Yesterday I shared my 25 goals for January. In that post, I mentioned one of my goals was to learn to make some new-to-me things and that I’d tell you more about this today!
In 2024, I set a goal to learn how to make sourdough bread. I am so thrilled to report that not only did I learn how to make sourdough, I feel like I really became proficient at it.
And then I went on to learn how to make sourdough pancakes, sourdough waffles, sourdough English muffins, whole wheat sourdough, and sourdough bagels.
Inspired by my sourdough success, I also tried my hand at making fermenting kombucha, sauerkraut, and water kefir. I wasn’t a huge fan of the kombucha or sauerkraut, but we loved the water kefir and I made many batches of it!
I also perfected French Bread and Overnight Artisan Bread this year!
These successes in the kitchen gave me the idea to set a goal to try to become proficient at 12 new-to-me things in 2025. Most of these are food related, but not all of them area.
I polled my audience on Instagram to get ideas for things I should learn and then took there ideas, thought about what would inspire me most and what were things I’ve really wanted to learn to do. From all of that, I picked 12 things I want to learn in 2025. My goal is to focus on one area per month.
Here’s my list:
12 Things I Want to Attempt to Become Proficient at in 2025
1. Making Homemade Focaccia (using my sourdough)
2. Making Homemade Yogurt (I’ve made this in the crockpot before, but I want to learn how to make it in the instant pot and find a recipe that we all love!)
3. Making Homemade Vanilla (can you believe I’ve never made this before??)
4. Making Homemade Noodles
5. Making Homemade Mozzarella Cheese (This one honestly feels the most intimidating from my list!)
6. Making Nontoxic Candles
7. Making Homemade Croissants
8. Making Homemade Pretzels
9. Making Homemade Silver Dollar City Cinnamon Bread
10. Making Homemade Lotion
11. Making Homemade Hamburger Buns
I have a few other things I want to learn/try: like making sourdough bread with mix-ins, making chocolate sourdough bread, and making homemade soap again. But I’m going to start with the list above and then if I feel like I’m proficient in the thing I picked for each month, I can add something else that month to try that’s not on the list if I want to!
I’ll be documenting what I’m trying and learning and experimenting with over on Instagram stories in more real-time and then sharing some of the journey here in posts on the blog!
What are you hoping to learn in 2025? Tell us in the comments!
Coming tomorrow: The list of all the books I read in 2024 + my top 4 favorites!
P.S. Just for fun, I thought I’d share a post from 2012 where I set this same goal. Unfortunately, I didn’t do a great job of following through that year — a lot of it had to do with me picking things I wasn’t really excited to try, choosing a specific month for each so then I felt boxed in, and also it just being a season of my life where I was traveling so much and exhausted so much of the time. Really hoping for better success this coming year!
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There weren’t any food processors around when we learned to make mayo in home ec/foods class in the Sixties. We used a blender.
So many recipes online said DON’T USE A BLENDER! So I was afraid to try it in the blender and ruin it!
Yes definitely start with vanilla as it needs to sit.
Yogurt is very easy. I bought my version of Instant Pot for the Sous Vide function but use it more for yogurt.
Mayo is easy. You need a stick blender. The point of making homemade mayo is to use good for you oil. I do no recommend olive oil, all the ones I tried have been horrible. I use avocado oil. Buy at Aldi, Sams, or Costco. Your ingredients can be tweaked. The mustard can be yellow or dijon etc . lemon juice can be lime or apple cider vinegar etc . your oil can actually be bacon grease, melted butter etc
Ingredients
1 large egg yolk
1 tablespoon water I dont add this
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1-2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1 cup oil
½ teaspoon salt
Equipment Needed
Immersion blender (or a narrow jar that fits the immersion blender)
Measuring spoons and cups
Instructions
Place the egg yolk, water, lemon juice, and Dijon mustard in the bottom of an immersion blender cup or a narrow jar.
Pour the oil on top and allow it to settle for 30 seconds.
Place the head of the immersion blender at the very bottom of the cup and turn it on.
As the mayonnaise forms, slowly tilt and lift the head of the immersion blender until all the oil is emulsified.
Season the mayonnaise to taste with salt.
Well I’d do the mayonnaise first. A jar with a lid and an immersion blender eggs and a good oil and mayonnaise in minutes. The manufacturer are adding things to mayonnaise so you can also be a little creative with it. Next butter which you didn’t mention but also easy and with the price of butter it may be cost effective. I never did but probably will attempt to make it this winter
I’ve made butter multiple times before, so that’s why it’s not on my list! It’s fun to make!
Do you have a recipe you will use for the vanilla that you can share? I’ve been looking at different recipes. I don’t want to use alcohol so I’m trying to find one to try.
A friend of mine made vanilla this year and purchased her beans from Vanilla Bean Kings (Facebook).
If you want a guaranteed success, and have a stick blender, start with mayo!!! It’s so so easy, and has turned out every time I’ve made it.
What a fun challenge!
I’m starting with homemade vanilla because people are saying it needs to sit for months, but maybe I should do mayo next!! Do you have a recipe you love?
This is a great list!
I highly recommend the King Arthur Beautiful Buns recipe for hamburger buns!
https://www.kingarthurbaking.com/recipes/beautiful-burger-buns-recipe
Thank you so much for the recommendation!
You are inspiring me to set goals on learning new things rather than fixing existing things. I am curious how you track your goals. Did I miss you post that somewhere? Thank you!
I used the Strides app last year and am trying a paper tracker (that I’m creating) for January.
This is fun! I noticed with the sourdough last year that you were able to do a bunch of different things from that jumping off point. This year you have more “more different” things, but a lot of them are probably concepts you’ve been thinking about/run into and have at least a mental starting point? I feel like you used to do a lot of homemade when your “first batch” of kids were little and now your second batch will get in on the fun too 🙂
For readers intrigued by this, but without a lot of experience in homemade, or who feel low on creative wavelengths, I wonder if starting with 1-2 “ideas” that can then branch (like Crystal’s sourdough) would be a fun and not overwhelming way to think about it. I’m inspired this year to actually try something new!
Yes! I think starting with one or two new things is a great place to start! I’m glad this inspired you!
I love these. I greatly admire your creative spirit! I feel inspired!!
YAY! I’m glad it inspired you!
Your pictures of bread are making me hungry and also desiring to bake my own. I think I’ll start a list. Thanks for the inspiration.
You are so welcome!
I do a lot of those things and don’t do a lot, I hope you share blog posts, too! I love where you’re going with such a fun attitude!
Yes! I’m planning to share here on the blog, too!
You will love all the variations of focaccia you can make – it’s wonderful. Croissants – oh, the folding. Kind of intimidating. Enjoy your endeavors. They sound like fun!
Thank you so much! I’m excited!
The mayo, the lotion, the candles, and the croissants. You make me want to learn those too! 🙂
You can do it with me!!
For your goal of making your own vanilla, check out Indri’s Vanilla Bean Group on Facebook. She buys vanilla beans in bulk directly from growers all over the world. They usually sell by the ounce(I’ve paid between $8 and $16/oz) and can range from 6-12 beans per ounce. They are SO fresh and lovely. I’ve been buying from her since 2020.
Thank you so much for the suggestion!!
Oh, please, please, please share if you find a good recipe and are successful at Silver Dollar City cinnamon bread. That stuff is AMAZING!
I definitely will! I tried one and it was a flop, but I’m determined to figure it out!