Adair Kitchen

I haven't been able to go to brunch for a really long time, but I am certainly glad that I finally got to try Adair Kitchen. This quaint little place has an open, airy feel to it and is all about bacon! Though it's located in a shopping center, once you step inside you definitely don't feel like it. The menu is simple but unique with lots of fun choices. I sipped on a cup of butter pecan coffee while I waited for my meal to arrive. Though there were several things on the menu that caught my eye (all the more reason for me to go back), but I finally decided on the chicken and waffles.

There were four giant chicken tenders topped with some maple syrup and powdered sugar. The outside was crispy, not too thick and not too thin. The waffle was super light and fluffy and there was a slight sweetness to the batter. It was of course served with three pieces of super crispy bacon. I mean what else do you expect from a restaurant that has a piggy as a logo...bacon, lots of bacon. Adair Kitchen also had a yummy looking snack and lunch/dinner menu. However, I think they are known for their breakfast so if you haven't tried it be sure to stop by. Adair Kitchen reaffirmed my love of breakfast (and bacon!)

Hummus Chicken and Vegetables

Hummus is one of my favorite snacks, but I have never thought to cook with it. When I saw this recipe for hummus coated chicken with veggies, I was intrigued. I didn't know you could cook hummus. What was even more exciting was that this was a one dish meal and super healthy. It's not difficult to make...there's just a little cutting work involved. Who doesn't like a delicious meal that you can make in one pan?! This is an interesting combination and the hummus creates something like a "breading" on the outside of the chicken. The paprika gives it a smokey, barbecue type flavor profile.... it's kind of like eating a barbecue chicken.

Ingredients:

2 chicken breasts, boneless, skinless and cut in half
1 zucchini, thinly sliced
1 yellow squash, thinly sliced
1 onion, sliced or diced
1 container of store bought hummus
1 teaspoon paprika
2 lemons, 1 cut in half and 1 thinly sliced
Olive oil
Salt and pepper

Directions:

Coat a 13 x 9 glass pan with cooking spray. Slice the zucchini and yellow squash and preheat the oven to 450. (*Note: You can make veggies in a separate baking dish if you want.)

Season the chicken breast pieces with salt and pepper on both sides. In a small bowl, combine the zucchini, squash and onions. Drizzle with olive oil, salt and pepper and mix until everything is evenly coated.

Lay the veggies out in one layer in the bottom of the dish. Then place the chicken on top. Cover the chicken breast pieces with hummus. Make sure that they are completely covered. (I added a little extra to mine)

Squeeze one lemon over the chicken and sprinkle with paprika. Thinly slice the second lemon and lay the slices between the chicken and veggies. Bake for 30 minutes, making sure that the chicken is cooked throughout. 

Just be careful that you don't overcook the chicken because it's a bit hard to tell when it is done with the hummus on top. I overcooked mine slightly, so I served it with a tiny bit of extra hummus to add some moisture back into the chicken. This dish is a not like eating normal chicken, so be sure to give it a try!

The Breakfast Klub

There is nothing better than meeting friend for breakfast, especially when you get to enjoy a wonderful meal just like you were at home. The Breakfast Klub is a well-known establishment in Houston and I am embarrassed to admit that I just now made it there. We went early to avoid the block long line that forms later in the morning. The two breakfast specialties of The Breakfast Klub are the chicken and waffles and the fried catfish and grits. Ever since my trip to Charleston, I feel as though I have become a grits snob so I am cautious now about trying grits. I can't say that I am a huge fan of catfish, so I opted for my version of the first option - chicken and pancakes. This came with six giant pieces of chicken (3 wings and 3 drumsticks) and 3 platter size pancakes. Just the normal Texas sized portions - everything is bigger and better in Texas right? The chicken smelled amazing and was fresh from the fryer! The coating had a nice crunch to it and lots of seasoning. The chicken was steaming hot and fresh...some of the best fried chicken I have had. The pancakes were light and fluffy, but to be honest they weren't anything super duper special. That could be because I never order plain pancakes so it could just be that I don't have the proper palate to compare plain pancakes. If you haven't been to this Houston staple, you need to make sure that you do. Make sure you go early to avoid the huge line and be sure to bring a hearty appetite!

Muiishi Makirritos

Muiishi Makirritos is a great food truck when you are looking for some of your favorites with a twist. I decided that I was going to try the bacon biscuits. Maybe I didn't entirely read the menu description, but I was thinking that these would be just biscuits with bacon in them. I was pleasantly surprised to find that these were bacon biscuits on top of a deliciously fried piece of chicken. The biscuit was laced with bacon and cheese. This was skewered with a pieced of chicken drizzled with honey and there was a bacon jam on the biscuit. The honey added a touch of sweetness to help balance the salt from the chicken and bacon. The finishing touch were some green onions. These super yummy chicken bites were a playful twist on chicken and biscuits. Next up on the menu...mac and cheese egg rolls! I can't wait to go back and if you haven't given Muiishi Makirritos a try, then make your way to their truck as soon as possible.

Brunch at MAX's Wine Dive

I would have to say the brunch is some of my favorite meals. There is something sweet, something savory, and there are always yummy drinks. For me, when I go to brunch time slows down and I get to relax, catch up with people and enjoy life. However, I don't get to go that often, so I am not really familiar with all the best brunch places. I heard that MAX's Wine Dive had a super brunch and the menu looked delicious! I had actually been there one time before for dinner and had MAX and cheese, which was to die for! I am a huge fan of macaroni and cheese and this one is definitely tops the list, so I figured that brunch would be just as good. Of course brunch stared off with yummy mimosas, so that set the tone for a good time. I got really excited when I saw that the MAX and cheese was a brunch option! I don't usually order the same thing, but this was just heaven in a bowl, so I decided to order it again. I was even luck enough to convince my friend to share with me, so I did get to try something new as well.

