Pistachio Loaf with Drippy Icing—wishing you a very merry, and a happy, happy!

It’s Christmas Eve and there is a feeling of beauty and magic and holiday all round.

Everyone seems to be on vacation from work with the busy-ness of last-minute shopping, family get-togethers, nights in front of the fire, holiday soirees, lingering dinners, and family traditions.

And while on the topic of holidays and celebrations, I am a little wistful for festive cheer and fairy lights and snow and a trip to Paris (ah, yes!), but most of all, mistletoe.

Double Chocolate Chunk Peanut Cookies

It is the night before. 

There is a spirit of magic and holiday all around the world.

And in all the feeling of excitement, I am home alone, enjoying a few days of vacation from work, while soaking up the beauty and magic in the air, and catching up on a few lovely things.

One of my very favorite things during the holiday season—besides the cozy late mornings under the blanket, sleeping ins, and the romance of late night movies with many cups of coffee—is baking up a storm in the kitchen.

Orange Almond and Yogurt Loaf—light, moist, and deliciously moreish

It’s that time of the year again.

Christmas is around the corner, and the clock is ticking down hurriedly to a whole new exciting year.

The festive season is always a special and memorable time. It brings family and friends together with rituals and traditions, sparkle and magic, gifts and fun and food.

Eggless Strawberry Melting Moments—melt-in-your mouth sandwich cookies for the holiday season

October whirled by quickly, and can hardly believe it is November. 

Sweet, sweet November with its brisk freshness and excitement of utterly lovely things—cool nights with cozy cashmeres and warm woolen blankets, strong cups of chai in the morning, and many memorable evening with scented candles and the intoxicating fragrance of fresh roses.

Chocolate Puddle Cookie — gluten-free, grain-free and dairy-free too!

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I had planned to post this recipe before Christmas. But somehow, inevitably, my plans went awry. So here I am two days after the festivities, wishing you and yours a belated Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays with a batch of special cookies from my kitchen to yours to ring in the New Year.

From intricately decorated cookie varieties to beautifully frosted cakes, the holiday season inspire us to indulge in all manners of sweet treats, right? I for one have been slightly obsessed with baking sweets this month. If you remember, I started off this month with chocolate caramel slice and now I’m ending it with chocolate walnut cookie. Rightly so. Just don’t brand me a chocoholic, I really outgrew my chocolate craze a longtime back.

Chocolate Caramel Slice — the perfect holiday treat

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This is it. A December day.

The signal that the year is drawing to a close, at last.

It's a magical season. Of fairy lights. Of plenty. The joy of holidays, festive cheer and age-old traditions. Yet, this is just a fleeting end. Before the beginning of a new cycle—new hopes, exciting possibilities, reinvigorated dreams. Yes!

Soft-centered Mocha Pudding — a wicked treat worthy of special occasions

In a few days it will be Eid. Yes.

Muslims around the world will be celebrating Eid al-Adha, feast of the sacrifice, on the tenth day of the lunar month of Dhu’l-Hijjah, marking the culmination of the holy pilgrimage to Mecca. It’s a holiday everyone comes to appreciate in the GCC States, just like the seasonality of the Christmas in the west.

During Eid, it is customary to finish off the meals with a sweet treat, and share sweet dishes with friends and relatives.

Festivals call for special treat, don't you think? Now if you are looking for a last minute indulgence, I have something very special. It's tasty, it's chocolaty too. An emergency homemade treat for giving, or sharing at your dining table—a wicked treat to celebrate Eid.

Anzac Biscuits — syrupy, chewy, crunchy Aussie classic; eggless too

*Plateful and this recipe was spotlighted on Foodbuzz daily featured (12.10.11). Here's the extract: Today's Foodbuzz Featured: Plateful and ANZAC Biscuits. Seriously gorgeous photos! Take a look: http://ow.ly/6VxUe*

The weather has taken a turn for gorgeousness after the torrid summer heat. Although this seasonal change is not marked by glorious colors of the fall foliage here in the Gulf, it’s hard not to miss the other signs from nature. The afternoons are balmy and more summer like and the evenings pleasant with crisp breeze. Even more amazing is to notice how incredibly quickly and early the night falls. Fall is a season of change, and oh so beautiful.

Melting Moments — dainty eggless cookies

I confess — I have never been game enough to bake cookies at home. Until recently, that is. Once I kicked off, I just can’t resist the urge to fill my cookie jar with these homemade dainties. From the gorgeous macarons and classic anzac bikkies to the sinful melting moments and anything in between. Because… nothing—nothing beats homemade cookies. It’s such a guilty pleasure and the ultimate comfort food. Really. 

Raspberry Cupcakes

Ahhh....cupcakes anyone? Okay. I think I hear a lot of oohs and aahs....or am I fantasizing...!!?

With flavors abundant and endless ideas for decorative frosting, cupcakes have become gourmet food. Hip, chic and glamorous. And oh, so personalized. Appealing to all age groups, across borders, without discrimination. They are a joy to look at, and evermore so delicious to eat. Generations ago, it was the food of just young children. With rise in popularity, however, it’s not an unusual sight to see devoted adults queued up in long lines outside boutique cupcake bakeries to snap up their favorite flavors.

Pretty Pink Raspberry Macarons

Featured on Yummly, Delicate French Macarons You Can Make For Yourself

It is another long, bright and sunny day of May. The kind of weather that beckons you to wear your flip-flops, drive to the beach, and dive into the sea to cool off. Sun, sand and water…aha. Only that I don’t swim—duh!

In fact, I’m feeling quite cheerful to spend the day indoors, enjoying the quietness, now that I have my connection back. These persistent issues with the connectivity is a real bummer. I’ve been missing in action too long. And this time, I couldn’t find any ease with the slow routine. I was actually sick, worse luck, spoiling all my ambitious plans to have a good time. So there was nothing much I could do than go with the flow. Not even an overdose of movies could snap me out of the ho-hum days. On the contrary, it added to my woes—splitting headaches, sore eyes and sleepless nights. Eeeek!