Posts about Food and Entertaining

Embracing Active Living: A Guide to Thriving in an 55+ Community

Welcome to StoneGate’s 55+ apartment community! We understand that as we age, it can become more difficult to maintain an active social life and stay connected with others. That's why we've created a community that caters specifically to those 55 years and older, where you'll find like-minded individuals and a wide variety of activities and events to keep you engaged and connected. Our homes bring residents together through fitness classes, tea time, game nights, catered breakfast, and more! We also host special events throughout the year, such as holiday parties and resident birthday parties. With new events added regularly, there's always something to look forward to! Our community is also conveniently located near shopping, dining, and entertainment options, so you'll never be at a loss for things to do. We're also close to airports, making it easy to travel. With the added peace of mind of having a secure building and on-site management with 24/7 customer service, you'll be able to enjoy everything our community has to offer with ease and comfort. In addition to the many social and recreational opportunities available, our community also offers numerous amenities including swimming pools and fitness centers. Our apartments are spacious and offer stainless steel appliances, trash valet, and more. We understand that when it comes to finding a new home, you have many options. However, we believe that StoneGate’s 55+ apartment community offers something truly special. We strive to create a welcoming environment where residents can come together, make new friends, and enjoy all of the benefits of living in a close-knit community. We invite you to see for yourself what sets StoneGate apart. Take a tour of our apartments and see our amenities, meet some of our residents, and learn more about the activities and events we have planned. We're confident that you'll see why our community is the perfect choice for those 55 years and older. If you have any questions or would like to schedule a tour, please do not hesitate to contact us. We look forward to meeting you!

Creamsicle Appreciation — Yum!

Summer is the perfect time for cold treats like popsicles and ice cream. Why not combine the creamy goodness of ice cream with the fruity deliciousness of a popsicle? That is probably exactly what 11-year-old Frank Epperson was thinking when he invented the creamsicle in 1905 by enclosing his vanilla ice cream with a layer of frozen fruit juice. Put your StoneGate Apartment Home kitchen to work and make one (or more) of these homemade creamsicle recipes soon! (Or just head to your favorite grocery shop in Williamsville, NY and pick up a supply of frozen treats!) Orange Creamsicles The good ole classic orange creamsicle. You can’t go wrong with the classics. Send your taste buds into nostalgia with these creamy orange frozen treats! Orange Pineapple Creamsicles Pack a punch with this flavorful treat. Take a slight twist on the classic orange creamsicle by adding pineapple into the mix. The next thing you know, you will be daydreaming of being on a beach wearing a grass skirt and attempting the hula. Blackberry Raspberry Creamsicles The combination of these two tart berries with the sweet creaminess of vanilla ice cream is a match made in heaven. The vivid contrast of deep purple against white is also pretty neat. Prepare to have a purple-stained mouth. Apricot Berry Creamsicles You’ll be surprised by how well the contrasting flavors balance each other out. Apricots and strawberries are the original recipe ingredients, but feel free to switch out the strawberries for another type of berry, if you choose. Strawberries ‘N Cream Creamsicles A classic flavor combination that never gets old. Indulge in this tasty, sweet treat that will have a starring role in your dreams. Golden Plum Creamsicles If you can get your hands on these hard to find golden plums, you will definitely want to try this tasty not-your-ordinary-creamsicle recipe. Make your own! Get creative and come up with your own unique flavor combination using your favorite fruits. We hope you enjoyed our article and got some great ideas to try for creamsicles. Thanks for reading our post. Enjoy the rest of your summer here in WNY!

Recipe for Healthy Eating in 2019

Welcome back to the StoneGate Apartment Homes Blog! This is the time of year so many people are setting goals and making changes. If you’re tired of the heavy holiday foods you’ve been eating the past few weeks, it’s definitely time to incorporate something lighter to your diet! Healthy eating can help combat seasonal depression and sluggishness, when part of a healthy lifestyle, as well. We have some tips today focusing on healthy eating habits right here in Williamsville, NY. Track Your Eating Not happy with your diet? It’s hard to change when you don’t know where (and how) you need to change. Spend a couple of weeks tracking what you eat and how much you eat. The government’s healthy eating resource, MyPlate, has a wonderful SuperTracker that you can use. If keeping an online log isn’t for you, try keeping a food diary instead. You can record how much you’ve been eating, what you’ve been eating, and write down the names of new foods you want to try in your food diary. Tracking your eating will let you know exactly how and where you need to change. Adjust Your Diet Now that you know where and how you need to change, it’s time to adjust your diet! Focus on adjusting your diet through small, incremental changes. Not eating enough fruits and veggies? Start by incorporating just one extra serving of strawberries or green beans into your meals each day. Eating too many sweets? Limit yourself to one or two treats per day, or cut soda out of your diet (for the time being, at least). Change your diet slowly so that you don’t feel too restricted by the adjustments you’re introducing into your life. Get Out of the House Healthy eating needs to be balanced by a moderate amount of exercise. Spend some time exercising in the way that works best for your body and your lifestyle. Are you a fan of soccer? Join a city league. Play a pickup game of basketball after work or join a running club. Take a walk through a park. Take advantage of our onsite fitness gym! Just remember to get some exercise every week. We hope you enjoy these tips will help you start the new year with a focus on healthy eating. Let us know of your favorite ways (including recipes) to foster healthy dining. Thanks for reading the StoneGate Apartments blog!

