2025 Cooking Wrapped

The most notable cooking highlights from a cozy Q4.

I wish I could do a true 2025 cooking wrapped, but the first half of my year was consumed by pregnancy and felt like a fever dream of sourpatch kids and burger cravings (eaten separately, not together). This was followed by early postpartum months that were riddled with sleepless nights and eating for survival (though I was blessed with the most amazing home-cooked meals from loved ones who I’m forever indebted to). Here are the best things I made as I regained my sense of self, welcomed in cozy weather, figured out time management of cooking with a baby, and had the pleasure of hosting lots of friends & family!

I love being a not-Christmas-celebrating but fully-enjoying-the-holiday-season Muslim. The fun themes and get-togethers always inspire me to create ambitious, lofty goals of baking 12 dozen cookies and an 18-course Thanksgiving meal. InshAllah (God Willing) one day I’ll do all of that, but this year I had to reign those dreams in as I figured out the whole balancing life business of parenthood. Instead, I focused on what felt cozy and would satisfy a crowd. Some of these recipes were followed, while others I created (and am still refining) and hope to post soon!

So here’s my October-December 2025 Wrapped:

1. A Cozy Kitchen’s Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins: I’m obsessed with Adrianna, her corgi, and her recipes. She never does me wrong, and these muffins are no different. I made them three times for different friend and family gatherings in November and got to use them for the perfect pic with my pumpkin. They are the ideal sweetness level — could be a dessert, or enjoyed for breakfast with coffee, or both! Her instructions on making the cream cheese swirl are meticulous and should be followed. I got lazy with one batch and ended up with hollowed in cream cheese crater muffins. Pro tip: stock up on canned pumpkin through the holiday time (and what’s left of it in January) so you can make these any time of year.

   

2. Desi/Middle Eastern inspired Sheperd’s Pie: Went to Ireland this October which was a wonderful history-meets-beautiful-nature first trip with baby! Nothing says family bonding like a Northern Ireland tour to learn about The Troubles. I saw Sheperd’s Pie on nearly every menu and desperately wanted to have some, but couldn’t since I only eat halal. So, I was very excited to recreate it when I got home, with some creative freedom: I made a kheema (South Asian ground beef) base for more flavor & spice and added sumac to my mashed potato topper to compliment the slight tang from the parmesan. I’ll have to work out some of my ratios and do a re-trial before I can post a final recipe. But coming soon!

3. Gochujang Glazed Carrots on Whipped Ricotta & Honey: I first made this for a Thanksgiving re-do dinner with my in-law’s because almost everyone was sick for dinner on actual Thanksgiving. Despite most of the family still being sick, this punchy side dish was a favorite! It’s a sweet, spicy, savory side that could easily be a main.

   

4. Dorie Greenspan’s French Yogurt Cake w/ Strawberry Glaze: Found this recipe while searching for something quick I could bake to take to a riveting powerpoint night. Despite how simple it was to make, it was perfectly moist and a great snacking cake. I’ve made it four times since! The recipe calls for orange marmalade, but I’ve used any jam I have available and it’s been delicious every time. Using jam as a glaze is also the best shortcut technique to uplift any cake. [Not Photographed - but just trust me!]

5. Pecan Pie w/ Cinnamon Maple Cream Cheese Frosting: Pecan pie is the best pie, and I will fight anyone who says otherwise. This was my main contribution for the Mirza family Thanksgiving potluck this year, but I wanted to jazz it up, so I made cinnamon maple cream cheese frosting and frosted the pie just enough for each slice to get a taste. This might be overwhelming for folks that think pecan pie is already too sweet, but for me it captured notes of my favorite ice cream flavor, Butter Pecan. The cream cheese also helps cut through the sweetness just a bit while making it feel like a decadent dessert.

   

6. Wine-less Pot Roast: I have been fascinated by the concept of pot roast ever since I was a kid watching ‘90’s sitcoms where moms were always making pot roast. But my dreams of making one came to fruition thanks to the wonderful new halal butchery in town, Mayar’s Market in Hayward, that has beautiful cuts and clearly labeled products (I’ve had too much anxiety going to halal butcher shops and not knowing what the heck to order aside from the usual ground beef and chicken), and happened to have Wagyu chuck roast. Most pot roast recipes call for red wine, which I substituted for extra beef stock and some balsamic glaze. I replaced regular potatoes for sweet potatoes, and did a dry seasoning rub on the chuck roast before giving it a pan-sear. It was part of a festive "we have the day off for Christmas” lunch, paired with my mother-in-law’s chicken pot pie and mashed potatoes. I’ll be posting this recipe soon!

   So which recipe should I post first?