Pumpkin Soup

Pumpkin soup is a warm side dish that is earthy, comforting and tasty. Best of all, pumpkin soup is also very easy to make. Most recipes combine pumpkin puree with vegetable stock to create the base for this soup. There are different recipes out there that can spice up the soup or make it a bit unique. Look around to find something that appeals to you and then bring your soup along for your meal. 

Brussels Sprouts

On Thanksgiving, green beans are commonly served. They can be served by themselves or in a green bean casserole. However, younger generations are turning to Brussels sprouts rather than green beans. If you want to bring a trendy side dish with you to a Friendsgiving event, consider making a Brussels sprouts-based dish. You can incorporate Brussels sprouts with bacon or even make fried Brussels sprouts. No matter how you prepare this cruciferous green vegetable, your dish is sure to be a hit. 

Harvest Salad

If you want to bring something light and fresh to Friendsgiving, consider opting for a harvest salad. A harvest salad can be prepared in a number of different ways, but most call for your choice of lettuce or greens to be mixed with common fall fruits and walnuts or pecans. Some common fall fruits that you can throw into a harvest salad include cut-up apples, dried figs, cranberries or pears. You can also throw in things like goat cheese or butternut squash to add depth and flavor to the salad. A vinaigrette is typically used as a dressing. 

A Friendsgiving meal is the perfect time to enjoy an amazing meal with the people who mean the most to you. If you enjoy hosting events with your friends, you may be searching for apartments in Chicago, IL. that are ideal for entertaining. Presidential Towers offers spacious apartments with amazing views. Visit our community today to learn more about the amenities our community has to offer. 

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Here are four things to consider when crafting a culinary masterpiece.

Your Signature Culinary Dish

1. Choose a Type of Cuisine 

Start with your favorite, go-to cuisine; Southern, Italian, Asian, Mediterranean, Mexican, Home Style, or Street Food. Whatever pleases your personal palette and the area of cooking where you have the most experience is a great place to start. Another option is to do a variation of an existing dish. Many people create signature Mac and Cheese, burgers, soups, and casseroles.

2. Add Personal Touches

Your signature dish should have a distinct personal touch that is evident in the flavor, presentation, and textures. You may even start with an existing recipe and start swapping out high-calorie items for those that are low in fat, but still favorable. Consider the person that first substituted fish for ground beef in tacos. Today, fish tacos topped with coleslaw instead of lettuce and tomato are a favorite food truck offering throughout the country.

3. Herb and Spice Combinations

This is the fun part when making a signature dish — creating a one-of-a-kind flavor that is unmistakably your own. Attempt to combine great herb and spice pairings when creating a new dish that will bear your personal touch and add a distinct flavor to your dish. Herb and spice combinations start with a predominant herb combined with spices to imbue a certain taste (sweet, tangy, spicy, etc) and paired with the right base foods — chicken, pork, stews, soups.

• Sweet or spicy
• Sour and sweet
• Savory or creamy
• Sweet and tangy
• Bitter savory

4. Authentic Presentation

Finish off your signature dish with a unique presentation which could be serving a casserole in a bread bowl, using certain garnishes, crisping the top of your dish using the broiler, a creative drizzling of a secret sauce, or stacking food items to create an edible structure.

The gourmet kitchens in our apartments in Chicago, IL are the perfect place to create a signature food dish that you can serve when entertaining family and friends in your spacious apartment. Presidential Towers' units include renovated kitchens with an espresso cabinetry option, granite countertops, upgraded appliances, and wood-inspired flooring.

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Goji Berry Smoothie With Strawberries

The Goji berry packs an impressive antioxidant punch and it’s also full of essential minerals. A single cup of strawberries can deliver an upwards of 149 percent of your daily vitamin C needs. The pairing provides powerful health benefits that include battling diseases by giving your natural immune system the resources it requires. 

Ingredients

3 tablespoons of dried Goji berries

1 cup of ripe strawberries

2 teaspoons of local honey

2 cups of almond milk (non-flavored)

Ice

Place the dry Goji berries in a bowl. Add 1 tablespoon of water and let soak for 20 minutes. Once soft, place all of the ingredients in a blender and liquify.

Tropical Kale Super Smoothie

Kale ranks among the big names in superfoods. It delivers high concentrations of vitamin K, calcium, antioxidants, and even fiber. But a kale smoothie alone can be a tad bland. That’s why mixing kale with delightful tropical fruits filled with vitamin C can be a winning combination.

