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How to Take the Stress Out of Home-Cooked Meals

December 2, 2014 by

For as long as you can remember, there’s always been a certain pressure to provide your loved ones with a nightly “home-cooked meal.” Although it may sometimes feel like it’s impossible to prepare an elaborate dinner on busy weeknights, these smart tips will show you how to take the stress out of the classic home-cooked meal.

  1. Start meal planning. Sure, making a home-cooked meal is difficult if you don’t have all the ingredients or don’t know what to make. By planning a week’s worth of meals on Sunday evening, you can get your cooking schedule under control.
  2. Make preparations. Many at-home chefs use their weekends as a time to prepare the bases for the week’s meals. You can cook a dozen chicken breasts, bake a casserole, or even begin to marinate a steak to save yourself time the night of.
  3. Choose basic recipes. If you don’t have time to experiment with fancy recipes from cooking magazines, choose recipes that you already know and love. Just because your favorite spaghetti and meatballs is pretty basic doesn’t mean that it’s not home-cooked.
  4. Make it from scratch, but not entirely from scratch. Don’t feel like you have to crush your garlic by hand or chop each vegetable individually for your meal to count as home-cooked. Buying frozen veggies or garlic powder works just as well.

10 Secrets of Home Cooks (And How You Can Become One, Too!) [Real Simple]
6 Tips for Stress-Free Family Meals [Right @ Home]
How to Plan Your Weekly Meals, Stress Free [Lifehacker]

Filed Under: Miscellaneous Tagged With: , , ,

Lighthouse Family Network

November 29, 2014 by

Marquis at Canyon Ridge and Lighthouse Family Network are together again this year to bring gifts to kids who are in foster care.

We would like to ask anyone who is able to stop by the tree in our office and select an ornament for a child. All you have to do is purchase a gift and return the unwrapped gift with the ornament attached to our office no later than Thursday, December 18.

We appreciate all participation.

Filed Under: Life at Marquis at Canyon Ridge Apartments Tagged With:

Create Something Great With These DIY Blogs

November 28, 2014 by

DIY-ers know that there’s no shortage of online instructional videos and websites showing you how to make everything from a bed made of wood palettes to your own beaded jewelry. If you’re a crafty girl or guy who loves to build things from scratch, these two creative websites are full of ideas to get your gears turning:

Pretty Handy Girl
Though the name implies that it’s a site for females, Pretty Handy Girl is full of ideas that all types of people will love. From complex home renovation projects to simple arts and crafts ideas, this site will help you make your house look as chic and stylish as a page in a magazine. It also features a peek inside the blogger's toolbox, helping beginning DIY enthusiasts learn which tools are necessary for just about any project.

Makezine
Makezine is a complete online resource for all things DIY, from project instructions and tutorials to meet-ups with other makers in your area. The main page offers interesting articles about incredible projects that other people have made, as well as the latest news from the DIY world. There’s also a database full of how-to guides, video tutorials, and even categories dividing projects by various subjects. Whether you’re a recreational DIY-er or an amateur inventor, Makezine has something for everyone.

Filed Under: Miscellaneous Tagged With: , , ,

Happy Thanksgiving

November 27, 2014 by

We hope everyone has a wonderful day surrounded by family and friends! Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

Filed Under: Life at Marquis at Canyon Ridge Apartments Tagged With:

Sunstone Yoga: Practice Yoga at This Welcoming Studio

November 25, 2014 by

Whether you’re a seasoned yogi or a beginner looking to get into the practice, Sunstone Yoga has a class for everyone. This open, airy studio is located in the Great Hills area of Austin, and it’s in a plaza convenient to other businesses.

Inside, there’s a colorful, welcoming entry area where guests can sign into class, borrow a mat, or check out the selection of yoga apparel for sale. The instructors and owners are all friendly and welcoming no matter your situation, and they’re especially accommodating to beginning guests or people with injuries and medical conditions. Try one of the Water, Wood, or Fire classes depending on your personal yoga preference, and the studio will even provide you with free towels and mats if you don’t have your own.

For a full schedule of all of Sunstone Yoga’s classes, visit Sunstone's convenient website.

Sunstone Yoga
10710 Research Boulevard
Austin, TX 78759
(214) 764-2119
www.sunstoneyoga.com
www.yelp.com/biz/sunstone-yoga-austin

Filed Under: Things To Do Tagged With: , ,

Antonelli’s Cheese Shop: Gourmet Cheese in Austin

November 21, 2014 by

The unlikely success story behind Antonelli’s Cheese Shop has revealed one important thing: Austin residents love their cheese. This gourmet cheese shop combines the hip, industrial style that is unique to Austin with the European flair that owners John and Kendall Antonelli picked up while studying cheese abroad. The result is a wonderfully eclectic shop that carries a diverse selection seven styles of artisanal cheeses, including many local cheeses made right in Texas.

Antonelli’s also offers limitless tastings to help you decide on a specific cheese, and the store's friendly team of “cheesemongers” will even write guests a log to help you remember which cheeses you liked and which you should steer clear of. Stop by to purchase the perfect cheese for a dinner party, create a gift basket for a friend, or join the Cheese of the Month Club to experience a world of cheeses right in the heart of Austin’s Hyde Park neighborhood.

