Peanut Butter Truffles

• 2 1/2 cups softened confectioners' sugar
• 1 cup smooth peanut butter
• 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• Truffle accompaniments: sprinkles, crushed nuts, coconut, mini-chocolate chips or candies

Beat ingredients together with an electric mixer until well-combined. Form the mixture into teaspoon-size balls and place them on a parchment-lined cookie sheet. Roll truffles in accompaniments. Chill until firm.

Corn Dip

• Cooking spray
• Two 11-ounce cans Mexican corn, drained
• Two 4.5-ounce cans green chiles, drained
• 2 cups grated Monterey jack cheese
• 2/3 cup grated Parmesan
• 1 cup mayonnaise
• Corn chips

Preheat oven to 350 F. Grease a 9-by-13-inch casserole dish. In a medium bowl, combine the ingredients. Spread the mixture into a baking dish. Bake uncovered, until mixture bubbles around the edges (30-40 minutes). Serve warm with corn chips.

Holiday Roll-ups

• 2 packages softened cream cheese
• 1 package ranch dressing mix
• Ground black pepper
• 5 flour tortillas
• 1/2 finely diced green bell pepper
• 1/2 finely diced red bell pepper
• 2 sliced green onions

Thoroughly combine ranch dressing mix, cream cheese and black pepper. Spread mixture on the tortillas, sprinkle the vegetables over them and roll up tightly. Wrap the roll-ups in plastic and refrigerate at least one hour before serving.

Christmas Tree Melts

(These make great cake or cupcake-toppers.)

• Pretzel sticks
• 1 cup green candy melts
• Rainbow nonpareils

Arrange pretzel sticks on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Microwave green candy melts at 30-second intervals until completely melted, then transfer to a piping bag. Draw zigzagging lines to create a Christmas tree shape over the top half of each pretzel stick. Sprinkle with nonpareils. Let stand 10 minutes to set. Make a few extras in case some break.

The kitchens in our Chicago apartments are equipped with premium appliances, so they're ideal for whipping up your favorite holiday recipes. Contact us to learn more about the amenities we offer and available floor plans.  

The post Popular Holiday Party Snack Ideas appeared first on River North Park Apartments Blog.

Plan for Seating

Make sure you have enough places in your apartment for your invited guests to sit. This may mean bringing chairs in from your bedroom or den, or grabbing some folding chairs. Also, consider whether you’ll need to rearrange furniture to provide enough space to mix and mingle. Throwing your coffee table into the bedroom for the night isn’t a bad idea if it frees up enough space.

Be Considerate of Neighbors

Since apartment living means close proximity to your neighbors, keep your festivities at a low volume. This is not the place to have a party that involves loud music and dancing. Plan activities that will keep the volume lower, so you do not overly disturb your neighbors.

Plan Food Carefully

Plan your food carefully. Your guests aren’t going to sit at your dining room table to eat, so you’ll want food that is portable, but be careful. Some of it will likely get spilled, so choose items that won’t stain too easily. Consider hosting an “all-white” party with white wine, white cheese, and similar white foods to avoid unwanted carpet stains. Consider finger foods as well to keep spills, and the utensils you need, to a minimum.

Have a Spill Cleaning Caddy

Stock a small caddy with items to clean spills, both on your furniture and floor and on your guest’s clothing. Paper towels, cleaning rags, stain remover, and detergent pens will all come in handy. Keep this close at hand to make quick work of any spills that occur.

Many Chicago, IL apartments are a great place to host a party, with the right planning. Are you looking for a new apartment home? Call our office to see what floor plans are available today!

The post Tips for an Apartment-Safe Party appeared first on River North Park Apartments Blog.