The post THINGS TO DO IN THE FALL IN AUSTIN (Part One) appeared first on Juniper Springs A Concierge Community Blog.
]]>
As summer comes to a close, it’s the perfect time to create memorable adventures this fall in and around Austin, Texas! Check out these fun activities below and watch for our next Blog later this month with more ideas on what to do in Austin in the fall.
Savor the Seasonal Fruits & Veggies
After you have selected some of the season’s finest fruits, it’s time to savor and save the flavors for those holiday feasts to come. From plums to peaches to all the prunes in season, preserving those seasonal favorites is a classic way to spend a fall day. It’s also a great way to get kids excited about math, as measuring the goods comes with tasty rewards!
To get you started, we found a super simple website that lays out the basics of canning from the folks at SeriousEats.com.
Some of the best recipes can be found at BallMasonJars.com. Some of our favorites that are a little out of the ordinary, yet ideal for fall feasts include:
Habanero Apricot Jam
Carrot Cake Jam
Spiced Tomato Jam
And this ‘must-make’ seasonal favorite: Apple Butter
Attend the Pecan Street Festival
On September 14th and 15th, this Festival is one of the largest, and longest-running, arts/crafts and music festivals in the nation, presented by The Pecan Street Association, a 501(c)4 nonprofit organization. If you have never attended this ultra-popular event, this year is the year to do so. With over 50 bands, arts and crafts, kids’ games and oh-so-much more, you may want to go both days. And it’s a huge fundraiser that supports a variety of projects on 6th Street and the downtown area. Among those who benefit are artists, youth programs and homeless initiatives.
Sip on the Season’s Best Brews
While the adults enjoy a seasonal brew, there are usually family-friendly spaces where kids can join in on the fun. Enjoy the outdoor areas at local breweries where everyone can relax together.
Ziler Brewing Company and Tap Room
1701 East 6th Street
Austin Beer Works
3001 Industrial Terrace
Central District Brewing
417 Red River Street
Meanwhile Brewing
3901 Promontory Point Drive
Want more ideas on what to do in Austin in the fall? Stay tuned for our next Blog post later this month!
The post THINGS TO DO IN THE FALL IN AUSTIN (Part One) appeared first on Juniper Springs A Concierge Community Blog.
]]>The post Easey-peasy Easter Brunch Recipes appeared first on Juniper Springs A Concierge Community Blog.
]]>
Several years ago, we published a few of our family-friendly super-easy Easter recipes that were a great hit. That edition was so popular, we thought we would dive into our recipe box and find some new ideas to help you have a festive and stress-free Easter Bruch to come at our apartment community in Austin, Texas.
And as with all our favorite recipes, we rely on the very talented and passionate chefs of TasteofHome.com.
From our family at Juniper Springs apartments in Austin to yours, may you have a very blessed Easter season.
Recipe by Eleanor Harris, Cape Coral, Florida
Tested by Taste of Home Test Kitchen
Ingredients
- 1 cup butter, softened
- 2-3/4 cups sugar, divided
- 4 large eggs, room temperature
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 cups sour cream
- 2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
- 1/2 cup chopped walnuts
Super Easy Directions:
In a large bowl, cream butter and 2 cups sugar until light and fluffy, 5-7 minutes. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla. Combine flour, baking soda and salt; add alternately with sour cream, beating just enough after each addition to keep batter smooth.
Spoon a third of the batter into a greased 10-in. tube pan. Combine cinnamon, nuts and remaining 3/4 cup sugar; sprinkle one-third of mixture over batter in pan. Repeat layers twice. Bake at 350° until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, 60-65 minutes. Cool for 15 minutes before removing from the pan to a wire rack to cool completely.
Asparagus, Bacon & Shallot Tart
Recipe by Paula Nolan, Granite Bay, California
Tested by Taste of Home Test Kitchen
Ingredients
- Dough for single-crust pie
- 1-pound fresh asparagus
- 6 thick-sliced center-cut bacon strips, coarsely chopped
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 medium red onion, thinly sliced
- 1 shallot, thinly sliced
- 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
- 1/3 cup oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, coarsely chopped
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
- 1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 3 large eggs, lightly beaten
- 1-1/4 cups half-and-half cream
- 1-1/2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
- 1/4 cup shredded Gruyere cheese
Directions
- Trim tough ends from asparagus. Reserve 12 spears; cut the remaining asparagus into 1/2-in. pieces.
- In a large skillet, cook bacon over medium heat until crisp, 6-8 minutes; remove and drain. Add olive oil to skillet, then red onion, shallot and chopped asparagus; cook and stir until softened, 6-8 minutes. Stir in vinegar; cook 3 minutes. Reduce heat to low. Return bacon to pan; stir in tomatoes, parsley, lemon zest, salt and pepper. Spoon into crust.