Pumpkin Inspired Recipes from StoneGate Apartments

There’s no getting away from it, pumpkin-spice season has descended on Williamsville, NY, and rather than fight it, we’re embracing all the cinnamon, nutmeg, clove, and allspice goodness. Today the StoneGate Apartment Homes Blog is sharing a variety of recipes for baked goods that feature pumpkin-spice and everything nice! But first some information about how to choose fresh pumpkins for baking if you opt to head to a pumpkin patch. The Spruce has a Pumpkin Guide to help you pick the kind of pumpkin you want to bring home. Sugar Pies are great for pies, and if you like baking, you’ll want to pick a Sweet Meat pumpkin. Of course, you can always pick up canned pumpkin at your favorite WNY grocery store. Pumpkin Inspired Recipes to Make in October Pumpkin Pie Cupcakes from Cincy Shopper This recipe is pretty much what it says it is. Pumpkin pie cupcakes are just pumpkin pie in cupcake form. We know it doesn’t sound very exciting, but it tastes great, and you don’t have to worry about accidentally leaving most of the crust behind as you cut your piece. Pumpkin Pie Cream Puffs from A Farmgirl’s Dabbles For a light dessert at your next dinner party, try making these pumpkin pie cream puffs. These cream puffs are bite-sized and a great finish to any meal. These pumpkin cream puffs are filled with maple whipped cream and pumpkin pie filling — an amazing burst of fall flavor. Pumpkin Roll from Allrecipes.com This is a great dessert, especially nice for holidays, but it can be served any time of the year. The resulting pumpkin roll slices will impress your guests. The pumpkin roll is not as hard to make as it sounds. Be sure and use plain canned pumpkin and not pumpkin pie mix. Check out these recipes for pumpkin bread , pumpkin muffins , and pumpkin cookies from Allrecipes.com — you can bake all month long! What’s your favorite pumpkin-spice recipe? Let us know in the comments. Happy eating! See you next time when we will share ideas about trick or treating with the youngsters in your life.

Celebrating Independence Day in Style

Celebrate Independence Day in the Buffalo, NY area on July 4th by heading to an event or a fireworks show! The StoneGate Apartment Homes Blog is featuring several options to choose from, plus we have some patriotic-flavored recipes to color your picnic or barbecue red, white, and blue! We hope you have a fabulous Independence Day here in Williamsville, Buffalo, or wherever you may be on the 4th of July. Independence Day Events Head to Canalside for food, fun, and fireworks for the 4th of July! Check the Canalside July Calendar for specifics for the day. Food trucks, live music, and a brilliant fireworks display synced to a patriotic-rich soundtrack are hallmarks of this annual show. Find parking recommended for the day on Perry Street near the KeyBank Center or on lots and ramps on the east side of Main Street. If you want to travel a bit further abroad, plan a day trip to Niagara Falls and enjoy the fireworks over the water. Niagara Falls USA has the local scoop. Follow the Village of Williamsville Facebook page for events and announcements taking place this summer here in Williamsville. The Premium Guide to the Buffalo Niagara Region has a full complement of activities to check out this summer. Take a look and see if there is something happening that strikes you as worth attending, this month or next. Patriotic Recipes Patriotic Ice Cream Sandwiches from Two Sisters Crafting These patriotic ice cream sandwiches are our favorite way to celebrate Independence Day! You’ll love the way the gooey, chewy chocolate cookies taste with your favorite brand of vanilla ice cream. Don’t be afraid to shake things up and use mint, chocolate, or strawberry ice cream instead, if you’d prefer. Make your own sprinkles and enjoy! Red, White, and Blue Cheesecake Strawberries from Spicy Southern Kitchen Make this light dessert for your 4th of July celebration. Mix together cream cheese, confectioners’ sugar, whipped topping, and almond extract to make the creamy, delicious filling for these cheesecake strawberries. Raspberry Pretzel Salad from Betty Crocker™ No summer recipe is more classic than raspberry pretzel salad. Our favorite part of this recipe? The delicious filling. Combine cream cheese, sugar, vanilla, whipped topping, and fresh raspberries to make the filling. Are there any other 4th of July events we should know about? Let us know in the comments. Thanks for reading our post! We hope that you have a great month here in Western New York.

Frozen Treats to Beat the Summer Heat

Summer is rapidly approaching and things are heating up here in Williamsville, NY. To combat this, we’ve got some refreshing summertime recipes to share with you! Next time you’re out and about in the city and are feeling a bit overheated, make one of these cool treats in your StoneGate apartment. Recipes Fresh Raspberry Sorbet only takes 30 minutes to make, so be sure to prepare this for your next summer outing for a fun, creamy, delicious treat. We think adding lemon juice to the mix is a great way to add a bit of tang to the sweetness of this thick dessert. Garnish with some fruit or sprigs of your favorite seasoning to add some complementary color and texture. This Fresh Peach Lemonade recipe comes from Gather for Bread. It’s the perfect refreshing summer drink. You’ll need 3 large peaches, pitted, and cut into quarters, ½ cup sugar, 1 cup of real lemon juice, and water. Click on the link above to learn the tips and tricks to make this delicious and thirst-quenching drink. Have you ever tried s’mores in shake form? This S’mores Shake from Country Living is one of the easiest recipes we have on this list. When it’s too hot to make a s’more outside but you still crave a good fireside snack, try making this new twist on our favorite tried-and-true summer classic. Key Lime Mousse Tart is made by crushing NILLA Wafers and then mixing them with sugar, butter, and sweetened coconut flakes. You will love how the sweet and crunchy crust, tart filling, and creamy garnish combine for a flavorful summer treat. What’s better than pistachio flavored ice cream? Frozen Pistachio Pie , that’s what, and we found an easy-to-make recipe from the Cutestuff Cooks blog. All you need for the filling is pistachios, vanilla ice cream, instant pudding, and green food coloring (optional); swirl the top of the pie with fudge topping. Yum! What is your go-to recipe for summertime eating? Please share your favorites with our StoneGate Apartment Homes residents in the comments!