I’ve found a couple of new “best of” lists recently for Spring 2026, one at Bon Appétit  and one at Forbes. I started putting in holds at the library. I Sleep in My Kitchen by Mariam Daud was one of the first one that I received.

About the book:

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • 100 flavor-forward recipes—including signature bakes—from the Palestinian American creator of the beloved social media account mxriyum

Mariam Daud has built a devoted following by sharing beautifully prepared, comforting meals that feel both timeless and entirely her own. In I Sleep in My Kitchen, she offers a collection of the recipes that have shaped her life—dishes that carry the flavors of her heritage and the ease and creativity of a home cook who simply loves to feed others, from cherished classics like her mother’s irresistible Cheese Fatayer, a savory cheese-stuffed pastry, to her takes on everyday favorites like Triple Stack Smash Burgers or tender, pull-apart Cinnamon Rolls.

At the heart of I Sleep in My Kitchen are the flavors Mariam Daud grew up with in her Palestinian American home, including celebratory dishes like Msakhan, the national dish of Palestine, of soft flatbread, caramelized onions, tender stewed chicken, and toasted pine nuts, alongside playful recipes infused with Middle Eastern flavor, like her Mediterranean Pasta Salad with Sumac-Vinaigrette, and Tahini Browned Butter Banana Bread.

Spanning breakfasts, small plates, salads, soups, mains, and her signature sweet and savory baked goods, this collection includes many of her most-loved recipes as well as brand-new creations, including Bang Bang Shrimp Tacos with Cabbage Slaw, Fluffy Browned Butter Rolls, and a Loaded Chickpea Salad with Bulgur.

I Sleep in My Kitchen is an invitation to cook with generosity and curiosity, to explore the food that connects us to memory, place, and one another. (from Penguin Random House)

About the author:

Mariam Daud, better known as mxriyum, is a Palestinian American home cook based in California. She grew up watching her mother create beautiful dishes for her and her nine siblings, which sparked a deep passion for bringing people together with food. Since then, Mariam has enjoyed global success online by sharing her relaxing, inspiring recipe videos that offer everything from baked goods to comfort food to traditional Palestinian cuisine. (also from PRH)

What I thought…

Daud was raised in a family restaurant from a very early age (until her parents had to sell it). Even after the restaurant was no more, she still associated her mother in the kitchen as the “head chef” (10). This book is an homage to her mother who always shared family recipes with anyone who asked, never saying there were secret ingredients that couldn’t be divulged. The tradition to share lives on.

My mother has always encouraged me to share family recipes, because it plays a vital role in preserving our culture (10).

Daud became obsessed with recipes and recipe development. Like jumping out of bed at 2 AM obsessed when an idea struck her. (I can relate to that.) But now, she has a cookbook to show for her OCD.

As she takes the reader/cook on her kitchen journey, Daud established needed ingredients and where to source them (although most can be found in American markets). Substitutions or even recipes to make your own (like for Kishta, an Arab clotted cream) are included.

Then, she jumps right into the recipes. How can you not love a cookbook that starts with a buttermilk pancake with whipped cream fortified with crème fraîche? From there, the “Breakfast & Brunch” section just swells. Two types of French toast, Shashuka, Croissant Breakfast Sandwiches, Tomato Galette with Za’atar, etc.

Of course, the “Small Plates” section starts out with Mama’s Homemade Hummus. There is no substituting canned chickpeas here. Dried chickpeas are soaked overnight and boiled for 1 hour or until tender. An interesting tip she shares is to throw a few ice cubes in the food processor to help your hummus reach a smooth consistency.

The “Salad” section is full of beautifully photographed and delicious sounding recipes. The “Soup” section also was extensively delicious sounding but I just couldn’t get into to these as summer seems like it already here. (But, I will be saving Spiced Butternut Squash Soup and Creamy Chicken Gnocchi Soup for later in the year.) I had to make her pasta salad though.

Mediterranean Pasta Salad with Sumac Vinaigrette

Based on a recipe from I Live in my Kitchen by Miriam Daud

Ingredients

• 1 T. salt
• 16 oz. twisted pasta
• 2/3 c. extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 T. white vinegar (I used a chive infused vinegar.)
• 2 T. fresh lemon juice
• 6 large garlic cloves, smashed
• 3 t. ground sumac
• 2 t. Dijon mustard
• 1 t. fresh oregano leaves (or 2 t. dried)
• 1/2  t. salt
• 1/2 t. fresh ground pepper
• 1 c. cherry tomatoes, halved
• 1 large cucumber, peeled and diced
• 1 red onion, halved and thinly sliced
• 1/2 c. sliced Kalamata olives
• 1/4 c. crumbled feta*
• 8 oz. fresh mozzarella pearls
• 1/4 c. sliced pickled banana peppers
• 1/4 c. fresh parsley, chopped
• 1/4 c. fresh dill, chopped

