Blog Posts

Summer Pasta Salads

Welcome back to The Block Townhomes Blog! Summer is here and it is the perfect time for potlucks, picnics, and barbecues here in Starkville, MS! Get ready for your next summer gathering by reading today’s post that features some tasty pasta salad recipes. Pasta salad makes the perfect side dish for any summer party. BBQ Ranch Pasta Salad from Spicy Southern Kitchen Create some contrast on your plate by including this pasta salad recipe, which offers some interesting flavors and textures. We love the addition of the corn chips and the Honey BBQ Ranch Dressing in place of normal Ranch. Everything But the Kitchen Sink Pasta Salad from Half Baked Harvest This pasta salad has it all and it makes the perfect picnic side dish. You’ll need cooked bowtie pasta, chunky basil pesto, sun-dried tomatoes, lemon juice, kalamata or green olives, red bell pepper, grilled corn kernels, a ripe peach or nectarine, halved cherry tomatoes, cubed cheddar cheese, cubed mozzarella cheese, olive oil, toasted sunflower seeds, fresh sprouts, salt, pepper, and crushed red pepper. BLT Pasta Salad from Life in the Lofthouse This BLT Pasta Salad turns your favorite sandwich into your favorite side. This salad is less messy than your traditional BLT, and a lot easier to transport. We recommend adding chicken, beef, or avocado to this treat if you’d like a little more protein in your dish. Cashew Chicken Rotini Salad from Julie’s Eats and Treats This dish is like ordinary pasta salad got an upgrade. Ingredients include cooked rotini pasta, cubed chicken, halved green grapes, halved red grapes, ranch salad dressing, mayonnaise, and salted cashews. Creamy Cheddar Macaroni Salad from A Pretty Life in the Suburbs This summer-ready pasta salad is loaded with veggies. To make it, you’ll need the following ingredients: cooked elbow pasta, a bell pepper, red onion, cheddar cheese chunks, celery stalks, mayonnaise, sour cream, vinegar, prepared mustard, sugar, salt, and ground pepper. Which of these pasta salad recipes sounds the most appealing to you? Let us know in the comments and feel free to share your own pasta salad recipes with us as well. Have a great summer here in your Starkville, MS apartment or wherever you may be!

Tips for Keeping a Pet at Your Apartment

Pets are great, but they can require a lot of attention and responsibility. The Block Townhomes is a student apartment community in Starkville, MS that is proud to welcomes pets! Review our pet policy on our website and continue reading our post for some tips and suggestions for keeping a pet in your apartment. Know your pet. Our community permits cats and dogs, but we do have breed restrictions. Read our pet policy for more details. After you’ve found out your pet is permitted, you should still consider whether you think your furry friend will actually be happy in your apartment. Consider how much exercise they habitually need, how much time you need to devote to taking care of specific needs, and whether or not they’ll feel cooped up in an apartment. Be prepared to make accommodations! Make accommodations. Pets can completely change your life, but you don’t have to be overwhelmed. Plan for any changes to your schedule and your home you might need for a seamless transition. For example, organize your furniture so your pet can easily roam about your apartment. Keep feeding stations in plain sight but out of the way. Plan for how you can fit things like potty breaks, exercise, and playtime into both of your schedules. Address problems. House training is possible, even if it seems difficult. Address the “why” of each problem that arises and give your pet healthy alternatives to behaviors that you don’t want in your apartment, like spraying or scratching , barking , or leaving messes inside . Be persistent and know that even if the whole process of keeping a pet is exhausting, the companionship is worth it. Give them space. Some animals don’t mind smaller spaces, but others (even if their breed isn’t on our list of restricted breeds) might need more space to roam. Take note of how your pet navigates your home and move furniture so the layout can flow naturally for both of you. Move valuables into cupboards, closets, or other enclosed areas your pet won’t have access to if you’re worried about accidents. Stay on top of your pet’s health. Your pet’s health is important for their well-being and the safety of you and everyone else in the community. Make caring for their health a priority in your life. Bathe your pet, brush their teeth regularly, exercise them, and check up on current or past illnesses to prevent problems. Visit a veterinarian for regular checkups, and don’t be afraid to ask them for help on any behavioral issues you may be encountering. What other tips do you have to share with others in our apartment community? Share them with us in the comments. Thanks for taking the time to read our post!

Clean Your Apartment for Spring

Spring has arrived here in Starkville, MS, making it the perfect time to clean your apartment here at The Block Townhomes! Take this month as an opportunity for you to deep clean for a fresh apartment to relax in the whole season. Try these tips to make the cleaning process easier for you this month. Create a List Make a list of all the chores you need to get done and everything you need to clean. You could also use a pre-made list like The Ultimate Spring Cleaning Checklist from I Dream of Clean that categorizes everything for you by rooms. It is a good idea to make a list first so you don’t miss anything when you start cleaning. Declutter and Organize Before you start scrubbing and vacuuming, it may be helpful to go about decluttering your apartment. Throw away any trash and old or unwanted items. You could make a pile of unwanted clothing or other items to donate to a local thrift store. Use an empty basket to go about collecting stray items around the house and putting them back where they belong. Clean Room by Room Pick a room to start with and do all the cleaning required for that room. We recommend starting with the bathroom so you can get all the less appealing scrubbing out of the way. By cleaning one room at a time you can avoid becoming stressed out or overwhelmed by everything that needs to be done. It is important to break down your tasks and give yourself plenty of time to accomplish each of those tasks. Deep clean. Remove stale scents and just keep everything looking and feeling vibrant by cleaning the details of your apartment. Dust blinds, fans, smoke detectors, and vents. Clean out your sink and disposal. Disinfect doorknobs and other touch points in your home. Throw away items, clothing, and food you no longer use, want, or enjoy. This can be a bigger undertaking, but if you do small things when they’re convenient (or if you put in the time all in one go), you’ll be grateful you did! What are your best Spring cleaning tips? Share them with us in the comments. We hope these tips help you out. Thanks for reading our post!

