Recipe – Page 4 – Hoots of a Night Al

Night Al Migrations: The Pearl

April 18, 2014 4 Comments

Howdy y’all! Remember me? Sorry…I’ve been MIA (no, not the singer/rapper M.I.A.) for a minute! Don’t fret. I’m back.

I wanted to share a pretty cool, new (to us) spot that hubbs and I explored a few weeks ago: The Pearl in San Antonio. We moved to San Antonio almost 2 years ago from our beloved Houston (where our families live) with the attitude that San Antonio would never be as good as our hometown. While that may still ring true, we recently decided to abandon our bitter attitude towards San Antonio and start exploring! I’m hoping as we venture throughout the city together, I can share our experiences here as Night Al Migrations. I’m sorry…I love a good theme, so I’m sticking with the bird idea here.

Our goal was to branch out from typical tourist spots like the River Walk and find other cool locations around the city. When we visited Bakery Lorraine for our anniversary, we drove through an area known as The Pearl. The Pearl is a grouping of restaurants, shops, and lofts in buildings that originally housed The Pearl Brewery. We recently made a trip there to enjoy lunch and browse around some of the stores.

We arrived around one o’clock on a Friday afternoon and headed to The Granary for some BBQ. (Side note: I instagrammed the picture above and misspelled “Granary” in my caption. So embarrassing.) The Granary is located in a charming house from the 1800s and is covered with rich wood, unique lighting, and handwritten chalkboard menus. They also have a dog-friendly, wrap-around porch, which was a nice touch! We got our drinks first (glass bottle Coca Cola for me, house-made root beer for Lou) and waited a few minutes for our meal.

We weren’t too intrigued by any of the sides, so we each got a chopped beef sandwich and 1/2 lb of beef brisket to split. The Granary is big on only serving humanely raised meat (humanely raised to be slaughtered for our lunch…contradictory?), and it showed in their prices! I can safely say though, that their chopped beef sandwich was one of the best I’ve ever tasted! It was on fresh baked bread, and their BBQ sauce (which is a crucial component for me) was super tasty. However, the brisket was marbled with LOTS of fat, which we’re not fans of. I can’t recommend it if you prefer lean brisket.

Once we finished lunch, we decided to walk around and explore some of the boutiques and shops. One of the boutiques we went into was Leighelena, which contained a mixture of vintage boots and clothes, handmade jewelry and various gifts and decor. It was kind of like a vintage, western Urban Outfitters? They had a ton of unique pieces and some really beautiful jewelry.

Another favorite store of mine was The Tiny Finch. They had some of the most beautiful home decor unlike anything I’ve ever seen providing several one-of-a-kind pieces. We popped in a few other shops including Ten Thousand Villages (pictured below), which contained pieces from around the world created by various artisans. Each store we visited was distinctly different and offered special pieces you’re unlikely to find anywhere else.

In fact, The Pearl was so unique, I was kind of worried we weren’t hip enough to be there! Stupid, right? The Culinary Institute of America also has a campus at The Pearl, so, obviously, there is no shortage of adventurous (and pricey) restaurants. They have everything from an authentic Mexican street food ice house to a kosher vegetarian restaurant to a seafood and oyster bar. There’s something for everyone! Be warned though…most of the restaurants aren’t for picky eaters. Louis and I are pretty boring when it comes to food, and several of the restaurant menus require much more sophisticated palates. 😉 Like I said…we may not be hip enough for The Pearl…haha!

The Pearl has incredible lofts on site that would be a dream to live in! They are also in the process of renovating the historic brew house into a luxury boutique hotel. In addition to all this, they host a huge Farmer’s Market every weekend, which brings in tons of local vendors. I think The Pearl is on the brink of being really popular. I’m sure within the next couple of years once all of the storefronts are occupied and the construction and renovations are complete, the area will be booming. We had a great time exploring it, and I can’t wait to see how it grows in the future! If you’re a local, or you visit San Antonio, add The Pear to your itinerary for some unique food and shopping!

I hope you all have a wonderful weekend celebrating Easter, and I’ll be back next week with some more Beauty Blurbs and posts!

See you then!

