Behold. My boyfriend’s favorite meal – seabass with roasted rosemary potatoes, haricovert with mustard vinagrette and tomato and avocado salad. Goes over incredibly well every time. And its super simple.

on my birthday, my boyfriend and i noshed on some barbounia favorites. while we went on a friday afternoon, we were still able to munch on their famed meze plate of hummus, tzatziki, roasted eggplant, taramousalata (my favorite of the dish) and spicy feta and nicoise salad with sushi grade tuna, eggplant, fingerling potatoes, kalamata olives, red onion & hard boiled eggs. that bread you’re looking at, could possibly be one of the best homemade breads i’ve ever had. it’s crispy and salty on the outside and warm and soft on the inside. it goes so well with all the meze plates and is perfect for scooping up the sauces from the salad. what’s your favorite dish at barbounia?

lately, my favorite way to spend a sunday is with fresh shakshuka. all you need is fresh tomatoes, half a red bell pepper, garlic, onion, a can of whole tomatoes, a can of tomato sauce and eggs.

chop everything, throw it into a non-stick pan such as a le creuset and heat it until the mixture is thick. once that happens, crack whole eggs into little pockets you make, finish with two handfuls of chopped flat leaf parsley, salt and pepper and voila, breakfast is served. eat with your favorite italian or french style baguette.

After venturing to the Lower East Side to scope out the Hester Street Fair, Robin, Chris and I stopped by the infamous Doughnut Plant. Specializing in artisan yeast doughnuts, cake doughnuts, square, and jelly, we indulged in Lavender Flower, Peanut Butter + Jelly filled, Coconut Glaze, Blueberry, Carrot Cake, and Cinnamon Buns. Made with all natural ingredients, no trans fats, preservatives, artificial flavoring or eggs, these treats are a great way to spend some extra calories.

Bigger, puffier, and made from scratch, these doughnuts are handmade from the fresh fruit glazes to the in-house toasted nuts. The favorites in our box? The Peanut Butter + Jelly filled, Lavender Flower and Carrot Cake. While I usually go for a chocolate chip cookie to satiate my sweet tooth, the Doughnut Plant  scored a hole in one, giving doughnuts a special place in my heart.

We sprinkled olive oil, salt and pepper on the raw asparagus and popped them in the oven at 400 degrees for about 15 minutes. Robin loves when the tips get crispy.

After the tomato sauce came to a simmer, we added the mussels and cooked until they opened. Then, we scooped the mussels out of the pot, set them aside, and added the Buitoni pasta to the sauce. Besides being ridiculously affordable, I’m talking $3 for the package, Buitoni tastes fresh, doesn’t need to be boiled in water, and prepares rather quickly.

The meal took about 30 minutes to prepare and 3 minutes to devour. Everything was perfect and we celebrated our meal with spiced red wine as we dined on the deck.

We topped everything off with a strawberry, fresh whipped cream and Oreo parfait. Molto buono!

What’s your favorite summer meal?

Jacques Torres‘ Famous Chocolate Chip Cookie is hands down one of the best cookies in town. (Paradis To Go‘s chocolate chip cookie and this one are tied for first place in my book). While strolling through the streets of DUMBO with Robin, we decided to stop into the chocolate haven and snag one of their infamous cookies and a Frozen Cayenne Hot Chocolate. Drifting throughout the cookie, layers of chocolate create an amazing consistency and perfect balance of chocolate and cookie. The cookie was very fresh and we decided to wash it down with the decadent Frozen Cayenne Hot Chocolate. A perfect combination of sweet and spicy, the frozen hot chocolate was rich and thick, something that can only be enjoyed once in awhile. Overall, the cookie and iced hot chocolate are a little piece of heaven and a perfect way to spend those weekend calories.

Oh, and please do take note of Robin’s FAB red mani. Just love her red nails and red hair. She’s GORGE!

And of course, because we love our sweet with the savory, we indulged in creme brulee, a flourless chocolate cake with cinnamon ice cream and lemon tart with rosemary ice cream. The creme brulee was absolutely perfect with a thin crisp of torched sugar; the chocolate cake was rich and divine, perfectly paired with the cinnamon ice cream; and the lemon tart was simply amazing. With a thick crumbly crust and meyer lemon filling, I enjoyed each bite accompanied with the intrinsic rosemary ice cream.

All in all, I have to say I was quite please with the meal and dining experience. A perfect place for a business or lunch date.

Whether we’re gathering for a religious holiday or simply coming together to spend time, this make-ahead french toast bake symbolizes comfort and love to my family.

Use hard old bread, fresh french baguette from the baker, or sweet, doughy challah for this dish. Prepare a day in advance and voila, finito!

Ingredients:
Casserole
1 large challah, sliced ½ inch thick
8 large egg whites
2 cups whole milk
2 cups half & half
1 tablespoon sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla
½ teaspoon cinnamon
½ teaspoon nutmeg

Topping
1 1/3 cups light brown sugar
Pecans, chopped to taste

Directions:
Whisk together eggs, milk, half & half, sugar, vanilla, cinnamon and nutmeg. Grease bottom and sides of 9 x 13 baking dish with non-stick spray. Lay bread in prepared dish and pour egg mixture evenly over the bread. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.

When ready to bake, adjust the oven rack to the middle position. Heat oven to 325 degrees. Sprinkle light brown sugar and pecans over soaked bread. Bake casserole for 1 hour, until puffed and golden. Cool for 10 minutes and finish with artisan maple syrup.