Try a salad that uses heartier greens — escarole and frisee, for example, won't wilt into a soggy mess. Or try this pro trick that doesn't require assembling a salad a la minute: Start by adding some dressing to the bottom of the salad bowl, then top with the heartiest ingredients that aren't prone to soaking up dressing, like cucumbers and tomatoes. Layer the fragile ingredients on top, such as the lettuce or herbs, and top that layer with garnishes like cheese or croutons. The salad will keep for a few hours without wilting or soaking up any dressing; at the table, toss the salad and season it with salt and more dressing, as needed.

 

By Teri Tsang Barrett

Fall vegetables that are a mainstay at the holiday table — think winter squash or root vegetables — take a while to cook, especially when left whole. Whether a dish requires boiling or roasting, the smaller the vegetables are cut, the less time it will take for each piece to cook through.

Top a cooked vegetable — boiled, roasted or grilled, as they all work — with a rich flavorful sauce, and do away with any elaborate or multistep prep previously required for decadent vegetable sides.

Not only will these mini birds take a fraction of the time to cook, they're perfectly sized for individual servings and they still offer special occasion flair.