Food, Recipe

Homemade Burrito Bowls

February 20, 2014 2 Comments

Look out Chipotle, this lady has started making burrito bowls at home. Okay, seriously, they don’t have to look out…I could never make anything as tasty as Chipotle. Their chips and guacamole are enough to keep me coming back for life. However, this homemade version is pretty tasty and definitely cheaper! I made a chicken burrito bowl, but you could substitute anything you want!

Here’s the recipe for the marinade I used from All Recipes.

1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 tablespoons chili powder
2 tablespoons lime juice
2 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

Cut chicken into bite-sized pieces
Mix together marinade ingredients
Cover chicken with marinade & refrigerate overnight

Coat skillet with olive oil (about 2 tablespoons), and turn up to medium heat
Cook chicken thoroughly

Once I had my cooked chicken, I simply layered it with my other burrito bowl ingredients. First, I put in my Chipotle Cilantro Lime Rice, then added my chicken, then some Bush’s Seasoned Pinto Beans (straight from a can…I’m fancy like that.), and finally some shredded Mexican blend cheese. That’s it! Of course, feel free to make it your own! You could add salsa, lettuce, sour cream, grilled bell pepper and onion, black beans…the possibilities are endless!

I thought this was a fun twist on our typical taco night, and I hope everyone else enjoys it, too!

Food, Recipe

Classic Baked Ziti

February 17, 2014 4 Comments

This Classic Baked Ziti is delicious, filling, comfort food. Who doesn’t love cheesy, meaty pasta? I’m pretty sure my mom pinned and cooked this first, and it was so yummy, I had to try making it myself! The original recipe is from Budget Savvy Diva, but mine below is halved. I think these portions would easily feed a group of 3-4.

As always, you can change these ingredients to fit your needs. If you want a healthier option, substitute ground beef for ground turkey (yuck.) and select a wheat pasta to cook. If you love spinach, add a few chopped handfuls. Make it your own! Or, if you’re like me, follow the recipe exactly and still probably screw it up.

First,preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Next, in a large skillet, heat oil, and cook onions for about eight minutes. Then add the garlic and cook for about a minute.

Next, you’ll cook your ground beef, drain the fat and add your sauce, broth, and spices. Make sure you thoroughly stir them together and heat it throughout.

Stir one cup of your sauce mixture into the cooked ziti pasta. Make sure to coat all of the noodles.

Place half of the ziti into a baking dish. I use the 1.9L Pyrex that came in my Pyrex set, and it works perfectly. Sprinkle 3/4 mozzarella and 1/4 parmesan over the pasta. Next top with the remaining sauce, and, lastly, top with the remaining pasta.

Cover (or don’t if you can’t find your Pyrex lid for the life of you) and bake for 20 minutes at 350 degrees. Sprinkle with the remaining mozzarella and parmesan and cook until cheese is golden brown.

That’s it! On nights when I’m not sure what time Louis will be home, I’ll do all the prep work earlier, and simply pop it in the oven when he’s heading home. Feel free to add some garlic bread or a side salad if you’re fancy. Or just enjoy the ziti because it’s definitely filling enough on its own! If you’re just cooking for two like me, you’ll definitely have enough leftovers for another meal!

Hope you enjoy!

Food, Recipe

Simple Homemade Baked Fries

January 29, 2014 3 Comments

Lately, I’ve tried about a million, okay maybe just five, homemade french fry recipes. They all require soaking the potatoes in water for six years, flipping them seven times during baking, or adding twelve different spices. Too much hassle for this girl. So…I took things into my own hands and just kinda made something up. Go head, call me a chef.

You may be thinking, “Anyone can bake fries.” Maybe someone can’t though! I’ve had to look up a surprising amount of things since I got married that I just thought for some reason I knew. Like making mashed potatoes or cooking a pot of rice! Some things are harder than they sound when you’re trying them for the first time! Thankfully, this recipe isn’t.

You only need a few ingredients:

2-3 Russet Potatoes (3 makes the perfect amount for myself and my husband, but feel free to make as many/few as you need!)

3/4 tsp Kosher Salt (I’ve used regular table salt too…I doubt it matters either way)

1/4 tsp Ground Black Pepper

2 tbsp Olive Oil

First, peel and wash your potatoes. Also, go ahead and preheat your oven to 400 degrees.