Ingredients

2 cups of stemless, chopped kale leaves

¾ cup of whole milk

1 frozen banana

¼ cup of plain yogurt

¼ cup of frozen pineapple cubes

3 tablespoons of smooth peanut butter

2 tablespoons of local honey

Ice

Simply place the ingredients into a blender with a suitable amount of ice and combine until liquified.

Blueberry Smoothie with Flax Enhancement

Blueberries are considered among the best heart-healthy superfoods you can eat. Their fame is due to the quantities of fiber, potassium, vitamin C, and vitamin B6, among others. While a blueberry smoothie would undoubtedly qualify as a superfood recipe on its own, adding flax enhances the cardiovascular benefits. Some resources claim it helps prevent cancer and other ailments.

Ingredients

1 cup of frozen blueberries

2 tablespoons of ground flaxseed

½ cup of fresh spinach

¼ cup of plain yogurt

1 cup of coconut milk

Ice

Place all of the ingredients in a blender with an adequate amount of ice. Mix until liquified and pour into a large glass.

We hope our Presidential Towers community members enjoy these smoothie recipes. If you or a friend would like more information about our Chicago apartments, call us today!

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Food

When thinking of food ideas for your barbecue, be sure to include veggie options along with traditional food items like hot dogs, hamburgers, or chicken. Giving people options to choose from will make them comfortable. It’s also important to have common snacks like chips, beans, fruit, and veggies to keep everyone happy and satisfied.

Refreshments 

Noting is more welcoming on a warm day than a cool beverage. We recommend utilizing large coolers to keep everything cold. Up to an hour before the barbecue starts, be sure to put soda or alcoholic choices on ice. This will ensure everything is frosty cold for when your guests arrive.  

Games

Whether they're your traditional lawn games, like corn hole, or a pick-up game of basketball or football, getting your guests active and engaged will leave room for you to finish with grilling and hosting. Offer a variety of games and areas for seating so that your guests can take a rest if they're hot. By the time the food's ready, they'll be hungry and happy!

If you're looking for a great place to host your next summertime barbecue, then Presidential Towers has the ideal Chicago, IL apartments for you. With a convenient picnic and barbecue area, hosting your next get-together is easy! Come visit us today to see our exciting floor plans!

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Fruit Salad 

Fruit salads aren’t just a summer side dish at barbecues and picnics. Get your morning off to a great start with a breakfast fruit salad. Just make plain instant oatmeal, and set it to the side. Add sliced pieces of strawberries, peaches, bananas and any seasonal fruits you like to the oatmeal. Drizzle lemon juice on it, then add a mixture of plain, low-fat yogurt and orange juice as a coating for your breakfast fruit salad. 

Raspberry Green Summer Breakfast Smoothie

If you need to make breakfast to take with you when you leave or when you don’t have time to cook breakfast, consider making a smoothie that’s perfect for summer. Get out your blender, and combine chopped peaches, frozen bananas, chopped kiwi, lemon juice, mint, spinach, and milk. Mashup raspberries in a small bowl, and add low-fat maple syrup. You can add passion fruit to the raspberry sauce for added flavor. Put your smoothie in a tall cup to go, and add the raspberry sauce to it. 

Breakfast Tacos

If you’re in the mood for eggs, consider making breakfast tacos. All you have to do is make scrambled eggs, then add them to flour or corn tortillas with a few other ingredients. Put sliced avocado, sliced cherry tomatoes, sliced green onion and low-fat shredded cheese on the tortilla with the eggs. Then top it with your favorite salsa! 

Blueberry Mug Pancakes

Put your microwave to use for a quick and filling breakfast. You can use pre-made pancake mix to save time or combine flour, milk, maple syrup, vegetable oil, an egg and baking soda in a microwave-safe mug. Add blueberries to the mug, then microwave this for about one minute. Put a bit more maple syrup on top for added flavor. 

Our apartments in Chicago, Illinois, have renovated kitchens with plenty of space for preparing breakfast. Contact us to learn more about our apartment amenities!

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Pasta Primavera and Pinot Grigio

Pinot Grigio is a bright wine with enough acidity to cut through the creamy sauces used in pasta primavera. Choose one with a fruity bouquet to go nicely with the fresh spring vegetables in the dish! 

Grilled Salmon and Pinot Noir

The first wild salmon runs begin in spring, and this is one fish with a robust enough flavor profile that it doesn't need to be paired with a white wine per traditional custom. Pinot noir is an ideal wine for pairing with a grilled salmon dinner because it's got a bolder flavor than white wine yet isn't so rich that it overpowers this popular fish's taste. 

