Blog Posts

Holiday Treat Recipe

December is one of the most popular months of the year to perform acts of service for others. If you just can’t think of what to do for a friend or neighbor, we think a plate of treats would do the trick! Make a batch of these winter cookies for yourself, too, because we can guarantee that you’ll want a taste! This peppermint candy cane cookie recipe from Self Proclaimed Foodie is a classic winter cookie recipe. Shaped just like the classic candy cane, these peppermint flavored treats are sure to find a way into your heart (and tummy!). INGREDIENTS 2¼ cups all-purpose flour ½ teaspoon kosher salt 1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature (2 sticks) ¾ cup granulated sugar ½ cup powdered sugar 2 large egg yolks 2 teaspoons peppermint extract 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 12 drops red food coloring ½ cup decorating sugar (red, white, your choice but large crystals work best) INSTRUCTIONS In a small bowl, combine flour and salt. Set aside. In a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, beat the butter on high speed until light and fluffy, about 4-5 minutes. Scrape the sides, add the granulated sugar and powdered sugar and continue to beat until very light in color and fluffy, another 2-3 minutes. Scrape sides again and add the egg yolks, peppermint extract and vanilla, beat on low speed until well combined. With the mixer running on low speed, spoon in the flour and salt mixture until all of the dry ingredients have been added and fully combine. Do not over mix. At this point, remove half of the dough and place on a sheet of plastic wrap. If you're a perfectionist, you should have about 28 ounces total, so you'd want to take out about 14 ounces of the dough. Add food coloring to remaining dough in the bowl and mix just until the color has evenly blended in. Add the red dough to a separate piece of plastic wrap. Shape both dough balls into a square that's about 5-6 inches in length. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate 2 hours or overnight (or longer if you're making them ahead of time). Preheat oven to 325 degrees F and prepare two baking sheets with parchment paper or a Silpat. Roll each dough to a 9x9 inch square, then stack them on one another and roll to seal them together. Cut the dough down the center and refrigerate both halves. After the dough has chilled a bit, after maybe 15 minutes, take out one of the halves and start cutting short strips that are about 1/4 inch thick. Roll each strip to lengthen and slightly twist at the same time. Roll in decorating sugar and then lay out on a baking sheet in the shape of a candy cane. Bake until just slightly brown on the bottoms, 13 to 15 minutes. Rotate your baking sheet halfway through if your oven doesn't bake evenly. Remove from oven and allow to cool on sheets for 5 minutes before transferring to cooling rack. Continue baking process with remaining dough, keeping it cool until ready to bake (otherwise your cookies expand too much). Store in airtight container and segregate from other cookies as the peppermint flavor will transfer. Head to the site for a step-by-step guide on how to make them look just like candy canes! This is a great recipe to make and bring to friends or someone who might just need a little pick-me-up. Remember to drop some off for your friends in Baltimore, MD once you’re done baking these delicious treats in your apartment at The Social North Charles!