Antonelli’s Cheese Shop
4220 Duval Street
Austin, TX 78751
(512) 531-9610
www.antonellischeese.com
www.yelp.com/biz/antonellis-cheese-shop-austin

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The Bonneville: New American Fare and Signature Cocktails in Austin

November 18, 2014 by

A menu of New American fare highlights the freshest seasonal ingredients available at The Bonneville in the 2nd Street District of Austin. The casual restaurant is open, airy, and inviting with a vibrant, fully stocked bar.

After a signature cocktail, begin your meal with a steaming bowl of housemade soup, Prince Edward Mussels in a spiced coconut-curry broth, Korean barbecue-style lamb spareribs accompanied by pear butter and pickled vegetables, or a grilled pizza. Entrees feature a number of meat, poultry, and seafood dishes such as seared scallops with a grapefruit nage and a 12-ounce Angus strip steak with potato croquettes. Desserts do not disappoint, with the chef's salted caramel tart, sticky toffee pudding, and the chocolate espresso pots de creme all earning high marks from regular diners.

The Bonneville serves dinner daily, hosts Sunday brunch, and has a lively happy hour seven days a week.

The Bonneville
202 W. Cesar Chavez Street
Austin, TX 78701
(512) 428-4643
www.thebonnevilleaustin.com
www.yelp.com/biz/the-bonneville-austin

Filed Under: Restaurants Tagged With: , ,

Popular Vegetarian Restaurants in Austin, Texas

November 14, 2014 by

Austin is quickly becoming one of the most buzzed about food cities in the country, and its growing vegetarian restaurant scene is a major part of that growth. Here is just a sample of the area’s favorite meat-free restaurants.

Mother’s Cafe
With a casual atmosphere and convenient take-out and delivery services, Mother’s Cafe is one of Austin's go-to eateries for fast and affordable vegetarian and vegan food. One vegan and one vegetarian soup option is prepared daily, and the menu also includes a variety of fresh, colorful salads to choose from. Enchiladas and sandwiches are just as hearty and delicious as their meat-filled counterparts, and Mother’s Cafe also offers a weekend brunch that’s very popular among locals.

Mr. Natural
This impressive restaurant includes a bakery, juice bar, health food store, and even a yoga studio all in one place. The bakery offers cakes and pastries in gluten-free, vegan, and sugarless options to suit any diet, and the restaurant’s regular menu features creative vegetarian dishes for its weekly lunch specials, weekend brunch, and any other time of the day.

Swad Indian Vegetarian Restaurant
Indian restaurants are already popular among vegetarians because of their many meat-free options, but Swad Indian Vegetarian Restaurant is one of the only ones in Austin to offer an entirely meat-free menu!

Filed Under: Miscellaneous Tagged With: , , ,

Katherine Fleischer Park: A Community Gem in Austin

November 11, 2014 by

Katherine Fleischer Park is a favorite among Austin's Wells Branch residents. This community green space is home to a soccer and baseball fields, as well as tennis and basketball courts. You'll even find a sand volleyball pit. The playground area provides plenty of shade from the hot afternoon sun, and in addition to all the typical equipment, it features a unique two-story, castle-like playhouse for kids, complete with a spiral staircase.(Regular visitors report that on occasion you'll see kids dressed up in prince and princess costumes in the playhouse.)

Katherine Fleischer Park also offers a set of wide and well maintained running trials, as well as a community center and a gazebo that can be reserved for private picnics and barbecues. History enthusiasts should be sure not to miss the historic Gault Homestead that's also located in the park. Guided tours focus on 19th century pioneer life and can be customized for both children and adults.

Katherine Fleischer Park
2106 Klattenhoff Drive
Austin, TX 78728
(512) 251-9814
www.wellsbranchmud.com/parks/katherine-fleischer-park.html
www.yelp.com/biz/katherine-fleischer-park-austin

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Make Your Own Jewelry With These Easy Tutorials

November 7, 2014 by

Making jewelry is a stylish, creative craft beloved by people of all ages. Crafters love that they can customize each piece to their exact preferences, and it also saves you money if you’re a bit of a jewelry addict. Here are three helpful tutorials that will show you how to start making your own jewelry right in your own home.

Suede and Chain Woven Bracelet [yesmissy.com]
This DIY jewelry project is worlds away from the braided friendship bracelets from your youth. With a bit of glitz from the metal chain and a touch of neutral color from the suede rope, these bracelets rival the ones that you would buy at a pricey jewelry boutique.

Bobby Pin Earrings [themetricchild.blogspot.com]
You may not have ever considered using bobby pins as jewelry, but once you see this adorably edgy jewelry DIY you’ll wish that you had thought of it sooner. Painting the pins with nail polish also enables you to add a bit of color to coordinate with the rest of your wardrobe.

Polymer Clay Bead Necklace [delightedmomma.com]
Polymer clay necklaces have been floating around the blogs for quite some time now, but this completely customizable version is one of the best. You can mold the clay beads into exactly the sizes that you want, and you can also choose paint colors to create your favorite palette.

Filed Under: Miscellaneous Tagged With: , , ,
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