- Whisk eggs and cream; stir in cheddar cheese until blended. Pour over top. Arrange reserved asparagus spears in a spoke pattern with tips facing outward. Sprinkle with Gruyere cheese. Bake until a knife inserted in center comes out clean, 25-30 minutes. Let stand 10 minutes before cutting.
Recipe by Carol Strong Battle, Heathsville, Virginia
Tested by Taste of Home Test Kitchen
Ingredients
- 1 fully cooked bone-in ham (5 to 7 pounds)
- 1 cup packed brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons prepared mustard
- 1 to 2 tablespoons cider vinegar
Directions
Preheat oven to 325°. Place ham on a rack in a shallow roasting pan. Using a sharp knife, score surface of ham with 1/4-in.-deep cuts in a diamond pattern. Cover and bake until a thermometer reads 130°, 1-1/2 to 2 hours.
The post Easey-peasy Easter Brunch Recipes appeared first on Juniper Springs A Concierge Community Blog.
]]>The post Easy, Peasy Back to School Lunches Kids Will Actually LOVE! appeared first on Juniper Springs A Concierge Community Blog.
]]>
It’s that time of the year when packing that lunch box at the crack o’ dawn is at top of mind. To help our neighbors at Juniper Springs apartments in Austin have an easier start to this busy season, we clicked into our favorite site “Taste of Home” to find some of the healthiest and easiest lunches that we think you kids will love. And you will, too!
Got more ideas? Swing by our apartment community in Austin and we’ll pass them along!
Peanut Butter, Apple and Raisin Sandwich
Taste of Home’s Top Review: Love the combination of texture and flavor. It’s an easy way to make a healthy, tasty treat.
Ingredients:
- 1 tablespoon creamy or chunky peanut butter
- 1 slice crusty white or wheat bread
- 1/4 medium apple, thinly sliced
- 1 tablespoon golden raisins
- Ground cinnamon
Directions: Spread peanut butter over bread. Top with apple and raisins; sprinkle with cinnamon.
Taste of Home’s Top Review: “My kids ask for these pita sandwiches all the time. They haven’t noticed that as good as the pitas taste, they’re good for them too”
Ingredients:
- 1/4 cup peanut butter
- 1/8 teaspoon each ground allspice, cinnamon and nutmeg
- 2 whole wheat pita pocket halves
- 1/2 medium apple, thinly sliced
- 1 firm banana
In a small bowl, blend the peanut butter, allspice, cinnamon and nutmeg. Spread inside pita bread halves and fill with apple and banana slices.
Taste of Home’s Top Review: My kids love these easy four-ingredient turkey pinwheels. Go ahead and make them the day before, they won’t get soggy!
Ingredients:
- I carton (8 oz) spreadable garden vegetable cream cheese
- 8 (8 inch) flour tortillas
- 4 cups fresh baby spinach
- 1 pound thinly sliced deli turkey
Directions:
Spread cream cheese over tortillas. Layer with spinach and turkey. Roll up tightly. If not serving immediately, cover and refrigerate. To serve, cut each roll crosswise into 6 pieces.
This variation is delicious, too:
- 8 thin slices cooked turkey
- 4 flour tortillas (6 inches), room temperature
- 1 large tomato, thinly sliced
- 1 medium green pepper, cut into thin strips
- 1 cup shredded lettuce
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- 1/3 cup ranch salad dressing
Taste of Home’s Top Review: “This recipe features the flavors of your favorite pie but only takes a few minutes to make – and there’s no cooking or baking required.”
Directions:
- 1 package (8 ounces) sliced pepperoni.
- 4 flour tortillas (8 inches), room temperature
- 1/2 cup chopped tomatoes.
- 1/4 cup each chopped sweet onion, chopped fresh mushrooms and chopped ripe olives.
- 1/4 cup chopped green pepper, optional.
- 1 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
Ingredients:
Arrange pepperoni off center on each tortilla. Top with remaining ingredients. Fold sides and bottom over filling and roll up.
Taste of Home’s Top Review: This dish is amazing! I did nothing different, and everyone loves it. Thank you for providing us with delicious ideas that are so easy to prepare!
- 3 cups uncooked wagon wheel pasta or elbow macaroni
- 1 can (16 ounces) kidney beans, rinsed and drained.
- 1 cup cubed cheddar cheese
- 1 cup halved cherry tomatoes
- 1 small green pepper, julienned
- 1 small sweet red pepper, julienned
- 1/2 cup thinly sliced green onions
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- 1/2 cup picante sauce
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
Directions: In a small bowl, combine the mayonnaise, picante sauce, salt and cumin; pour over salad and toss to coat. Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours before serving. Place it in a container with a fork or spoon and send your kids on their way!
