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    About

    Welcome! My name is Lilian, but my friends call me Lily. It's so nice to meet you, and I'm so glad you are here.

    lily squeezing lemons

    My Whole Life Story

    Made in California in 1985, my childhood spans Tamagotchis and slap bracelets. I'm made from American (originally Northern European) and Lebanese genetics despite convincing my younger brother his real name was Maria and I'm really from another planet.

    baby photo

    As a kid, I was obsessed with Michael Jackson and would only jump off of the diving board doing one of his dance moves.

    My childhood was spent trying to find ways to join the circus, babysitting, and starting businesses (lemonade stands) that would help me save up for my dream car when I turned 16 - a Jeep Wrangler. Dreams really do come true.

    jeep wrangler in home
    Jeep Hot Wheels

    I have 3 younger siblings that have kept me humble. My brother, Jamil, is actually the best cook I know. Jason is the youngest and wisest of our family. My sister, Angie, is a talented musician and artist.

    My mother, Judy, is a retired teacher, pianist, and licensed professional counselor at Live Oak Therapy Group, a telehealth counseling practice in Texas.

    My father, Elie, and grandmother (Tayta Lily) are not afraid of snakes, which I find entirely fascinating.

    • lily boukheir with a snake
    • elie boukheir with a snake

    Growing up, I was taught to play tennis with a two-handed tennis racquet- an invention of my father's (yes, it’s ITF approved).

    Aside from helping my Granny out in the kitchen and one time trying to bake a frozen duck, my first cooking lessons were as a teenager from my Thai neighbor, Pat. She is a professional chef, and I still have my recipes and notes from almost 18 years ago. Little did I know that this little passion of mine would come full circle almost 2 decades later.

    Following the Conventional Route

    In 2004, I went to college to study mechanical engineering. I'm not going to lie, I thought I made a mistake at the time. During all 4 years of undergraduate study, I felt this pressure on my shoulders that I was carving out the next 38 years of my professional life. That feels really heavy for someone in their early twenties, who is just starting to figure out what they like and don't like. If I had to say one thing to my younger self it would be: You got this and nothing is permanent (aside from student loan debt!).

    My 10-year corporate engineering career was variable, like most things in life. There were things I liked and things I didn't like. The biggest takeaway from my corporate career was: Follow your passion. Do what you love and love what you do. Otherwise, at some point, we all hit a ceiling in personal and professional development, and we stagnate. What value is growth to you?

    While I was pregnant, I left my corporate job and decided to stay home with my daughter, Amina, for her first year. Shortly after Amina was born, I moved to Abu Dhabi.

    Motherhood is Challenging

    My experience with motherhood can be summed up in two words: fulfilling and challenging. Even though I'm so thankful to be a mother, I'm also surprised by how difficult it is. I made a lot of assumptions prior to starting my journey as a mother, and well, I guess you don't know what you don't know. But now I know.

    rosie riveter mom edition

    At first, I thought maybe I was a different mother duck struggling on the sidelines. But as I spoke to more and more women, I realized we all have similar stories and difficulties. Even with supportive spouses, being a mother is super hard. Sacrifices are inherent and many times unseen. But that's ok because it shapes us into who we are today. Motherhood has only strengthened my larger purpose which is empowering women.

    How The Matbakh Got Started

    I've always loved cooking and bringing people together. What started as a creative outlet where I could mentally disconnect from being a stay-at-home mom has turned into a full-blown passion.

    lily with the matbakh making a smoothie

    Cooking has always symbolized something more to me than just making food to eat. Cooking brings up memories from my childhood, it's a creative place where I can try new things, it's a place to connect with friends and family or even a way to immerse myself in a new culture. Food is the vessel for which I travel to new places, build beautiful memories, and have meaningful relationships.

    Anyways, enough about me... now that you know my whole life story. Let's talk about you and what you can find here.