Great Recipes to Help You Plan Thanksgiving Dinner

Food is one of the biggest stars of Thanksgiving, and today our blog post for the Social North Charles will be focusing on how to help you make your holiday feast. From the turkey and sides to the pumpkin pie for dessert, we’ve got recipes to try, including some to make ahead to free up oven and stove space. So head to your favorite Baltimore, MD grocery store soon to pick up the ingredients and get ready to prepare a feast to serve in your apartment. Turkey When it comes to cooking turkey for Thanksgiving dinner, there are a few choices: brined, deep-fried, or roasted. Whatever method you choose, when it is served you’ll be looking for a moist, flavorful bird. If you are looking at preparing the turkey ahead of time , iGrow offers some good tips. Sides from AllRecipes.com Cranberry Sauce with Raspberry Vinegar “This ‘enhanced’ version of cranberry sauce has a distinctive, yummy tang. It’s great with Apricot Glazed Turkey with Onion Gravy. Can be made up to 1 week ahead.” Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes “Russet potatoes are blended with roasted garlic, butter, and milk. This recipe is a standard.” Yummy Sweet Potato Casserole A delicious mashed sweet potato casserole with a crunchy pecan topping. Easy to make-ahead, this recipe bakes in only 30 minutes. “My family begs me to make this creamy baked dish every Thanksgiving and Christmas. What makes it so good is the pecan topping! Try it and I'm sure it will become your new tradition!” Bacon and Bourbon Thanksgiving Stuffing “This recipe makes a HUGE amount of stuffing--enough to stuff a 24 lb. turkey--so adjust the ingredient amounts as needed. The flavors of bacon and bourbon make it richer than any stuffing I've ever had, and I always get requests for the recipe. There's no good way to mix this without using your hands, so just dive in and do it! Egg-type breads such as challah, may be substituted for dark breads.” These smart Thanksgiving side dish make-ahead ideas will save you more time on Thanksgiving Day, letting you visit with guests and enjoy the spirit of the season better. Pumpkin-Spice Desserts Pumpkin Parfaits “This is a lighter alternative to pumpkin pie. I have not doubled this recipe, so I don’t know how that would turn out, but I’d like to know if someone does.” Turtle Pumpkin Pie “This recipe takes pumpkin pie to a whole new level, with drizzled caramel, chopped pecans and airy COOL WHIP Whipped Topping. Cue the applause.” What are your favorite Thanksgiving recipes for the holiday dinner or even for leftovers? We would love to hear! Share in the comments so others in our apartment community can try them, too.

How to Make a Charcuterie Board

Fall is here, and the opportunities for celebrating it in style, in or out of your apartment here in Baltimore, MD, abound! Your home at The Social North Charles is the perfect spot to host a gathering with your closest friends, whether for a Halloween party or a simple fall function. Today we’re excited to give you some pointers for making a charcuterie board so you can have a stunning snack option for your next cheese-tasting party or get-together. First, find a board. Find your template for your meats and cheeses at a store near you, or head online for just the right one that fits your vision! We like this classic paddle board made of acacia wood on Amazon or even this white marble monogram board to add a bit of class, glamour, and personality to your table. You can even splurge and get this ultimate meat and cheese gift box with acacia board to skip the next few steps of buying your ingredients! Gather your ingredients.n What you choose to include in your board is up to you and what you think your guests will enjoy, but keep in mind a few guidelines to make something that will suit a variety of tastes and palates. Beware of allergies or other dietary restrictions and provide plenty of options in flavors, textures, and types of food so your guests can try a bit of everything and enjoy. Include cheeses, crackers, baguette bread, cured meats, veggies, fruits, nuts, dipping sauces, and spreads for the full experience. Artfully arrange and garnish. Make sure you organize your items on your board cleanly so it’s easy for your guests to find what they want and create their perfect plate. Mix up your sections so some of them frame the edges of the board, others connect the edge to the middle with a line, and others fill a section of the board next to items they would pair well with. Garnish with fresh herbs, such as sprigs of mint or rosemary, to pull it all together! For an extra fancy touch, pair with some luxurious drinks like wines or even sparkling cider. What are your favorite party snacks or ways to dress up a charcuterie board? Share your thoughts and best suggestions with the rest of the apartment community by leaving a comment. Thanks for reading! Enjoy!

Application Process Shortcuts

Welcome back to The Social North Charles Blog. We’re always sharing with our readers our best advice and tips. When it comes to apartment living here in Baltimore, MD, saving money and saving time is a life saver. Today we’re sharing some suggestions for getting through the apartment application process without a sweat. Read below for our top four tips! 1. Verify Your Credit It’s important to know in detail your current financial situation before you start filling out an application. Getting an up-to-date copy of your credit report is a good place to begin the process. Once you receive the report, review it to verify that the information is accurate. If it is not, take steps to make corrections before you fill out an application. This is an easy way to avoid disappointment based on a credit score. 2. Prepare Documents Having all of the documentation you will need close at hand before you begin is a good idea. It will help you fill out the application more quickly in one sitting. You will usually need your driver’s license, social security card, proof of employment, and references. Some applications require a copy of these documents to be attached. Scanning and saving them as a PDF file prior to starting the application can expedite the process when you are actually filling in the application. 3. Read Through the Application Before you begin filling out an application, read through it to get an idea of what will be required and what information and documentation you will need to have on hand. This will help you avoid surprises and better prepare your answers before you start filling things out. 4. Double-Check Your Responses Once you’ve completed the paperwork, but before you submit your application, double-check it to make sure it is complete and accurate. You don’t want to realize after you hit the “send” button that you made a mistake. Be sure to check for typos, too. First impressions still count, even if it’s only an application. Consider having a friend to look over it to catch any mistakes you may have missed before you submit. What apartment application tips do you have for the rest of the community? Share your thoughts with us in the comments. Thanks for reading! Good luck!