Fruit Salad and Moscato 

The first fruit salad of the season is definitely a special treat, particularly when it's enjoyed al fresco on a warm summer evening with a deliciously cool glass of Moscato. With just the right combination of sweetness and acidity, this beverage pairs excellently with fresh fruits! 

Trout Almandine and Sparkling Rosé

Trout almandine is an ideal entree for an elegant romantic dinner for two, and bringing a sparkling rosé to the picture adds a classy finishing touch that provides a celebratory accent. Sparkling wines go with everything, but this one's particularly suited to complementing the light, delicate flavor of freshly caught trout. 

Roast Lamb and Merlot

Spring lamb is another seasonal delight that's suitable for special occasion meals. Like salmon, it has a strong enough flavor profile to pair well with red wine rather than white, but it needs something more substantial than pinot noir. Merlot is an excellent choice for serving with roast lamb.

Our renovated kitchens feature oak cabinets, updated appliances, breakfast bars, and granite countertops perfect for any meal you want to create this spring. Call us today to schedule a tour! 

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Perfect Pancake Batter

Whisk together 1 ¼ cups of whole milk, 1/2 stick of melted butter, 2 large eggs, and a dash of vanilla extract. Add 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour, 1 tablespoon of baking powder, 4 tablespoons of sugar, and a pinch of salt to mix together thoroughly.

Perfect Waffle Batter

Thoroughly blend 2 large eggs, 1 ½ cups of whole milk, 5 tablespoons of melted shortening, 5 tablespoons of melted butter. Whisk together 2 cups of all-purpose flour, 4 teaspoons of baking powder, 3 tablespoons of sugar and a pinch of salt. Mix the wet and dry ingredients together into a smooth batter.  

Fillings and Additives

Now you have the foundation to make perfectly delicious pancakes and waffles. The next step in creating extraordinary pancakes is selecting tasty additives. These are some considerations:

• Chocolate Chips
• Blueberries
• Cranberries
• Peaches
• Bananas
• Bacon (pre-cooked)
• Strawberries

The trick to adding tasty bites to a perfect pancake is to sprinkle them on top while cooking before you flip the pancake. With waffles, you can blend them into your batter and pour into your iron.

Take Your Pancakes And Waffles To The Next Level

With your batter of choice in place, it’s time to do the extraordinary. This can be achieved by creating fancy toppings or tweaking your amazing batter. These are two examples of how to up your game:

Berry Topping

In a saucepan, mix 3 cups of ripe berries of your choice with 1 tablespoon of lemon juice, ½ cup of sugar and a ½ teaspoon of vanilla extract. Simmer over medium heat while stirring. Reduce heat when berries become tender.  

Chocolate Batter

Reduce all-purpose flour amount by 1/3 cup and replace it with 1/3 cup cocoa powder. Then, increase the amount of sugar used to 2/3 cup. Add mini chocolate chips to make it decadent.  

We hope our Presidential Towers community members enjoy these pancake and waffle ideas! If you or a friend would like more information about our Chicago apartments, call us today.

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Honey Ginger Spring Cocktail

This sparkling wine-based cocktail brings together robust flavors to be expected from a vibrant spring beverage. It will require about 20-30 minutes of preparation time.

Gather These Ingredients

• 1 750ml bottle of prosecco
• 1 cup of local honey
• 3 cups of filtered water
• 2 pears (peeled, cored and diced)
• 1 large piece of ginger (peeled and diced thin)
• 15 sage leaves

How To Prepare

Bring water to boil in a saucepan. Add your honey, stir until melted into water, and reduce to simmer. Put in your sage, pears, and ginger and let simmer for 15 minutes or until one-third of the liquid has evaporated. Remove from heat for 10 minutes then strain into a mixing bowl or large jar. Place fruit slices into wine glasses, 2 tablespoons of the syrup mixture and fill with prosecco.

Simple Sweet-Tart Ginger Beer Cocktail

This tantalizing ginger beer recipe provides a fruity, tangy twist to some trending cocktails that have been circulating.

Gather These Ingredients

• 1 ounce of raspberry puree
• 1 ½ ounces of high-quality ginger beer
• Splash of limoncello
• 4 ounces of champagne
• Splash of lemon and lime juice
• Ripe raspberries

How To Prepare

Pour puree, ginger beer, and limoncello in a wine glass and stir. Add champagne, splashes of lemon, lime and garnish with fresh raspberries.  

