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Post-Valentines Chocolate Pairings

Valentine’s Day has come and gone, and if you celebrate, chances are you have some serious chocolate on your hands. (If you don’t—check online at grocery stores, because they’re still discounted!) Chocolate, being chocolate, is hard to beat. And while we love wine pairings—the experts have already made them! Instead, here are some fun ideas to turn candy-eating into a real culinary experience. Thoughtful Desserts There’s no shame in finishing a dozen chocolates in a day. If you want to have chocolate through March, however, it can be hard to make your Valentine’s haul last. That’s because it’s so delightful to follow up candy with… more candy, and we aren’t here to insult a classic! Pairing a meal with a coordinating truffle, placed beside the dish through the meal, can feel like a finishing touch, not a forgettable note in a line of chocolates. Here are some meal pairings to wrap up with just one chocolate, to end on a satisfactory note: - macaroni and cheese paired with a white chocolate truffle - chili and cornbread paired with a salted dark chocolate caramel - peanut noodles paired with a milk chocolate with a tart fruit filling - lemon chicken and rice paired with a hazelnut white chocolate Chocolate Charcuterie Board Charcuterie boards—artful arrangements of deli meats, cheeses, fruits, nuts, and spreads—are seeing new life as people of all ages share their expertise or early attempts over platforms like TikTok. Many already contain chocolate, and since charcuterie boards are all about thoughtful pairings, you can build a board with chocolate as its inspiration and base. Saltier charcuterie pairs well with chocolate caramels, while milder charcuterie pairs well with extra-dark, nutty chocolates. If you live a low or no meat lifestyle, consider the cheeseboard. (Plus, that’s just an excuse for extra cheese—dark chocolates pair well with smooth brie or goat cheese; milk chocolate pairs well with young, creamy cheeses; and white chocolate ) Whatever direction you take, charcuterie and cheeseboards are about creating an eating experience. Using flavors that balance each other—like mildly sweet white chocolate and bitter walnuts—creates an enjoyable contrast that keeps either element from being overpowering. Dark chocolate makes many people thirsty, so consider balancing its dehydrating effect with some fresh green grapes! If you’re having a glass of wine with your charcuterie, consider sweet or spiced red wines with milk chocolate, Pinot Noir with white chocolate, or Port with dark chocolate. M&M Popcorn Yes, really! The adventurous-child classic version is as simple as dumping all those pink-themed M&Ms into a bowl of popcorn, but it can be spruced up with chili powder, chili-lime seasoning, chopped-up pecans, or thinly-shredded cheddar.

Great Gilbert Restaurants for National Bagel and Lox Day

February 9th is National Bagel and Lox Day, and we wanted to use the opportunity to shout out some of our favorite local bagel sellers in the Gilbert area. Bagels with lox are the traditional way to eat them in much of America, and plenty of delicious Arizona bagel-serving delis follow this long-standing (and tasty!) practice. Here’s some great examples. Schmear: Bagelry & Cafe Schmear was founded by a husband and wife team with the goal of bringing communities together. It’s designed to emulate Jewish delis, cafes, and bagel shops all together. They have both Nova lox and whitefish, and a huge variety of cream cheeses of different flavors. They have bagel sandwiches with different fillings, and even have a gluten free bagel option for those that need it. Bagel Nosh Nosh sells fresh-baked bagels with cream cheese, smoothies, coffee drinks, and a lunch menu. They have a traditional nova lox bagel dish with capers, red onions, cream cheese, and tomatoes. They serve breakfast sandwiches all day, as well as lunch combos and a variety of drinks. They also sell bagels just on their own, of all different flavors. New York Bagels N' Bialys As the name may imply, New York Bagels N’ Bialys serves bagels and bialys the traditional New York way. They also have a full menu of differing New York Jewish specialties, like cheese blintzes, matzo brie, and potato pancakes. They have gluten free bagels, and a variety of fish options. They have cream cheese of different flavors, like lox, chives, and jalapeno. If you want a traditional New York bagel, this is a great option. We hope you enjoy National Bagel and Lox Day with a fantastic, local bagel. Have a great day, residents!

