Blog Posts

Celebrating December Foodie Holidays in Your Rochester Apartment

December is home to more than one holiday to celebrate! This month the 501 on First Blog is highlighting a variety of December holidays you may not even be aware of! Broaden your horizons and take time out to note these food-centric December holidays. National Brownie Day December 8th is National Brownie Day and we don’t want any of our 501 on First residents to miss out on this tasty celebration! In preparation for this upcoming holiday, we are sharing an incredible brownie recipes in this post. Whip of a batch of brownies in your apartment to celebrate! Gingerbread House Day Celebrate Gingerbread House Day (December 12) by getting together with friends and family for a festive evening of creating a magical, edible, delectable gingerbread house. Gingerbread House Heaven has all the resources you need if you are new to the tradition, and even if you aren’t they have tons of ideas to up your gingerbread-house game. If you prefer a shortcut, pick up a gingerbread house kit online or at your favorite grocery or craft store and concentrate on the fun of decorating the house without the hassle of the baking. National Cupcake Day Who doesn’t love a cupcake? These sweet, delightfully decadent, hand-held treats are a hit at holiday gatherings or simply to enjoy at home. December 15th is National Cupcake Day, so we suggest heading out to visit your favorite bakery and pick up some to celebrate. If baking is your jam, check out this list of 35 Indulgent Cupcake Recipes from Yellowblissroad. It will be sure to spark your imagination. Happy baking! National Maple Syrup Day December 17th is National Maple Syrup Day, and this we are celebrating breakfast! We have a breakfast recipe and a syrup recipe for you to enjoy. We hope that you have a month full of great breakfasts! Belgian Waffles from Cooking Classy There’s nothing like a basic belgian waffle. Sprinkle your waffle with powdered sugar and cinnamon, top it with white chocolate mousse or ice cream, and decorate your waffle with your favorite fruits. This versatile recipe works well with a variety of toppings. You can’t include National Maple Syrup Day without at least one syrup recipe. This vanilla butter syrup tastes amazing drizzled over a stack of pancakes or waffles. National Bake Cookies Day The holidays are finally here! What better way to celebrate the holidays than by baking some tasty and festive holiday cookies? And what better day than December 18, National Bake Cookies Day. We are sharing a recipe for some decorative and incredibly tasty holiday cookies that you can make in your apartment kitchen. These cookies are sure to get you in the holiday spirit! Candy Cane Cookies These festive cookies look and taste a lot like peppermint candy canes. The recipe comes from Betty Crocker. Here’s what you will need to make them: sugar, butter or margarine, milk, vanilla, peppermint extract, an egg, all-purpose flour, baking powder, salt, red food coloring, and finely crushed peppermint candies or candy canes. National Bacon Day Finish the month strong with bacon! Whether you like it crispy, chewy, or somewhere in between, bacon is a tasty addition to any meal, particularly breakfast. Celebrate National Bacon Day this month by trying a recipe or two featuring this American breakfast staple. The Food Network Magazine will have you knee-deep in bacon-inspired recipes: 50 Things to Make with Bacon . We hope you enjoy making one (or all) of these foods this December, right here at your apartment in Rochester, MN! Please share your favorite recipes in the comments.