Old School Mint Julep

This mint julep recipe is a classic spring cocktail widely associated with the Kentucky Derby. That race comes around in early May, but you can get a head start with this classy cocktail.

Gather These Ingredients

• 2 ounces of Kentucky bourbon
• ½ ounce of Simple Syrup
• Mint Sprigs
• Crushed Ice

How To Prepare

In a julep glass, stir 2 mint sprigs with the simple syrup. Add crushed ice until glass is ¾ full. Add Kentucky bourbon. Cheers!

We hope our Presidential Towers community members enjoy these spring cocktails. If you or a friend would like more information about our Chicago apartments, call us today.

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Riced Cauliflower Buddha Bowl

You can buy fresh or frozen cauliflower rice in many grocery stores, or you can do it yourself! Using the pulse setting, crush cauliflower florets in a food processor. Stop when you get a rice-like consistency, not a mash. Pre-cook the cauliflower rice to lower the water content, and freeze the extra for later. Dice and saute a medium onion along with 3 large minced garlic cloves on medium-high heat. Dice a medium sized bell pepper and jalapeño pepper and add it with the onion. As the onion becomes translucent and just begins to brown, add a can of full-fat coconut milk, your riced cauliflower, a touch of maple syrup, and either red curry paste or Sriracha sauce. Heat well and add 3/4 cup peanuts. Spoon into bowls and garnish with cilantro.  

Southwest Sweet Potato Skillet

This chili-like dish for four is ready in 30 minutes!

Place 4 cubed sweet potatoes, 2 minced garlic cloves, 1 small diced onion, and a teaspoon of cumin in a pot. Heat on medium with 1 Tbsp coconut or avocado oil. Cook while stirring occasionally until the vegetables have some give to them. Add two large, diced bell peppers. Drain a can of black beans and add them with a cup of canned or frozen corn, and a medium-sized can of diced tomatoes to the cooking mix. Stir in a teaspoon of taco seasoning and pepper combined. Bring to a boil. Cover and cook on medium-low heat for 10 minutes until the sweet potato cubes soften as desired. For finishing touches, squeeze a small lime over the skillet dish and garnish with cilantro, sliced avocados, and green onions.  

Love your kitchen at Presidential Towers! We are pleased to include beautifully renovated kitchens among your apartment's amenities so that you can enjoy fine dining year-round, right at home. We're happy to answer any questions you might have!

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Delicious Candy Cane Cocktail

This Sandra Lee inspiration is a good way to incorporate peppermint schnapps into a cocktail recipe for a nice holiday twist. Each serving should take around five minutes to prepare.

Ingredients list:

• 1 single shot of vanilla rum
• 1 single shot of peppermint schnapps
• 1 single shot of your preferred white chocolate liquor
• Candy cane for garnish

Place all ingredients in a cocktail shaker full of ice. Shake well, then strain the mixture into a martini glass, adding the candy cane as a garnish when serving.

Santa’s Sleigh Eggnog Cocktail

Enjoy this new take on your typical eggnog drink. The ingredients listed below should produce four servings for your guests, and the recipe takes about seven minutes to prepare.

Ingredients list:

• 2 cups of chilled, store-bought eggnog
• Coarse white sugar crystals
• ½ cup of amaretto liquor
• ½ cup of brandy
• 2 scoops of vanilla ice cream
• 1 teaspoon of ground nutmeg
• 4 sticks of cinnamon

Dampen the rims of four martini glasses, then line each glass with the sugar crystals. Place everything except the cinnamon sticks into a blender, processing until you get a smooth consistency. Pour the mixture into the martini glasses, adding a stick of cinnamon in each.   

Festive Pomegranate Sangria

Your guests won’t be able to get enough of this delicious vegetarian drink. You should be able to get four to six servings from the ingredients list below.

Ingredients list:

• ½ cup of brandy
• 2 cups pomegranate juice
• ½ cup of triple sec
• 1 bottle of your preferred fruity wine
• 1 large orange, cut in half and thinly sliced
• ¼ cup pomegranate seeds
• 1 cup of halved red grapes
• 1 green apple that’s been cored, cut in half and thinly sliced
• ½ cup of simple syrup (made from equal amounts of water and sugar that have been heated and cooled)

Place all ingredients in a pitcher, cover, and refrigerate for four hours before serving.

Enjoy a Safe Holiday

We want all community members living in our Presidential Towers Apartments in Chicago, IL, to enjoy a safe and happy holiday. Let us know what else we can do for you by calling us at (866) 273-0973.

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