Soup Recipes for National Homemade Soup Day

National Homemade Soup Day is February 4th, and we thought it’d be perfect to provide a few recipes for delicious, easy soup that you can use to warm the winter night. Or, honestly, even if it’s not cold, soup is just a fantastic food to make and enjoy! These are fairly simple, quick recipes, so it shouldn’t eat into too much of your time. Creamy Tomato Herb Soup Ingredients: 2 cups of milk ¾ cups milk powder 1 can of undrained diced tomatoes ¼ cup of tomato paste 3 tablespoons of all-purpose flour 2 tablespoons of minced fresh parsley 1 tablespoon of diced onion ¾ tablespoon of dried basil ½ teaspoon of salt ⅛ teaspoon of pepper Directions: Combine the diced tomatoes, fresh parsley, chopped onion, dried basil, salt and pepper in a large saucepan. Bring the mixture to a boil. Then, reduce the heat and simmer it, uncovered, for around ten minutes. In a small bowl, combine your milk powder and your flour, and then stir the milk in until it’s smooth. Stir the tomato paste in until it’s fully incorporated into the other ingredients. Then, gradually add the milk mixture into your soup. Cook and stir the soup until it’s thick and heated through, then serve! Ravioli and Spinach Soup Ingredients: 2 cartons of chicken broth (32 ounces each) 1 package of small cheese ravioli 4 cups of coarsely chopped fresh spinach 3 cups of shredded chicken, cooked ¼ teaspoon of onion powder Pepper to taste Parmesan cheese, if desired Directions: In a large saucepan, combine your broth, pepper, and onion powder, and bring it to a boil. Add your ravioli, and cook them in the broth, uncovered, for around 7-10 minutes, until tender. During the last three minutes of this time, add the spinach and chicken into the mixture. Serve, with cheese on top if desired! Broccoli Cheddar Soup Ingredients: ½ cup of shredded cheddar cheese 1 cup of chopped broccoli, fresh or frozen 1 ½ cups of milk ¾ cup of chicken broth ¼ cup of all-purpose flour ¼ cup of cubed butter ¼ cup of chopped onion ¼ teaspoon of salt ¼ teaspoon of pepper Directions: In a small saucepan, saute your onion in the butter until it’s tender. Then, stir in your flour, salt, and pepper, until everything’s blended. Gradually add the milk and broth to the mixture. Then, bring the mixture to a bool, and cook and stir until thickened, which will take about two minutes. Finally, add the broccoli, and cook until it’s tender. Then, serve!

Best Local Gilbert Mechanics for All Your Automotive Needs

Here at Acero Cooley Station, we want to make things as convenient as possible for our residents. We know that things like car check-ups can fall by the wayside in the hustle and bustle of the holidays and the new year, and a lot of people are just getting around to regular maintenance chores now that January is fully underway. To make this easier, we wanted to list a few of our favorite local Gilbert mechanics, to help you find a simple option close to home! K.A.R. Shop A local, family-owned garage, K.A.R. Shop is only a short drive from our apartment complex. They pride themselves on being friendly and trustworthy, with the mentality that by doing their job, they’re helping take care of their neighbors. They care about ensuring their customers understand why the work is being done and what the necessity of it is, to allow the highest level of comfort when dealing with your car. Spectrum Car Care Center Spectrum Car Care Center in Gilbert is another option that’s just a quick drive from home, and they have a focus on a stress-free approach to car maintenance. Not only can you come by during work hours, but they also allow you the choice to drop off your car outside of open hours via a drop key option, in case you can’t get there while they’re open! They also have an online quote tool, if you already know what you need, so you can check the price before even coming by the shop, commitment free. Christian Brothers Automotive Our third shop is also a short trip from the apartment complex. Christian Brothers Automotive provides temporary free vehicle pick up and drop off for social distancing, allowing you to get your car fully serviced without ever stepping foot in their shop. All three of these options place a high value on the comfort of their customers, and on providing a simple, trustworthy experience when you need to get your car looked at, so whatever you go with, you should be in good hands! We hope this little guide will help you make an easy decision the next time you need a little automotive care.