Tips for Keeping Your Pet Happy in Your Apartment

We love pets and are proud to be a pet-friendly community here in Baltimore, MD at The Social North Charles. Your pet’s happiness is important to us, so we are sharing a few tips for keeping your pet happy and healthy while living at your apartment. Keep reading for some helpful tips that will help you and your pet love apartment living. Know Your Dog’s Breed While we are a pet-friendly community, we do have some breed restrictions. Contact the leasing office to determine if your pet is allowed. The restrictions are in place to help ensure everyone’s comfort and safety, so be mindful of them — and especially of how your dog’s specific breed (even if it’s allowed) may affect how well they do in an apartment. Some require more space, exercise, and room to roam or bark as they please, regardless of size. Study up on the habits of your dog’s breed and evaluate your specific pet’s habits to see how you can prevent problems. Exercise One of the most important ways to keep your pet happy is to ensure that they get regular exercise. They need a way to let out energy, or they might turn to destructive habits of chewing or digging things in your apartment. Take your pet on frequent walks, and if that’s not possible hire a dog walker to take them out while you are away. Also, try taking your dog to a nearby dog park for an hour or so. They can run and play off-leash in an enclosed area while you can sit and watch them or read a book. Make Them Their Own Space Set up a space in your apartment specifically for your pet. Put things they like in this area, like their favorite toys and a cozy pet bed or pillow for them to lie and rest on. Having their own space will help your pet to adjust and become comfortable with your new apartment. By creating a space for them your pet will realize that this is their home, too. These are just a few tips to help ensure your pet is happy and healthy, as you both adjust to your new life at The Social North Charles. Read this article on How to Keep a Dog Happy & Healthy in a Small Apartment for more tips to revolutionize your life. Thanks for reading our post!

Tips for Choosing the Perfect Apartment

The apartment search is exciting and productive when you have a guide for what you want and great options to choose from here in Baltimore, MD. If you’re in the apartment search, if you will be anytime in the future, or if you simply want validation that you’ve chosen the right home for you, read today’s Social North Charles Blog to learn some of the essentials to keep in mind as you look for a new apartment. Network. You never know where your leads may come from, so as you’re browsing online or searching the city for an apartment in your ideal location, ask around. Social media can be a great resource for finding something perfect for you. Ask your friends, people in at work or school, and people in the area what openings they may have noticed. Don’t discount space. Whatever your reason for moving, you still want a home that’s spacious enough for you. If it helps to work by the numbers, grab a notebook: Get an estimate of how big your current home is and measure (and write down) furniture you’ll be keeping. This can help you compare to prospective homes and figure out where to put everything once you’re moving. Sort your criteria. Size isn’t the only aspect you should consider. List out the other aspects you want and sort them in order of importance. How much do community amenities, such as on-site fitness centers, bike rooms, libraries, or community landscaping, matter to you? (Side note: We have all of those!) Do you need something pet-friendly? What are you looking for in a location? Write it out and make note of which things you need and which you can be more flexible on so you can find a home that matches up with as much of this criteria as possible. Tour smart. Make a great impression on potential lessors by coming to your tour prepared and on time. Check out the website and get a feel for prices and amenities before your tour so you can focus on the things you can only discover in person during your tour. Test outlets, check out lighting, get a feel for how much you enjoy the flow of the layout (and the ease of reaching exits), take note of noise levels and parking situations, and ask about fees or policies for using amenities. What other tips do you have for choosing the perfect apartment? Share with the rest of us in the comments so we can all benefit. Thanks for reading! We hope you have a great search here in Baltimore and you find The Social North Charles a welcoming, comfortable place to live.