Then, cut your potatoes into “fries.” I typically slice mine in about 1/2″ sections and then cut those slices into quarters.

After your potatoes are all cut up, toss them in a gallon ziploc bag. Pour in some Olive Oil (about 2 tbsp…just enough to coat them), and shake the bag to evenly cover all of your potatoes.

Next, add your salt and pepper and shake again to coat the potatoes. Make sure you shut the bag before you shake it also. Obviously. Just making sure we’re all on the same page here. 😉

Line your baking sheet with foil, and spray it with cooking spray. Don’t want your potatoes sticking! Then, sprinkle some salt and pepper all over to make sure your potatoes have plenty of seasoning.

Spread out your potatoes on the baking sheet, and toss them in the oven!

Bake the potatoes for about 30-35 minutes. You want to make sure they’re crispy on the outside and tender on the inside.

Once they’re all done, pair them with your favorite entree and enjoy! My favorite thing to eat them with is the Yummy Baked Chicken Strips I recently posted about. The best thing is they’re both cooked at 400 degrees for 30 minutes! I don’t have the luxury of a double oven in our apartment, so being able to cook my entree and side in the oven at the same time is awesome.

I love these potatoes, and more importantly, so does my husband! They’re definitely our favorite side right now!

Food, Recipe

Yummy Baked Chicken Strips

January 28, 2014 2 Comments

Confession time: I have the palate of a (mature) 9-year old. And not a 9-year old on MasterChef Jr. Like, your average kid. I could eat chicken strips, fries, mac ‘n cheese, and Smuckers Uncrustables forever and be happy. However, I’m almost 3 times the age of my palate, so I try to force myself to branch out. Not to mention, fried chicken strips aren’t the healthiest meal choice. I decided to find a baked variation to make one of my favorite meals a little healthier, and I used this recipe from Your Life Uncommon. She says it tastes like KFC fried chicken, and while I disagree about that, this chicken has quickly become a favorite in our home! After I made it for the first time, my husband asked for it again and again, so that’s always a good sign!

Here are the ingredients you will need:

Chicken Strips (I usually get 1 package, which contains 7-8. That’s the perfect amount for the 2 of us!)

Milk (You just need enough to submerge your strips in…probably a few cups worth)

1/2 tsp Salt

1 tbsp Season All

3/4 tsp Pepper

1 cup Flour

2 tsp Paprika (By the way, does Paprika make anyone else think of Blue’s Clues? No? Just me? Ok.)

Submerge your chicken strips in milk for at least 30 minutes. I’ve read that this helps tenderize the meat, but I honestly have no idea what that means. I’m pretty sure there’s some food science behind it, but as long as we know it makes the chicken better, who really cares? Moving on.

Go ahead and preheat your oven to 400 degrees. While your chicken is tenderizing (maybe…who knows…), prepare your seasoning mix.

After combining my ingredients, I always thoroughly mix it up with a fork to ensure all of the ingredients are evenly distributed. I don’t want one random strip only covered in paprika, and I’m thinking you don’t either.

After your chicken strips are done tenderizing (or just enjoying a random milk bath…), remove them from the fridge and shake off any excess milk. Then, coat each strip with the seasoning mix. I combine my seasoning mix in a mixing bowl (Who’d have thought?), so I can simply drop the strips in and cover them with seasoning.

Once all of your strips are coated, place them in a greased baking dish. I always use my Pyrex glass baking dishes, and so far they’ve worked great for me. Bake your strips for 15 minutes, then flip each strip and bake for 15 more minutes. I always cut into a strip after 30 minutes to ensure they’re fully cooked. Make sure your strips are cooked all the way through because raw chicken is totally gross.

Once your strips are done cooking, take them out, pair them with your favorite side, and enjoy!

You’ll notice I still have some “uncooked” seasoning mix on my strips. Oops. That happens to me sometimes. They’re still delicious, so if it happens to you too, don’t sweat it. Also, if you’re interested in those scrumptious potatoes in the picture, I’ll be posting a recipe for those soon, too! Hooray!

Hope you’re having a wonderful week!

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