Spring Break Is the Best Time to Take on a Cooking Project

Whether you're taking off a day or the whole week for spring break, we think it's the perfect time to tackle a new recipe in the kitchen. Time-consuming tasks like lasgana, croissants and fancy cake are the best way to make the most of your limited amount of free time. Not only will these recipes make the days fly by, when you complete them you'll feel like a total rockstar.

Strawberry Pocky Stick Cake (pictured above)

Absolutely everyone will think you spent hours in the kitchen putting this whimsical cake together. We’ll let you in on a little secret, though — assembling it is a total breeze.

Baked Lasagna Roll-Ups

Whether you make this cheesy dish during the week or save it for a family dinner on Sunday, it’s sure to get you some serious praise. The recipe takes everything you know and love about traditional lasagna — al dente noodles, rich ricotta and hearty tomato sauce — and inverts it to create a meal that’s as visually stunning as it is satisfying. Just pull it out of the oven and watch as everyone stands at attention (even your lasagna rolls!)

Instant Pot Yogurt

Is there anything the Instant Pot can’t do? That’s the question you’ll be asking yourself when you make this creamy two-ingredient yogurt. Though it’s more technical than other Instant Pot recipes, the end product is totally worth it. Plus, you can add as many mix-ins and toppings as you like. Try and find a fro-yo place that’ll let you do that — we'll wait.

Oat Milk and Oatmeal Cookie Ice Cream Sandwiches

If you’re anything like me, you love adding a generous splash of oat milk to your morning cup of coffee or bowl of cereal. Now think of how amazing that oat milk would taste if it was frozen? Enter this delicious recipe. Pairing the chewy texture of freshly baked oatmeal cookies with the subtle sweetness of oat milk ice cream, it’s the cookies and milk combo you didn’t know you were missing and now won’t be able to get enough of.

Smoked Baby Back Ribs

Are you the person who always orders a sizzling plate of ribs whenever you go out to eat? Then getting this recipe under your apron strings is essential. You’ll need at least six hours to take your ribs from start to finish, but you’ll get loads of experience marinating your meat, smoking it and grilling it. Not to mention some truly tasty ribs.

The Best Cinnamon Rolls

If you’ve always wanted to make cinnamon rolls from scratch but have worried about working with yeast in the past, this is the perfect baking project for you. Food Network Kitchen doubled the proofing time to make sure your buns are as fluffy and buttery as professionally made ones. Though they may test your patience a wee bit, one gooey bite and you’ll see they were worth every second.

Homemade Croissants

Real foodies know that freshly baked croissants are a luxury. From their flaky made-for-pulling-apart outer shell to their buttery and fluffy interior, they're the ultimate addition to any breakfast, lunch, dinner or dessert spread. But they take a lot of time to make. This recipe will take you eighteen hours all in all, but once you dig into your first batch, you’ll know you’ve made it as a master baker.

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