This year, I came nowhere close to my goal of trying one new recipe every week. At times I was very unmotivated to cook, especially during the summer.
That being said, looking back, I did try suprisingly more recipes than I thought I did. Plus, this spring, I somehow managed to accomplish something big: I didn’t eat out for seven weeks. And as this year closed out, I found a new sense of rejuvenation and joy in cooking and baking that I plan on bringing with me into 2025.
So, here is every new recipe I made in 2024, along with my feelings on each.
Vegetarian Chili: (Family Recipe: If you want it, I can send you it.)
Tried 1/15/24 Verdict: Wholesome and pure for a cold winter night.
Rotisserie Chicken Fried Rice: https://fitmencook.com/recipes/chicken-fried-rice/
Tried 2/24/24 Verdict: Fantastic and easy. This one became a staple, work night dinner this year.
Low Carb Gumbo: https://fitmencook.com/recipes/slow-cooker-low-carb-gumbo/
Tried 3/7/2024 Verdict: Solid, but I should have added more spices.
Chocolate Peanut Butter Squares: (Mom’s recipe)
Tried 3/21/2024 Verdict: This is a staple of my childhood that I had never actually made before. Like Reese’s but 10x better.
Ram Don: https://kimchimari.com/ram-don-jjapaguri-movie-parasite/
Tried 3/30/2024 Verdict: For years after watching Parasite, I fantasized about eating Ram Don, based on how good the film made it out to be. This year I made it twice and unfortunately it did not live up to the hype of my fantasy.
Lemon Pound Cake: https://sallysbakingaddiction.com/iced-lemon-pound-cake/
Tried 4/3/2024 Verdict: Really simple and my electrician class loved it.
Blueberry Muffins: https://www.pinterest.com/pin/219902394278284203/feedback/?invite_code=ccdcc8e9e1c944b28006156e29b370e8&sender_id=550002310651080586
Tried 5/30/2024 Verdict: The best blueberry muffins, period. The greek yogurt and oatmeal make them so fluffy and filling!
Pie Iron Cooking: https://www.notjustahousewife.net/campfire-pie-iron-recipes/
Tried 6/27/2024 Verdict: Definitely a highlight of 2024 was trying out various different pie iron cooking recipes recipes during camping trips and Junior Ranger programs.
Gluten Free Nutella Cake: https://www.theglutenfreeblogger.com/gluten-free-nutella-traybake-cake/
Tried 8/7/2024 Verdict: Well recieved as an end of summer celebration cake by my co-workers.
Salsa Verde Chicken: https://www.isabeleats.com/salsa-verde-chicken/
Tried 9/3/2024: Not any better than the normal salsa chicken recipe that I do unfortunately.
German Style Pot Roast: https://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/grampa-s-german-style-pot-roast/
Tried 10/14/2024 Verdict: Filling, but would play around with the spice combinations in the future.
Gluten Free Drop Sugar Cookies: https://flippindelicious.com/drop-gluten-free-sugar-cookies/
Tried 10/23/2024 Verdict: Very simple and you can’t really tell much of a difference between these and regular sugar cookies.
Gluten Free Beefy Taco Soup: https://mixandmatchmama.com/2020/03/g-free-beefy-taco-soup/
Tried 10/29/2024 Verdict: Not the greatest, as it kind of lacked flavor, but that may have been my fault by going easy on the spices.
Gluten Free Apple Spice Cookies: https://mixandmatchmama.com/2021/09/gluten-free-apple-spice-cookies/
Tried 10/29/2024 Verdict: Very gooey and good thanks to the applesauce. Very fally.
Gluten Free Bread: https://www.thekitchn.com/how-to-make-bread-in-the-slow-cooker-192421
Tried 11/27/2024 Verdict: At this point you may be wondering why all the gluten free recipes? Well for a bit this year, I dated a woman with severe Celiac disease. Our relationship didn’t work out, but she seemed to enjoy my baking!
Lemon Meringue Pie: https://sallysbakingaddiction.com/lemon-meringue-pie/
Tried 12/3/2024 Verdict: For the pie crust, I made the mistake of using sesame oil instead of avacado oil. The difference was quite noticable and I was called out for it. Also did not get the meringue as fluffy as I wanted it, but it still tasted decently good.
Lemonade: https://sugarspunrun.com/homemade-lemonade-recipe/
Tried 12/4/2024 Verdict: I kept telling myself all summer long that I was going to make lemonade and kept buying lemons to do so with. But they kept going to waste until now! Super easy to make, but make sure to mix well, as the more sour lemon extract will settle at the bottom.
Crockpot Black Bean Soup: https://iowagirleats.com/crock-pot-black-bean-rice-soup/
Tried 12/8/2024 Verdict: A lovely and hearty winter meal! Pairs well after a long day of adventuring. Go light on the lime juice that the recipes calls for though/avoid entirely if preferred.
Cornbread: https://www.lovefromtheoven.com/jiffy-cornbread/
Tried 12/8/2024 Verdict: Not as good as California corn bread, so I will have to be experimenting with different recipes in the future.
15 Minute Creamy One-Pot Pasta: https://beccaloveless.com/recipes/15-minute-creamy-one-pot-pasta
Tried 12/29/2024 Verdict: Despite accidentally grabbing chili powder from my spice cabinet instead of oregano and then proceeding to dump in a large amount of it before realizing my error, this was so good!! This will definitely be a new work night recipe going forward! Would recommend getting the thinly sliced, diced tomatoes over the larger ones though.
What recipes should I try in 2025? Feel free to send me your recommendations in the comments.