Arroyo Villa Apartments

12/30/2014

12/22/2014

Happy Holidays from our home to yours!

12/16/2014

Malibu Country Mart Annual Winter Wonderland December 6th through 20th

Celebrate the festive holiday season with Southern California’s finest at The Malibu Country Mart. The shopping destination will be transformed into a Winter Wonderland with a stately decorated Christmas tree, charming ornaments, and plenty of twinkling lights. Families can enjoy the Christmas spirit every Saturday, with events for all ages starting on Saturday, December 6th through Saturday, December 20th.

Each Saturday in December, prior to Christmas Eve, visitors can participate in complimentary, holiday-themed activities that are sure to create warm memories for the whole family. Before heading off to travel the world, delivering presents to good boys and girls, Santa and his very own REAL, LIVE REINDEER will visit the Malibu County Mart, pose for photos and prance for their admirers.

Winter Wonderland Schedule

Saturday, Dec 20: Santa’s Reindeer visit the Malibu County Mart and Photos with Santa (noon – 4:00 p.m.) and strolling carolers

12/12/2014

Cozy livingroom

12/12/2014

We even have amenities the little ones will appreciate!

12/09/2014

Here's a simple and festive decoration idea!

12/03/2014

Great idea for your holiday gathering!

11/26/2014

From our house to your house...

11/21/2014

Dessert time!

Ingredients
The Glaze:
1/2 cup dark brown sugar
1/2 cup dark rum
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
6 whole cloves
The Apples:
6 small to medium apples, preferably a sturdy variety like Rome or Granny Smith, washed and cored
6 cinnamon sticks
2 tablespoons butter, cut into small pieces
1 cup unsweetened apple cider
Rum raisin ice cream, optional
Directions
These are so satisfying and don't break the calorie bank if eaten without the ice cream. They can also be made without the rum. I have suggested rum raisin ice cream because I love the combination, but vanilla ice cream or even lemon sorbet would be just as delicious.

For the glaze: In a medium saucepan, combine the dark brown sugar, rum, salt, nutmeg, cinnamon, and cloves. Stir to blend and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Cook and reduce for 3 to 4 minutes to allow the sugar and other ingredients to blend together.

For the apples: Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

In a baking dish large enough to hold all of the apples, arrange the apples in a single layer. Put a cinnamon stick inside the cavity made from coring each apple. Pour the glaze over the apples and top each with pieces of butter. Add the cider to the bottom of the dish and place it in the center of the oven.

Cook the apples, basting them from time to time, until they are tender but not mushy, 25 to 30 minutes (smaller apples will take less time). Serve with scoops of ice cream, sour cream, or just by themselves. They are also delicious leftover.

Recipe courtesy Alex Guarnaschelli

Read more at: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alexandra-guarnaschelli/baked-apples-with-rum-and-cinnamon-recipe.html?oc=linkback

Get this all-star, easy-to-follow Baked Apples with Rum and Cinnamon recipe from Alex Guarnaschelli.

11/19/2014

Here's another side dish!

Ingredients
3 pounds medium Brussels sprouts
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
8 thick slices bacon (about 8 ounces), cut crosswise into 1/2-inch strips
2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more as needed
Freshly ground black pepper
Directions
Bring a large pot of water to a boil and salt it generously. Trim the bottom end of the Brussels sprouts, leaving the core intact, and pull off the outer dark leaves. Halve through the core. Add the Brussels sprouts and cook, uncovered, until tender, about 6 minutes. Drain and rinse under cold running water. (This can be done a day ahead.)

Meanwhile, put the oil and bacon in a very large skillet or stewpot, and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the bacon is crispy. Remove the bacon with a slotted spoon and set aside. Increase the heat to medium-high, add the Brussels sprouts and cook, stirring occasionally, until they brown and the edges get crisp, about 10 minutes. Stir in the vinegar, salt, pepper, and bacon. Serve warm.

Copyright 2003 Television Food Network, G.P. All rights reserved

From Food Network Kitchens

Read more at: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/food-network-kitchens/brussels-sprouts-with-bacon-recipe.html?oc=linkback

Get this all-star, easy-to-follow Brussels Sprouts with Bacon recipe from Food Network Kitchen.

11/13/2014

And now for some Thanksgiving food ideas...

Ingredients
1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
3 medium carrots (about 3/4 pound), cut into 1 1/2-inch thick circles
1 1/2 cups Brussels sprouts (about 1/2 pound), halved
4 cups red bliss potatoes (about 1 pound), cut into 1 1/2-inch thick slices
3 medium parsnips (about1 pound), cut into 1 1/2-inch thick slices
1 cup sweet potatoes (about 1 pound), cut into 1 1/2-inch thick slices
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1 tablespoon dried rosemary
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon dried basil
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
2 tablespoons freshly ground black pepper
Directions
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Grease an 11 by 17-inch baking sheet pan with extra-virgin olive oil. Place vegetables in baking sheet and add the dried herbs, salt and pepper. Toss well, evenly coating all the vegetables with the seasonings and oil. Add more oil if the vegetables seem dry

Spread the vegetables evenly on a large baking sheet. Place on middle rack in oven and bake for 35 to 40 minutes.

Recipe courtesy Giada De Laurentiis

Get this all-star, easy-to-follow Roasted Potatoes, Carrots, Parsnips and Brussels Sprouts recipe from Giada De Laurentiis.

11/05/2014

National Bittersweet Chocolate with Almonds Day – November 7

Sponsored by the National Confections Association, National Bittersweet Chocolate with Almonds Day is celebrated each year on November 7.
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Bittersweet chocolate is chocolate liquor to which sugar, cocoa butter and vanilla have been added. It does have less sugar and more liquor than semisweet chocolate however, the two of them may be interchangeable when baking.
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There are recent studies that have revealed certain health benefits from eating small quantities of bittersweet chocolate and it is also known of the health benefits of almonds. So pairing the two of them together gives us a delicious and healthy snack to be enjoyed on this fall day.