Enter chicken wings on jalapeno corn pancakes. I can honestly say that this is probably something that I would never order on my own, but boy was it good. The chicken wings had a nicely flavored coating on them that wasn't too spicy and wasn't too overwhelming. The jalapeno corn pancakes were delicious! The jalapenos provided a smokey note to the pancake, which was nice since I was expecting it to be super spicy. They were moist and fluffy and actually really good with the maple syrup. It was a little bit of sweet and a bit of savory in each bite, plus you got to pick up your food and eat it. MAX's is definitely some where I will be going back to for brunch, as I hear that their red velvet pancakes are heavenly. Guess that means I know what I am getting next time. Whether you are going for brunch or dinner, MAX's is somewhere you need to try, but make a reservation or get there early as it gets really busy.

Crock Pot Chili

I have a crock pot, but don't really use it all that often because I don't have that many recipes. I found this recipe for chicken taco chili on Pinterest. It's super simple and really yummy. The best part about crock pot recipes is that you put in all the ingredients and then just let it cook away. Plus, it starts to release all these delicious aromas and makes me feel really cozy. The recipe is available on my Pinterest board, but here's what you need to know.



 Ingredients:
1 can of black beans
1 can of kidney beans
1 bag of frozen corn
1 28 oz. can of diced tomatoes (I used no salt added tomatoes)
1 16 oz. can of tomato sauce
3 boneless chicken breasts, frozen
1 tbsp chili powder
Either 1 packet taco seasoning or spices to taste (cumin, oregano, salt, pepper)

Directions:
Put all ingredients into the crock pot and cook for 6 hours on high or 10 hours on low. Once it's done, shred the chicken and mix in. Top with sour cream, shredded cheddar cheese, avocado, lettuce, tortilla strips or guacamole.

Dig in and enjoy! Try it out and let me know what you think. If you have any great crock pot recipes, post them so I check try them out.

Always Alto

I have already shared with you about this great little pizza place in West Ave, but here I am talking about it again. I was flattered when a friend and I were going to go out to eat and she said she had read my blog and wanted to try Alto. So of course, that's where we went. It was delicious before, so I was more than happy to go back to try something new. However, I did have to indulge in something old, so I had a glass of the super fruity, white wine sangria. We started off with an order of calamari served with traditional marinara and a parsley dip. The parsley sauce was a great combination with the seasoned crunch of the calamari coating. The breading didn't fall apart and there wasn't too much of it. A squeeze of lemon adds a touch of citrusy freshness to it, making the flavors light and bright.

Next, we decided to try the daily special pizza. It had roasted garlic, red onion, chicken, cheddar cheese, and rosemary. The rosemary add a deep, earthy flavor to the pizza and the roasted garlic sort of melted into the sauce, making it almost taste like a barbecue sauce. There were big chunks of chicken that were well seasoned and very moist. The cheddar cheese was a nice change from the normal mozzarella and helped add to the barbecue feel of the pizza. The thin and crispy crust doesn't fill you up with unnecessary bread, so you get to enjoy the toppings... the real reason you eat a pizza.

I have to admit that the few times I have been to Alto, I have never had dessert. Then I heard a whisper that there was some sort of dessert with Nutella. Who passes up something with that chocolate hazelnutty goodness? So we splurged and got an order of sourdough doughnuts with nutella! The dough of the doughnuts wasn't sweet at all, but was rolled in sugar. The Nutella was melted which made it even better and easier to dip into. It was heaven and I couldn't get enough of them! Each bite had tartness from the dough, crunch from the sugar crystals, and a smooth chocolate finish. They were some of the most delicious doughnuts I have ever had. If you haven't had them, you need to go get an order as soon as possible. This is something that I may have to work on figuring out how to make at home. I am so glad that I went back to Alto and had another delicious dinner!

Celebrate the Fry!

Today not only is Friday, but it National French Fry Day! It's a must that you find some type french fry to have in celebration of this very special day. I have to admit that I can't really turn down any kind of fry, but usually I try to limit myself. However, I decided that I would be bad and celebrate. I recently got a coupon in the mail from Jerry Built to try their chicken sandwich, so I figured this would be the perfect accompaniment to the fries. If you haven''t stopped by Jerry Built yet, you definitely need to. It is a custom burger place that uses fresh, local ingredients and you can really taste the difference. Plus, they have integrated some really fun technology into their restaurant and always have seasonal specials. Currently, they have grilled sweet corn and summer shakes.

But... that's not what today is about. It is about the crunchy, tender goodness that are fries. I am a fan of sweet potato fries because they have a bit of sweetness and they do say that sweet potatoes are better for you. The Jerry Built fries are crinkle cut, which makes them taste even yummier and they are fun to play with. They are cut fresh daily and are only seasoned with salt. They are simple, yet delicious, and are a perfect way to celebrate french fry day. The chicken sandwich was seasoned well and situated in between a toasted bun, topped with lettuce, pickles, and onions. I would say that it was a successful french fry day meal. Let me know where you go to celebrate. Happy National French Fry Day everyone!