Our first blog was a year-long project in 2013. We made a list of 365 random things that we wanted to do and then posted a photo of each one as we completed it. We included a slew of things that we probably would have done anyway like celebrating our anniversary and checking out the bar that was perfect walking distance from both of our apartments. But we also did some more adventurous and/or ambitious things like going to Alaska and paying off a student loan.

In the following few years, we did other versions of lists of things we wanted to accomplish and one of our favorite things to do each time was large group cooking projects. We loved trying to think of big things that we could make together or create from scratch, so in honor of our old blog, we are creating a list of our favorite cooking projects to do with friends.

1. Make Your Own Pickles

We love pickles and nothing is better than homemade! You can go easy with a quick pickle or tackle a longer project if you have more time. Then you can really expand by pickling other things, extra points for pickling things that you grew yourself!

2. Infused Simple Syrup 

Normally we are beer/wine drinkers but if we are going big with a night of cocktails, an easy way to spice things up is with infused simple syrup. We loved this article with infusion ideas and a few suggestions for non-alcoholic uses as well.

3. Made from Scratch Pretzels

Pretzels come in so many fun shapes and sizes and you get to really experiment when you make your own. It’s really cool when you get to the boiling the bread step because it is so unique to any other bread making you might be used to. Go the extra mile by also making your own mustard and/or beer cheese sauce for dipping!

4. Make Your Own Donuts

We love this one because there are easy ways to do it and you can also get more complicated if you are feeling up to the challenge. Plus, what’s better than a fresh donut!?

5. DIY Crème brûlée

This is by far one of our favorite desserts. Laura used to work in a dessert restaurant and became quite the crème brûlée expert. We love that it is ambitious but also can totally be done at home with a little bit of special equipment as long as you are up to the challenge.

6. Freeze Your Own Ice Cream

We love this one because there are so many options and ways to do it. You can get creative with flavors and dietary restrictions to keep switching it up every time you make it. You can certainly buy a fancy ice cream maker but there are also budget options and recipes that don’t require special equipment at all.

7. Roll Your Own Sushi

This one is particularly tricky because you have to be sure you are buying sushi-grade fish. But there are plenty of options for veggie sushi or rolls with cooked fish if you are hesitant. We also love that sushi-making supplies are very affordable making this accessible no matter what your budget.

8. Homemade Pop-Tarts 

Have you ever seen freshly baked pop tarts at a fancy coffee shop? We always fall for the purchase when we see them because it feels so special. You can also step it up a notch by filling them with homemade jam.

9. Made from Scratch Tater Tots

We always love seeing what it’s like to have a simple thing you’d buy pre-made get broken down into the steps of actually creating it ourselves. One of the coolest things about making your own tater tots is that you can sub in other kinds of veggies/potatoes to kick it up to the next level.

10. Homemade Pasta

We almost didn’t include this one on the list because it feels like something that most people would think of right away. But we really love homemade pasta so couldn’t let it slip through the cracks. Plus there are so many different kinds you can make, there is always something new to try with pasta!

What projects have you tackled lately in the kitchen? Let us know what you think we should try next!

PS – This post is part of our list of 30 things we wanted to write about in 2019. See even all these years later, we can’t get away from making lists and setting goals 🙂