Over the past semester, I’ve been writing these blogs about all of the foods that I love and the recipes that I wish I could make. Now that the semester is coming to an end and I will have more time at home, I can finally start putting these goals in action. 

Over the summer, I hope to hone in on my cooking skills and branch out into different cuisines and flavor palettes. So, I have curated the following list of ten foods I want to cook.

1. Homemade Pizza

Pizza is one of my top ten favorite foods and making it at home sounds even better. I have wanted to make pizza from scratch for a long time, and I think this summer is the best time to put my pizza-making skills to the test. This also sounds like a fun activity to do with family and friends.

2. Salmon 

Over the past year, I have limited myself to cooking chicken, and I need to get out of my comfort zone by cooking other meats. I love to order salmon at restaurants and hope to learn more about it this summer. This will definitely be a challenge for me, but I am excited to see how it goes.

3. Baked Feta Pasta 

Baked feta pasta sounds interesting to me, and I am not totally sure if it’s something that I will actually like. However, just like Gigi Hadid’s vodka pasta, this recipe broke the internet and went viral during the pandemic. I haven’t tried it yet, so I guess it’s worth a shot.

4. Chicken Noodle Soup 

Chicken noodle soup is one of my favorite meals of all time because it reminds me of family. Hence, I want to spend this summer sharpening my chicken noodle soup cooking skills. I will be especially grateful for this when I head back to state college in the winter of this year.

5. Cupcakes 

Baking is a whole other world from cooking, yet everyone needs to know how to make a few staple desserts. Currently, I only know how to make a variety of cookies, so I think it’s time for me to try something new and expand my kitchen skills. Additionally, cupcakes can be great for any event … just as long as I can figure out how to decorate them.

6. Spaghetti and Meatballs 

Spaghetti and meatballs are a staple dinner, especially when you come from a family of nine. Surprisingly, I have never made spaghetti and meatballs in my life, so I want to try it out this summer. I think this will be a fun and easy recipe to add to my cookbook.

7. French Toast 

Pancakes and waffles are great, but french toast is just better. Hence, it’s important that I learn how to make the ultimate french toast this summer. I want to perfect this recipe like it’s made from a restaurant, so that I can make it for myself and my friends whenever I want.

8. Homemade Bread 

Making homemade bread is an art of love and dedication. It’s difficult to learn how to knead dough and get the perfect amount of ingredients mixed without overworking the yeast and flour. While I don’t expect this to be a major success, I think making homemade bread is a great learning experience and humbling moment to motivate me to keep trying new things.

9. Tomato Tortellini Soup with Spinach 

Tomato tortellini soup with spinach is something I could probably only eat once or twice in a year. And, while I don’t expect it to be difficult to make, this meal will continue to help me develop my pasta and soup recipes.

10. Lasagna 

Lasagna is just one of those meals that everyone should make at least once in their lives. It’s a classic family dinner that almost everyone enjoys. I am also interested in making this meal because it incorporates many elements of cooking and is somewhat laborious as well.