    What You Can Find at The Matbakh

    The word matbakh means kitchen in Arabic. Here you will find tasty, easy options for cooking with likely a cultural twist. Everything from Granny’s sweet potato casserole to bulgar wheat tabouli, you will find a variety of flavors and stories behind each dish brought to you from travels abroad and international friendships.

    Just like many of us are a hodgepodge of nationalities and backgrounds, this food blog is a cultural melting pot with an emphasis on Mediterranean and Middle Eastern cuisine. You might have already noticed that we have a small team. We share parts of ourselves through our recipes because cooking is a way of connecting with people. Thank you for being here.

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    Hi, I'm Lily!

    toddler lily using her kitchen set

    I've been cooking things up ever since I was a kid. I'm a Lebanese American from Texas. My kitchen, or "matbakh", is a hodgepodge of delicious cultural recipes from the US and Mediterranean regions.

    More about me

    Quick & Easy Desserts

    • Lazy Cake
    • Cookie Dough Date Balls
    • Cookie Butter Rice Krispie Treats
    • The BEST Chocolate Chip Cookies (Freezer-Friendly)

    Vegan Smoothies

    • Pineapple Kiwi Green Smoothie
    • Blueberry Kale Banana Smoothie
    • Strawberry Banana Pineapple Smoothie
    • Strawberry Pomegranate Smoothie

    Middle Eastern Desserts

    • Aish El Saraya - Ashta With Sweetened Bread
    • Pistachio Tahini Halva
    • Mafroukeh Pistachio Dessert With Cream
    • How To Make Baklava Rolls
    • Date Ma'amoul Mad Bars
    • Riz Bi Haleeb - Rose Water Rice Pudding
    • Qatayef Stuffed Pancakes (Walnuts or Cheese)
    • Basbousa Semolina Cake
    • Date Filled Cookie Bracelets - Ka'ak Asawer
    • Homemade Turkish Delight (Raha)

    Lebanese Recipes

    • Meghli Lebanese Caraway Pudding
    • Lebanese Chicken and Rice (Riz a Djej)
    • Lebanese Seven Spices Blend
    • Namoura Syrup-Soaked Semolina Cake
    • Sfouf Turmeric Cake
    • Kibbeh Labanieh (Kibbeh Balls In Yogurt)
    • Kafta
    • Potato Kibbeh (Kibbet Batata)
    • Kousa Mahshi Lebanese Stuffed Zucchini
    • Fried Kibbeh Balls
    • Beef Sambousek
    • Zaatar Manakeesh Flatbread

    Mediterranean Faves

    • Roasted Red Pepper Hummus
    • Slow Roasted Lamb Shanks In Foil Packets
    • Sautéed Lemon Garlic Butter Shrimp
    • Egyptian Koshari Recipe (The Best I've Had)
    • Oven Broiled Lamb Kabobs
    • Killer Lebanese Fattoush Salad
    • Bulgar Tabouli Salad
    • How To Make Labneh From Milk
    • Easy Spanakopita (Greek Spinach And Feta Pie)
    • Creamy Vitamix Chickpea Hummus (Easy & Authentic)

    Family-Style Recipes

    • Ricotta and Sausage Baked Ziti
    • Steelhead Trout with Garlic Lime Butter Sauce
    • Harissa Lamb Chili With Couscous
    • Blanched Asparagus With Garlic Aioli
    • 20 Minute Garlic Butter Shrimp Pasta
    • Easy Ground Lamb Shepherd's Pie
    • Baked Chicken Thighs and Turmeric Basmati Rice
    • Chipwich Cookie Ice Cream Sandwich

    Kid Favorites

    • Crispy Pita Bread Pizza
    • Chipwich Cookie Ice Cream Sandwich
    • Lemon Blueberry Pancakes
    • Slow Cooker Meat Spaghetti Sauce
    • Butter Roasted Baby Gold Potatoes
    • Italian Stuffed Zucchini in Tomato Sauce

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