Instructions

1. Place a large pot of water on to boil. Add at least 1 T. salt. Cook pasta according to directions. When al dente, drain and rinse under cold water. Set aside.
2. Add the olive oil, vinegar, lemon juice, garlic, sumac, Dijon, oregano, salt and pepper to a blender or food processor. Process until oregano and garlic have been chopped and are not in big chunks. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.
3. In a large salad bowl, combine the pasta, tomatoes, cucumber, onion, olives, feta, mozzarella, peppers, parsley and dill. Pour the dressing over the salad and toss to coat. Refrigerate until ready to serve. 

Yield: 6-8

“This is a recipe that tastes even better the next day, after it marinates in the sumac dressing” (69).

I did adjust the recipe a bit. Daud’s original recipe calls for only 12 oz. of pasta. Pasta always comes in 16 oz. packages so I used it all. I ended up doubling the dressing recipe because I felt like there was just not enough to coat the ingredients. 

*I also would add more feta next time and maybe even leave out the mozzarella. The mozzarella did add some good creamy texture to the dish though. 

Make sure you taste the dish prior to serving and toss it one more time. 

This salad is great for a side or for a summer lunch!

Certain recipes throughout the book are marked “Fan Favorites.” I paid special attention to these. The Three-Cheese Creamy Baked Mac and Cheese was one of these. Again, a lot of the “Pasta & Rice” recipes just seemed to speak Fall and Winter to me. I will have to save some of these for later.

The Seafood, Poultry & Meat section is pretty eclectic. Daud starts out with Bang Bang Shrimp Tacos with Cabbage Slaw. The Bang Bang sauce is composed of Kewpie mayo, Thai sweet chili sauce, sriracha and honey. The slaw is simply cabbage, cilantro, green onions with a bit of lime squeeze. There’s more great seafood recipes like crabcakes with lemon aioli, Teriyaki Salmon with Mango Salsa and Quinoa, and Slow-Roasted Jalapeno Salmon with Citrus Chimichurri. I am usually not drawn to seafood recipes but Daud won me over. She then moves on to a few more traditional dishes like chicken shawarma, Sumac and Lemon Roast Chicken with Tahini Salad, Lamb Shoulder with Labneh and Fennel-Orange Glaze, Saniyeh Kofta (Beef Patties in Tomato Sauce), Msakhan (Flatbread with Chicken, Sumac and Caramelized Onions). Msakhan is the photo that graces the cover of her book. There are two fried chicken sandwich recipes, a chicken pizza, a burger, and a marinated brisket as well. I love how a lot of her main dish recipes basically include a side or at least a heavy garnish.

Daud includes traditional bread recipes like pita, Khubiz Taboon, Ka’ak Al-Quds, Cheese Fatayer, and Za’atar Manakeesh. The majority of the rest of the recipes in the Bread section include everything from Japanese Milk Bread to Brioche Buns to pretzels.

On to Sweets & Desserts…. There’s more bread with the Tahini and Browned Butter Banana Bread mentioned in the blurb. Cinnamon Rolls, donuts, brownies, a galette, carrot cake chocolate tiramisu, raspberry cheese cake “chocoflan” and chocolate chip cookies are included along with Ma’amoul (date-stuffed butter cookies), Katayef (fried stuffed “pancakes”), Knafeh Kishna (sweet cheese pie), Awamah (fried orange blossom dough balls), Riz Bi Haleeb (rice pudding), and Mtabouk (sweet layered pastry). I was most drawn to her Blueberry, Basil, and Lemon Olive Oil Loaf Cake! So, I made that too. Daud says that “Using basil in a cake might seem controversial, but I promise, the combo of blueberries lemon, and basil is out of this world” (256).

Daud calls for the “juice of one lemon” and the “zest of one lemon.” I used a large lemon so my cake was extra lemony. I agree about the basil!

I also made Daud’s Fattoush (Fried Bread Salad) but I subbed in pit a chips (a hack from a different recipe). I’m not printing her recipe here for this one. Buy the book.

This book is so much more than a journey through Daud’s family recipe box. She is truly inventive in recreating and developing delicious recipes, from the traditional family Palestinian ones to brand new traditions with the likes of the pasta salad and the lemon-basil-blueberry cake.

I am definitely making Caramelized Onion Ratatouille Tart and the Falafel!

Stay tuned!

I’m linking up with Foodies Read for June.