There are the meals you'll plan this holiday season, meals you shop for and anticipate coming out of the oven. And then there are the rest of the meals, the everyday dinners that can be a struggle to keep interesting. A quick solution: a simple, flavor-filled sauce.

Ever since reading Tamar Adler's beautiful book, An Everlasting Meal, I've been inspired to keep a few interesting sauces in the refrigerator and to make more meals using leftover grains or vegetables, a little salty cheese, and a big spoonful of homemade sauce. Here are three of my favorites, in constant rotation in our house. And if you haven't read Tamar's book, it's a treat, especially during this time of the year when busy and frenetic seems the most common pace. She encourages you to slow it on down.

1. Gremolata: This version of the popular sauce is by Phyllis Grant of Dash and Bella for Food 52. It's a blend of winter greens like arugula and kale mixed with anchovies, plenty of garlic, lemon and capers. Create a meal in moments by stirring it into leftover pasta or grains with a nub of Parmesan. Or stir it into a ho-hum soup or stew and serve with crusty bread.

2. Romesco:A darling of Spanish cuisine, this sauce has many variations but is most commonly made with roasted red peppers, almonds, capers and lots of garlic. Create a meal in moments by stirring it into a dish of grilled or roasted vegetables, fish or chicken. It wakens tired winter greens quickly as a salad dressing (thinned with a little olive oil) and is fantastic slathered onto sandwich bread or spooned onto baked potatoes.

3. Spicy Green Sauce: I make a version of this at home that I keep in the refrigerator during the colder winter months. It's so simple to make and has a spicy kick to it. Create a meal in moments by serving it with simple baked chicken or fish, or making a quick frittata with any vegetables you may have in the refrigerator and a healthy dollop of green sauce.

Related: Word of Mouth: Gremolata

(Image: Martha Stewart)