Make a Pie on Pi Day

March 14th is Pi Day — a perfect excuse to make and indulge in some pie! The Block Townhomes Blog is sharing a few pie recipes we believe are worthy of this occasion. Whip up one of these tasty pies in your apartment and share it with some friends here in Starkville, MS. Pink Lemonade Pie from The Prepared Pantry This pink lemonade pie somehow manages to achieve that perfect balance of sweet and tart. Ingredients include graham crackers crumbs, butter, sugar, cream cheese, sweetened condensed milk, pink lemonade concentrate, lemon juice, red food coloring, shredded coconut, whipping cream, and vanilla extract. This pie will have you dreaming of summertime! Coconut Cream Pie from My Recipes This creamy pie will have you dreaming of a getaway to a tropical island. If getting away is not an option at the moment, a slice of this pie is the next best option. Ingredients include refrigerated pie crust, sugar, cornstarch, half and half, egg yolks, butter, sweetened coconut flakes, vanilla extract, whipping cream, and toasted coconut. Chocolate Black Bottom Pie from Martha Stewart Living This black bottom pie has a pie crust made from chocolate wafers, is topped with a smooth chocolate and spiced rum filling, and is covered in toasted macadamia nuts and whipped cream swirled with chocolate. It looks and sounds like a dream! Strawberry White Chocolate Pie from Jamie Cooks It Up! You will fall in love with this pie that features two of the very best ingredients — chocolate and fruit! First make the crust from graham cracker crumbs, melted butter, and salt. Next make the filling using cream cheese, powdered sugar, white chocolate chips, whipped topping, and salt. For the topping you will need sliced strawberries and melted white chocolate to drizzle over the strawberries. Do you love pie? What is your favorite type of type? Let us know in the comments and share any awesome pie recipes that you’ve discovered. Thanks for reading. We hope you enjoy some pie on Pi Day this month!

Valentine's Day Activities for Everyone

Welcome back to The Block Townhomes Blog! In this month’s post we are sharing a few ideas for different Valentine’s Day activities no matter what your situation — single, in a relationship, or dealing with a recent breakup. Baking Baking is a fun activity no matter your relationship. Follow this recipe from Cupcake Diaries to make your own Conversation Heart Sugar Cookies . If you’re not a fan of Valentine’s Day just write anti-Valentine messages on them instead, like “call me never” or “how about no.” If you are in a relationship you could make cookies together for a fun Valentine’s Day activity. Host a Party Whether you love Valentine’s Day or hate it, throw a party! If you are not a fan of the holiday, check out this article from College Magazine on Hosting the Perfect Anti-Valentine’s Day Party . On the other hand, if you love everything Valentine’s Day related, get some ideas from Party City ! Dine Out Valentine’s Day is the perfect excuse for a romantic candlelit dinner if you are in a relationship. Try one of these 10 Great Spots for Food in Starkville, MS . If you’re single and don’t want to get out but also don’t want to cook, we found the 5 Best Delivery Restaurants in Starkville with the help of TripAdvisor. Movie Night Head to the movie theater to see a new movie or stay cozy in your apartment and watch a movie curled up on your couch. Watching a movie is a great option no matter what your relationship status is If you are staying in, we recommend watching one of The Greatest Romantic Comedies of All Time from this list from Ranker. How do you plan on celebrating Valentine’s Day this month? Let us know in the comments. We hope you found this post helpful and that you gained a few ideas. Check back often to see what is new here on The Block Townhomes Blog!

Tasty Oatmeal Recipes to Fill You Up

Breakfast is the most important meal of the day because it gives you the energy to get going and gets your digestive system moving. The Block Townhomes Blog is sharing some tasty and filling oatmeal recipes that are perfect for your morning breakfast. Not only is oatmeal a healthy choice, but it keeps you feeling full longer than other options. Blueberry Peach Oatmeal This fruit-packed oatmeal recipe comes from Eating Bird Food and is naturally sweet without the need for a lot of added sugar. Here is a list of all the ingredients to make it: old fashioned oats, water, fresh peaches, fresh blueberries, vanilla extract, cinnamon, ground flaxseed, and almond butter. Fall Spiced Apple Cran-Raisin Oatmeal Make it feel like fall at any time of the year with this fall spiced oatmeal recipe from Cooking Classy. Ingredients include rolled oats, almond milk, water, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, salt, brown sugar, a diced apple, raisins, cranberries, and cream. Cinnamon Roll Oatmeal Make your oatmeal taste just like a warm, gooey cinnamon roll with this recipe from Mother Thyme. To make this sweet and creamy oatmeal, you will need milk, brown sugar, sugar, vanilla extract, salt, old-fashioned rolled oats, butter, light brown sugar, cinnamon, cream cheese, and powdered sugar. Strawberries and Cream Oatmeal Breakfast will taste more like dessert with this recipe from Apple of My Eye. This naturally sweetened oatmeal is the perfect combination of tart, sweet, and creamy. You will need cooked oatmeal, vanilla coffee creamer, powdered sugar, fresh strawberries, orange juice, vanilla extract, honey, and salt. Do you have any great oatmeal recipes to share with us? Leave them in the comments so we can check them out. Thanks for reading our post. Enjoy a hearty, healthy, and tasty breakfast in your Starkville, MS apartment this month that leaves you feeling full longer.