Life Lately: Birthdays & Cozy Fall Baking Begins

What’s Up, Fellow Foodies?

August is always a crazy, busy month for me, but this year probably takes the cake. Literally. Like birthday cake. Because this year, there are birthdays, and oh yeah, more birthdays. So, we had my brother’s birthday first, then mine, and then my daughter celebrated her first birthday (it was a La Dolce Vita theme and ended up being so cute!). Finally, we went to my cousin’s party. So yeah, at this point I’m partied out.

What I Shared This Month (internal links):

• A brand-new recipe for Pistachio Chocolate Chip Cookies. Brown butter, pistachios and chocolate. Need I say more?
• Lemon Blueberry Pavlova – This recipe is so versatile because you can literally fill the finished meringues with anything seasonal. In this case, I used lemon curd and blueberries, and my God was it delicious!

Life Behind the Blog (personal update):

On the home front, life has been busy! Between my full-time job, all those parties, chasing around a toddler, and trying to stay afloat with my side hustles, well, no new recipe got posted for this month, despite my intentions otherwise. In my day-to-day cooking, I’ve enjoyed being able to incorporate fresh flavors from my garden this year! It’s been hard to grow and maintain from seed, and I challenged myself by planting things that were brand new to me, but overall, it’s been so fun and definitely a learning experience.

Quick Tip of the Month:

Start testing your fall baking recipes now! You never want to try a recipe the day of the event. Now is the perfect time to fine-tune flavors before the busy holiday season.

What’s Inspiring Me (seasonal preview):

Even though it’s still hot out, I’m already thinking ahead to all the fall goodies we’re going to make together. But first, I’m in testing mode. I’ll be testing a Halloween cookie, not sure of the details yet. And I’m revamping my spinach fatayer recipe this upcoming month. I’m also thinking about a possible ebook release this Christmas, so stay tuned. No promises, but if I can get it done for you guys, I will. I’ll keep you all posted!

Coming Next Month:

In September, look out for:

• A Halloween-themed cookie recipe 🎃
• A scaled down updated version of my mom’s spinach fatayer recipe
• A thorough guide on Lebanese pantry essentials

From My Kitchen to Yours:

That’s a little peek into my kitchen (and life!) this month. What’s been your favorite thing you’ve cooked or baked in August? Let me know in the comments. Until next month, wishing you happy baking from my kitchen to yours. Also, don’t forget to sign up for my newsletter for early access to fall recipes, helpful tips, and exclusive behind-the-scenes moments! 😊