How long can I hold Shepherd's Pie and baked ziti?

[vloglady]

I'm doing a big party on SAturday night. How far in advance can I make Shepherd's Pie and baked ziti? Can I make them Thursday night, cover and put in fridge? Friday is hectic and Saturday, forget, I'm booked up. This is an all-day program and at the end is the party, probably around 7pm on Saturday.

Thanks.

[Suzanne]

Thursday should be no problem. If the ziti has tomato sauce, use plastic wrap rather than foil, or you'll have gray spots of "melted" foil on top. (But you know that.)

[vloglady]

Thanks, I was going to put plastic on top, THEN foil. Heat in oven (minus plastic wrap) with foil on top, so potatoes won't burn but the inside will heat. Last 20 minutes or so, remove foil. Sort of like cooking a turkey.

[eds77k5]

i put film wrap on then the foil and then in the oven no problem

[kuan]

Why don't you just assemble it and finish cooking it there? Keep the tomato sauce separate. Takes about the same amount of time. This way you can avoid the "twice cooked" feel.

Kuan

[vloglady]

I'm not going to cook it at home. Just assemble, I'll have enough to do that day.

Thanks.