Need more ideas to keep you and your kids eating well. We always recommend Taste of Home to our friends and encourage you to do so as well! Need more ideas? Click into our blog later this month for more easy and tasty ideas for lunch on the go!
The post Easy, Peasy Back to School Lunches Kids Will Actually LOVE! appeared first on Juniper Springs A Concierge Community Blog.
]]>The post Quick and Simple BBQ Healthy Spring Recipes appeared first on Juniper Springs A Concierge Community Blog.
]]>
Ahh, springtime! A time when we put our winter recipes to bed and look forward to light and healthy meals to share with family and friends down by the BBQ!
To get you in the mood, our team at Juniper Spring apartments in North Austin, Texas is sharing some of our favorite easy BBQ recipes with you!
Be sure to check our Blog later this month for Delicious and Simple Picnic Recipes
Bon Appetit!
BBQ Chicken with Springtime Herb Salsa
Ingredients:
- • ¼ Olive Oil (or Olive Oil infused with Lemon or Garlic)
- • 1 T Red Wine Vinegar
- • ¼ C Fresh Orange Juice
- • 1 Tsp Grated Lemon
- • ½ C Fresh Mint, chopped
- • 1 C Italian Parsley, chopped
- • ½ C Cilantro, chopped
- • 2 Large Garlic Cloves, mashed
- • 1 Small Serrano Pepper, quartered
- • ¾ Tsp Kosher or Regular Salt
- • 4 Skinless Chicken Breasts
- • 1 Medium to Large Onion, cut in half (use to coat the grill)
Directions:
- • Score the Chicken ¼ inch in several places on the smooth side of the Breast and set aside
- • Blend the rest of the ingredients in a blender – processing into a Pesto-type consistency
- • Place the Chicken and 1/2 Cup of the herb mixture into a medium shallow bowl; save the rest of the herb mixture for basting
- • Coat both sides of the Chicken, place in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes or up to 24 hours
- • Prepare the Grill down by the pool :0) by brushing the grates and rubbing ½ slide of the onion the grates (this helps to keep the chicken from sticking on the grill); heat to 400°F
- • Remove the chicken from the bowl, letting the excess marinade drip off back into the bowl (discard after use)
- • Flip the chicken twice, marinading lightly with each turn
- • Cook until the middle section reaches 165°F
BBQ Garlic Shrimp
Ingredients:
- • 1 Pound of Shrimp, cleaned
- • BBQ Skewers (if using wood, pre-soak)
For Marinade:
- • 1/3 C Olive Oil
- • 2 Tsp Fresh Lemon Juice
- • 1 T Tomato Paste
- • 4 Cloves of Garlic, mashed
- • ½ Tsp Salt
- • ½ Tsp Pepper
For Garlic Butter:
- • ¼ C Melted Butter
- • 1 Clove Garlic, mashed
Directions:
- • Clean and prepare the Shrimp
- • Soak skewers (if using wood)
- • Set aside
- • Place marinade ingredients in a blender, or whisk/ mix until combined
- • Warm Garlic Butter for basting consistency
- • Place shrimp and marinade in a deep bowl, let sit for at least 30 minutes
- • Pre-heat grill to 400°F
- • Place shrimp on skewers, threading through the tail and main body
- • Grill for 2 – 3 minutes
- • Serve with Garlic Butter
BBQ Grilled Vegetables
Ingredients:
Our favorite choice of veggies that are ideal for the Q:
- • Zucchini
- • Carrots
- • Onions
- • Asparagus
- • Bell Peppers
- • Mushrooms
- • Egg Plant
- • Red Onion
Ingredients for Marinade
- • ¼ Fresh Parsley, chopped
- • 3 Cloves Garlic, minced
- • 1 Tsp Pepper & Salt
- • ¼ Olive Oil (simple, or infused with lemon or garlic)
- • ¼ T each: Fresh Basil, Oregano (or ½ Tsp dried)
- • Red pepper flakes to your preference
Directions:
- • Clean the vegetables, cut into large pieces (so they don’t fall through the grates)
- • Prepare Marinade by mixing all the ingredients (in a jar or small bowl)
- • Pre-heat grill to 400°F
- • Place veggies on the grill (suggested times, will vary according to size:
- – Zucchini, Asparagus, grill 2 minutes on each side
- – Onion, mushrooms, grill 3 minutes on each side
- – Eggplant, Bell Peppers, Carrots, grill 4 minutes on each side
- • Remove from Grill
- • Toss with marinade and serve
The post Quick and Simple BBQ Healthy Spring Recipes appeared first on Juniper Springs A Concierge Community Blog.
]]>The post Fabulous Fall Recipes appeared first on Juniper Springs A Concierge Community Blog.