Express Gratitude this Month and All Year Long

With the arrival of November comes Thanksgiving, friends, family, food, football, and gratitude. Did you know that in addition to producing warm fuzzies, giving thanks creates documented health benefits? Various studies have shown that people who express gratitude reap the benefits of better physical, emotional, and spiritual health. Happier Human identifies some incredible rewards of gratitude in the article, The 31 Benefits of Gratitude You Didn’t Know About: How Gratitude Can Change Your Life . Check it out and then try these ways to put the “thanks” in Thanksgiving this month. Whether you’re at home in your 501 on First apartment or elsewhere in Rochester, MN, there’s always room for gratitude. Keep a gratitude journal. It doesn’t matter if you do it online, use a notebook, or buy a leather-bound journal for the purpose. The important thing is writing down the things you are grateful for and expressing gratitude daily. We suggest writing down three things each day you are grateful for in your life. Express it verbally. At the close of each day, share with a loved one or a friend what the best part of your day was and why you are thankful it happened. You could also share the worst part of your day, and look to find some good that did or could come from it so you can really metaphorically make lemonade out of the lemons life gives you. Saying it aloud will help you get in the habit of recognizing the actions of others, and it will help you be more comfortable telling them “thank you” for the good they do. This strengthens relationships and encourages healthy actions. Reconnect. Take the time to meet up with people who have had a positive impact on your life. We suggest taking the time to thank them in person. You can also write a note, send flowers, or email them. The important thing is letting the person know how much you appreciate what they’ve done for you. If time and distance are prohibiting factors, a quick phone call is all you need to get things rolling. Being grateful comes full circle, and we often reap the benefits. Take time to say thanks today! Happy Thanksgiving to everyone in our apartment community!

Spooky Tales — October Book Suggestions from 501 on First

Welcome back to the 501 on First Blog! October is here and that means Halloween is coming. Get ready for this spooky holiday by reading something scary this month at your Rochester, MN apartment. We have some suggestions that are perfect for the season — keep the ensuing chills at bay with a warm pumpkin-spiced drink! Feed by Mira Grant The year was 2014. We had cured cancer. We had beat the common cold. But in doing so we created something new, something terrible that no one could stop. The infection spread, virus blocks taking over bodies and minds with one, unstoppable command: FEED. Now, twenty years after the Rising, Georgia and Shaun Mason are on the trail of the biggest story of their lives-the dark conspiracy behind the infected. The truth will out, even if it kills them. The Fall of the House of Usher and Other Tales by Edgar Allan Poe The eerie tales of Edgar Allan Poe remain among the most brilliant and influential works in American literature. Some of the celebrated tales contained in this unique volume include: the world's first two detective stories -- "The Murders in the Rue Morgue" and "The Purloined Letter"; and three stories sure to make a reader's hair stand on end -- "The Cask of Amontillado", "The Tell-Tale Heart", and "The Masque of the Red Death". The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins A debut psychological thriller that will forever change the way you look at other people’s lives. Rachel takes the same commuter train every morning. Every day she rattles down the track, flashes past a stretch of cozy suburban homes, and stops at the signal that allows her to daily watch the same couple breakfasting on their deck. She’s even started to feel like she knows them. “Jess and Jason,” she calls them. Their life—as she sees it—is perfect. Not unlike the life she recently lost. And then she sees something shocking. What is your favorite book to read in October? Let us know in the comments. Also, for the scoop on Minnesota Halloween events , check out Funtober. Thanks for reading our post. Happy Halloween to everyone at our apartment community!

Sweet Potato Oats for Breakfast? Bring It!

Hi, readers! Now that you’ve got your pantry situation all figured out, how about a healthy oatmeal recipe to try out? Today we’re sharing all our best tips for eating breakfast and the benefits of doing so. Your 501 on First apartment is a great place to prepare your own healthy meals. Starting your day with breakfast might take a few more moments than skipping it or grabbing something quick, but we promise it’s worth it. Fueling your body and mind will help you accomplish more during the day. You’ll be able to get out the door and start your day on the right foot. Eating a good breakfast kick-starts your metabolism wakes up your body, and gives your body the nutrients it needs to get going. Lots of breakfast cereals are a quick option but pack a lot of sugar. Making smart decisions in the morning will pay off during the rest of your day. Eating veggies for breakfast might not be your idea of a morning meal, but we found a great recipe from Little Bits that you’ve got to try. This delicious recipe will keep you full until lunch. The site says, “Adding cinnamon was a must as it reminds me of my oat days, and adding banana was a no-brainer as I also used to add it to my oats as a natural sweetener! Make sure those bananas are nice and brown for this so they can bring the dish lots of sweetness.” Ingredients 1 cup sweet potato-“oats” (directions below) 1/3 cup crushed ripe banana (about 1 medium banana) 1/4 cup almond milk ½ teaspoon cinnamon Pinch of salt Top with: banana, walnuts and/or almond butter Directions In a small bowl combine sweet potato-“oats”, banana, almond milk, cinnamon and salt. Microwave for about 3 minutes or until cooked. I topped mine with sliced banana, walnuts and a drizzle of almond butter! *To make Sweet Potato-“Oats”: Peel 1 sweet potato and run it through the shredder attachment on a food processor. Then add the blade attachment and pulse for a few seconds just until sweet potato resembles the size of oats! Use 1 cup of these “oats” for the recipe. We hope you love this delicious twist on your typical breakfast meals. Check back next month for another great blog post featuring life in Rochester, MN!

