The reality of traveling to a holiday potluck? You can't always take what you want. Those cider-glazed carrots or that green bean salad that you're famous for may taste terrific when made just before serving, but chances are the dish will turn lackluster if you try to make it endure 45 minutes of interstate traffic. What you need are sturdy side dishes that can be made ahead of time and served as-is or with very little finishing work when you arrive at your destination.

Dressing and Stuffing

Corn Bread Dressing
Make and Take Tip: Cover the baking dish with foil before traveling. Serve warm or at room temperature. (If there is room in your host's oven while the turkey roasts, you can warm the dressing for at least 10 and up to 30 minutes.)

Chestnut-Fig Stuffing
Make and Take Tip: Cover the baking dish with foil before traveling. Serve warm or at room temperature. (If there is room in your host's oven while the turkey roasts, you can warm the stuffing for at least 10 and up to 30 minutes.)

Vegetables

Roasted Sweet Potatoes
Make and Take Tip: Cover the baking sheet with foil before traveling. Serve warm or at room temperature. (If there is room in your host's oven while the turkey roasts, you can warm the sweet potatoes for at least 10 and up to 30 minutes.)

Sweet Potato Puree with Maple
Make and Take Tip: Assemble the puree the day before (but don't heat it). Cover the saucepan with a lid or foil before traveling. Serve warm.

Cranberries

Cranberry and Orange Relish
Make and Take Tip: Make the relish but do not add the pepper and cilantro. Transfer the relish to a resealable container and pack the remaining two ingredients in a separate container. Warm relish to room temperature after you arrive and then stir in the pepper and cilantro just before serving.

Raw Cranberry Relish
Cover the dish with foil before traveling. Serve cold.

Cranberry Sauce
Make and Take Tip: Cover the dish with foil before traveling. Serve cold.

Vegetarian Entrees

Butternut Squash with Cumin Couscous
Make and Take Tip: Keep the squash stew and the couscous separate while traveling. Serve warm.

Wild Rice Dressing
Make and Take Tip: Cover the baking dish with foil before traveling. Serve warm.

Desserts

Chocolate Silk Pie
Make and Take Tip: Keep the plastic wrap on the refrigerated pie. Whip the cream and transfer to a bowl or buy a container of already whipped cream. Serve cold.

Sweet Potato Pie
Make and Take Tip: Make the pie as directed. Serve cold or at room temperature.

Gingersnap-Pear Cheesecake
Make and Take Tip: Make the cheesecake as directed. Serve cold.

Apple Cake with Caramel Glaze
Make and Take Tip: Omit the caramel glaze and instead serve the cake at room temperature with a couple of scoops of vanilla ice cream.