Fun Things To Do With Paint for New Year Creativity

Many of us go into the new year with hopes to be more creative, whether that’s to follow a dream, build a new skill, continue a hobby, or just break up the routine with something relaxing. However, inspiration is not always an easy thing to come by, and creative plans can be stifled by the pressure to come up with something on your own. Today, we’re hoping to alleviate some of that pressure for our creatively-inclined residents of all skill levels with this list of fun things to do with paint! String Painting What you’ll need: Paper 18-inch pieces of string. Any string will work! Liquid watercolors Small cups A book you don’t mind getting paint on What to do: Pour your different watercolors into your cups, one cup for each color. Then, put a string in each of the cups, leaving a couple of inches hanging off the side so you can grab it easily. Then, fold the paper you’re using in half. Put the folded paper in the middle of the book you don’t mind getting paint on. Pick your first color, and pull the paint-soaked string out of the cup. You want a good amount of the string to be coated in the paint. You may want to use your finger and thumb to scrape off excess paint. Arrange your string in any configuration on the folded paper, on the inside, and then refold it with the string inside. Placing the string in an interesting shape will help create the effect you want! Then, shut the book with the folded paper inside, and while pressing firmly down on the cover, use your other hand to pull the string through the paper and out. Repeat with as many colors as you’d like, until you’ve created a beautiful piece of string art that satisfies you! Acrylic Pour What you’ll need: Acrylic paints in your preferred colors An acrylic pouring medium Cups to put your paints in. Disposable plastic cups might be easiest. Something to stir A canvas or paper Some newspapers or other scrap paper, to go under your canvas and help avoid dripping What to do: Start by selecting your colors, with a different cup for each one. Add a small amount of each paint to its own cup, just enough to cover the bottom of the cup. Then, add your acrylic pouring medium. A general rule of thumb for using a pouring medium is 1 part paint to 3 parts pouring medium; you want more of the medium than the paint. Add the pouring medium to each paint cup, and stir until well mixed. Then, using a clean cup, combine your colors by layering the different paint mixtures on top of each other. Use more of the colors that you want to be more prominent, and you can repeat them in the layers. Place your canvas upside down on top of the cup with all the different colors in it. Place your hand on the back of the canvas, and your other hand around the cup to hold it steady, and quickly flip them so the canvas is right-side up and the cup is upside down on top of it, and then wait for the paint to pour down onto the canvas! While it’s dripping down onto the canvas, you can apply a base color like black or white (also mixed with the pouring medium), by pouring it onto the canvas and then spreading it across the canvas, around your upside down cup. You can do this with a palette knife, but if you don’t have one, a regular plastic knife works just fine. Finally, either drag your upside down cup across the canvas to spread the colored paint, or lift it up and allow it to flow. You can tilt the canvas in different directions to allow it to fully cover the canvas. You can use different tools to lift up the colors and expose different layers, or move the paint’s direction to create all kinds of cool effects. Then, just let it dry, and you have a beautiful acrylic pour piece! Segmented Canvas With Painter’s Tape What you’ll need: Paints of any kind, though watercolor is likely to work well for this project. A canvas Brushes Painter’s tape or masking tape Scissors What to do: Use your tape to section off your canvas in the desired way, creating different shapes. Triangles, squares, and rectangles of all different sizes are all good options: the idea is to make shapes in the canvas that can be blocked off, so you’re painting directly inside those marked lines, and thus have individual sections of color in a way you wouldn’t ordinarily be able to, due to the difficulty of painting within such straight lines. You can create interesting visuals, and even create a cool card to give someone. We hope these ideas have been inspiring in some way, residents!

Organization Tips for National Clean Off Your Desk Day

January 11th is National Clean Off Your Desk Day, and with all the work and life that happens at our desks, it couldn’t come at a better time. A clear surface and organized space means lower stress, easier transitions, and fewer steps needed to get your work done. Part of the reason our desks get so cluttered to begin with is that, sometimes, leaving clutter sitting is easier than putting it away. So National Clean Off Your Desk Day isn’t just about clearing the surface — it’s about creating a system to prevent clutter in the future. (But it’s okay if you need to do a thorough clean again next year!) We’ve split the process into three steps, from planning, to organizing, to a clean workspace: Prioritize what you use most See that coating of clutter on top? Leave it there, for now. It’s no use trying to put desktop detritus away before you’ve carved out a space to put it — if you cram things into drawers right now, they’ll come right back out when you reorganize! Instead, strategize first. Develop an organization system that gives you easy access to what you use most, and saves less-accessible drawers for lesser-used items. Items you pick up every few minutes, like a calculator or pencil, belong on top of your desk. Items you use several times every day belong in your easiest-to-access drawers, and items you rarely use at all belong in your desk’s least convenient drawer: that one at the very bottom, or maybe the one that jams upon opening. Think about ease of use, and also think about saving your back from bending over twenty times a day just for a fresh sheet of paper! Reorganize your drawers Now that you’ve strategized, it’s time to set that organization system to use. If your organization system hasn’t changed at all, that might be a matter of just shifting a few things around—but if your desk has been working against you for a long time, especially if you can’t figure out why, it’s time to take everything out. This cuts down on organization time in the short term, and makes for a smoother system in the long term. You’re not just patching up what’s not working, you’re organizing from scratch! For quick access to small items, like paper clips or thumbtacks, consider a drawer divider. If you have to file papers, now might be the time to invest in a drawer insert to hang your files vertically, rather than creating a pile to dig through. If you find items you don’t use at your desk at all, set them aside in a small box or bin. Complete this step with what’s already in your drawers before moving on to your desk’s surface. I know that clutter on top looks tempting, but the finished-job feeling of clearing your desk is another reason we’re saving the best for last. Put away things you don’t need Now you can shift your focus to the top of your desk. Look for simple ways to slim down which tools earn the honor of staying on your desk’s top. Do you need a pen cup filled with two dozen working pens, or will two or three suffice? Consider decorations too: Your workspace should be uplifting, but too much decoration can still cause more stress than it alleviates. Moving some decor up off your desk’s surface and onto the wall will help give you some breathing room. It’s also time to clear away coffee mugs, water bottles, old scraps of paper or wrappers. Bring cups or dishes to the sink and garbage all the way to the trash can. Everything feels better when the job is done all the way. If there’s extra room in your bottommost desk drawers, those items you don’t use can be shuffled back into them — we understand the need to make the most of your storage! But if you have the storage space, try to give anything you don’t use at your desk a home away from it.