Creating the Perfect Pantry at 501 on First

Last month in the 501 on First Blog we shared some ideas for what to stream for TV entertainment at your apartment. Relaxing is great, but this month we want to hone in on organizing one area of your apartment specifically, and that is a pantry area for your kitchen. Maintaining a well-stocked pantry has several advantages — you can make a meal at a moment’s notice, you can take advantage of sale items, you will be able to make substitutions to a meal plan, you know you won’t go hungry if you can’t get to the store. So let’s get started. Take stock of what you already have on hand and note whether you will soon need to get more or if the items “use by” dates are expired. Think about the entrees you cook often and what goes into them, add the shelf-safe ingredients to your list of items to be stocked in YOUR pantry. Take into account the spices you like to cook with, whether you spend a lot of time baking, and what your monthly food budget looks like. There are a multitude of pantry-supply lists , such as this one from the Food Network, which you can use as a base for creating your individualized pantry. Keep track of what you need to pick up at the grocery store by using one of these handy apps . We especially like the Out of Milk app (available for both Android and i OS ) because with it you can include an ongoing home pantry list. Once you have determined what’s in your pantry and what you want to add, make a list and each time you go grocery shopping, add something from the list until you’ve created the perfect, individualized pantry. (Add a dollar amount to your monthly food budget set aside specifically for pantry items.) When you are ready to set up your pantry area, take some time to plan what will go where. Put heavy items on lower shelves, items that are more rarely used on upper shelves, and items that are used often on easy-to-reach shelves. When possible, use uniform-sized containers for food items. Be sure to label containers so you know what you have. We hope these tips will help you plan —and maintain the perfect pantry. Where do you like to go shopping in the Rochester, MN area? Please share in the comments so we can all take advantage. Thanks for reading today’s post.

Streaming Options for Summer Binging

Welcome back to the 501 on First Blog! Chances are at some point this summer you’ll be heading to our TV Lounge or inviting friends to come to your Rochester apartment to binge on a TV series. Today, we have some info to help you decide which streaming service best fits your viewing choices. Top Streaming Services According to Tom’s Guide , the top three streaming services are Netflix, Hulu, and Amazon Instant Video, with Netflix being lauded as the best overall, Hulu filling the bill for Network TV, and Amazon is great for families. A couple of other notable mentions include the following: Vevo for Music Fans and Twitch for gamers. Also, while not ranked in the survey, VidAngel offers streaming with filters, so users can remove unwanted content while streaming a movie or TV show. Netflix with its ever-changing scene of documentaries, movies, and television selections has something for every taste. Netflix originals are a good reason to go with this option. You can do some serious binging watching just original content. Hulu is an excellent choice to stay current with the latest TV shows without forking out the $$$ for cable TV. Additionally, if you are a fan of British TV, Hulu Plus is the best place to get BBC content in the United States. A bonus is the selection of classic anime series. Amazon Prime has a popular streaming service that offers a variety of classic movies, TV shows, and comedy via a partnership with Viacom — including access to Comedy Central, MTV, and Nickelodeon. VidAngel, whose tagline is “watch however the BLEEP you want,” offers its viewers streamed content along with a customizable filter which is controlled by the end user. They offer both original movies and a large selection of stand-up comedy. While staying home to stream entertainment is awesome, sometimes you just need to get out of the apartment. If you’re looking for a new release, head to your favorite Rochester, MN theater and catch what’s currently on the big screen. Movie Insider will help you know what’s playing now and what’s coming up.