopped warm fig and arugula salad. For lunch, ham and leek empanadas can be filled, wrapped, and kept up to three days in the fridge and three months in the freezer before baking. Garten provides lots of casseroles, hearty grain and vegetable sides, and desserts. She also guides cooks through a complete make-ahead Thanksgiving feast. Recipe sidebars show make-ahead information for packing and storage and the number of days ahead the dish can be prepared before cooking or serving. Recipes are designed both as dishes for immediate consumption or make-ahead meals. Garten provides 10 make-ahead tips for parties, and there are essays on baking, presentation, and proper freezing methods, along with sample make-ahead menus for entertaining. A secret kitchen sidekick, the Barefoot Contessa quells the last-minute fears of those who entertain.