1}  Homemade Pie Crust
I really feel like if you make a pie crust from scratch once, you don’t have to make it ever again.  Ha!  Veni, vidi, vici!

2}  Monte Cristo sandwich
I just really love eating this sandwich so I thought it belonged on my bucket list.  I need to make this but haven’t yet.  I love Monte Cristos served with powdered sugar and jam but I also love them just plain savory or as a Croque Madame (with an egg on top).

3}  Choux Pastry Puffs.

Or eclairs, or Gougères.  It’s actually pretty easy to make this dough.  You just have to pay attention and not overcook it in the saucepan.  The very first time I made cream puffs, they turned out perfectly and I was so happy.

4}  Gumbo.  
Now if you are a Yankee, then you may be thinking “Gumbo?” but if you’re a Yankee who’s been to New Orleans, then you understand.  It’s so dang good!  Yes, it can be a bit labor intensive as far as all the ingredients needed but if you’ve mastered a roux and you have a great recipe, it should turn out delicious.

5}  The perfect chocolate chip cookie.  
I haven’t mastered this yet.  I’ve tried the traditional Nestle Tollhouse recipe and a few others throughout the years but they just don’t turn out like Mrs. Field’s cookies from the mall back in the day.  Those are the chocolate chip cookie standard for me.  #Memories.  I need to try her recipe since I have her Best Ever Cookie Book!

6}  Bread Pudding.
Speaking of Mrs. Field’s, I used her recipe from the book mentioned above as the basis of an Amaretto bread pudding I made for a dinner party several years ago.  It was a hit.  I’ll actually be making it again for a brunch coming up soon so stay tuned and you’ll have a visual of the bready goodness!

7}  Roast.
Pork or beef – because if you can do one, you can do the other.  You can make pulled pork or get a cut of brisket (you basically prepare the same way from the jump).  Master a roast of some sort and you will be popular amongst family, friends, coworkers, extras in movies… lol, pretty much everyone!

8}  Quiche.

I realize I have a lot of French based recipes on my small list but French cuisine is the mother of all cuisine, so this should not surprise anyone.  The fact that I’m a complete Francophile may have something to do with it as well.  But back to quiche!  I don’t know if real men eat quiche or not but if they don’t, they are missing out!  Especially if it’s a classic Quiche Lorraine.  Ham and eggs and Cheese – um, fo’ sho’!  A traditional recipe uses Gruyère cheese but I use Swiss and I may use bacon from time to time or always. The best recipe I’ve found is from The Good Housekeeping Illustrated Cookbook.  Hands down!

9}  Scratchmade Mac n’ Cheese.  
Starts with a real live béchamel sauce.  The difference between homemade Mac n’ cheese and boxed is one of the most significant differences in the culinary world.  And yes, I love the use of hyperbole in my writing!  But seriously, it’s so good when all put together with a homemade cheese sauce, eggs and a triple b topping (bacon, breadcrumbs and butter). 

10}  Macarons.
I wrote about my adventure making Macarons here.  Half of them were quite ok and half of them were not.  But they all tasted amazing.  

There are several other recipes that are must makes but I needed this list to be 10 only, ok.  Soup, cake, classic beef stew, cheesecake, roast chicken/turkey, chili and brownies are all great recipes to master.  So do any of you have a recipe bucket list?  What recipes are must makes in your life?