]]>
With fall in full swing, our family at Juniper Springs apartment community in Austin is spending lots of time in the kitchen preparing some of our favorite fall recipes. We think they are so tasty that we’ve chosen our second blog of the month to share them with you.
Cheers!
Make it YUMMY … all season-long!
Squash Soup with Curried Brown Butter Recipe
Ingredients:
• 3 slices bacon, diced
• 1 sweet onion, diced
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• kosher salt and pepper
• 4 to 5 cups cubed butternut squash
• 4 cups stock chicken or vegetable stock
• ½ cup heavy cream or full-fat coconut milk
• creme fraiche or plain yogurt, for topping
• chopped fresh cilantro, for topping
Curried Brown Butter:
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 teaspoon curry powder
See the full recipe here from HowSweetEats.com.
Roasted Vegetables
Ingredients
• 2 cups cubed butternut squash
• 2 cups halved Brussels sprouts
• 2 cups cauliflower florets
• 2 carrots, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1 to 2 turnips, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1 small red onion, cut into wedges
• 1 cup halved red radishes or cubed daikon radish
• Extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling
• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons chopped rosemary or 12 chopped sage leaves, optional
• Apple Cider Vinegar Dressing, optional
• Lemon wedges, for serving, optional
Click here for the complete recipe from LoveandLemons.com.
Chocolate Chip Zucchini Bread
Ingredients
• 3 cups grated fresh zucchini about 3-4 medium zucchini
• 1 ½ cup granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 3/4 cup butter melted¹
• 3 cups all-purpose flour² properly measured
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 ½ cups mini semisweet chocolate chips
These make super delicious hostess gifts for the holiday to come. Get the full recipe from Ihearteating.com.
The post Fabulous Fall Recipes appeared first on Juniper Springs A Concierge Community Blog.
]]>The post How to Ease into Autumn in Austin, Texas (Continued) appeared first on Juniper Springs A Concierge Community Blog.
]]>
Earlier this month, we shared a list to start this season off right. The list was so well read that we decided to continue the trend.
To ease you into the Autumn season, our family at Juniper Springs apartments in Austin are sharing some additional ideas to prepare for the changing of the season.
Try Canning!
After you have selected some of the seasons’ finest fruits, its time to savor and save the flavors for those holiday feasts to come. From plums to peaches to all the prunes in season, preserving those seasonal favorites is a classic way to spend a fall day.
To get you started, we found a super simple website that lays out the basics of canning from the folks at SeriousEats.com.
Some of the best recipes can be found at BallMasonJars.com. Some of our favorites that are a little out of the ordinary yet ideal for fall feasts include:
Habanero Apricot Jam
Carrot Cake Jam
Spiced Tomato Jam
And this ‘must-make’ seasonal favorite: Apple Butter
Make an Apple Pie
While we are on the subject of easing into Autumn, the seasonal aroma of a fresh baked apple pie is sure to set the scent that fall is in the air. We have found that some of the best recipes for fall flavors are on TasteofHome.com; not just for the recipes, yet for the history and research that their team goes through to ensure each recipe is as close to perfect as it can be.
And just when you thought you only needed ONE recipe, the website offers 25, yes 25, recipes for the perfect apple pie.
Get a Head Start on that Halloween Costume
Although Halloween is a month away, some of the best values for Halloween costumes can be found right now. Here’s a quick list of top spots to find the largest selection of ready-to-wear costumes in Austin:
Spirit Halloween
Party City – Sunset Valley Village
Party City – Balcones Woods
If you’re feeling a little more daring, hit the thrift or consignment shops to get your creative juices flowing.
Lucy in the Disguise with Diamonds
The Bazaar
Blue Velvet
Coco Coquette
Ride into the Sunset
Soon, the Texas Hill Country will be overflowing with the colors of the fall season. And as soon as those temperatures cool off, it’s the perfect spot to head into the hills on horseback. Here are two of the best guided trail ride companies that we recommend.
Texas Trail Rides: For a traditional ride throughout the ranch with more adventurous options, Texas Trail Rides welcomes the novice to the most advanced. Looking for something different to do for that next birthday or bachelor party? Check out what they call the “ultimate Texas experience” that include skeet shooting, ax throwing and trick roping, too!
Maverick Horseback Riding: Just one click into their website sets the tone with a quote from Winston S. Churchill: “There is something about the outside of a horse that is good for the inside of a man.” They continue to describe their approach to sharing their horses with humans. “Guests who seek out Maverick’s horsemanship experience love that we offer low-key, relaxing trail rides AND engaging, challenging and highly rewarding horsemanship experiences.”
The post How to Ease into Autumn in Austin, Texas (Continued) appeared first on Juniper Springs A Concierge Community Blog.
]]>