Ultimate Mesa Bucket List
Looking for a fun/interesting/local adventure this weekend? Check out some of Mesa’s greatest treasures, featured in this awesome article from AZCentral, the “Ultimate Arizona bucket list: 25 things to do in Mesa.†From museums to restaurants to Salt River tubing— this list has something for everyone!
Meet Sam + Carol at Encanterra®
Meet Sam and Carol on Artemis Trail. A few years ago they came to visit their close friends, Paul and Theresa who also live at Encanterra®. They knew after visiting the community that this is where they wanted to be after retirement. The cold winters in Chicago might have had something to do with it too! Sam just retired a few months ago after working 28 years with VVF Illinois Services, formally the Dial Corporation. That is where he was introduced to Carol who is still working there. She will be retiring soon so they can enjoy the Arizona sunshine full time. This year Sam and Carol will be celebrating their 32nd wedding anniversary. They have two beautiful daughters, Laura and Jaclyn who live in the Chicago area. Sam and Carol love to white water raft all over the country. For their honeymoon, they even took a rafting trip down the Colorado river. They also love to travel with their good friends, Paul and Theresa. Last year they went to Italy and it’s been one of their favorite trips so far. When they are not on an adventure, Sam loves to play golf. Carol is practicing her golf swing but enjoys reading and is excited to join the sewing club at the community. Welcome to the “Good Life” Sam and Carol! We are so excited to have you here! A special thanks to Charmaine Powell on the sales team for bringing us another wonderful client, and to all of the Community Representatives at Encanterra® for their continued support of Shea Preferred Realty Group!
Recipe: Homemade Ice Cream
Is there anything better on a desert summer day than ice cream? We can’t think of anything! Ice cream is a magically delicious treat and we think it deserves every day of this month’s National Ice Cream Month title. Here are some fun ice cream facts, plus a recipe for nearly instant homemade ice cream:
FUN ICE CREAM FACTS
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Vanilla is the most popular flavor of ice cream
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The ice cream soda was invented in 1874
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It takes roughly 50 licks to finish an ice cream cone
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California produces the most ice cream in the United States
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You can make homemade ice cream in a bag! Check out the recipe below…
QUICK & EASY HOMEMADE ICE CREAM RECIPE
GALLON-SIZE ZIPLOCK BAG:
Ice cubes +
1/2 cup kosher salt
PINT-SIZED ZIPLOCK BAG:
1 cup half & half +
2 tbsp granulated sugar +
1/2 tsp vanilla extract or other flavoring +
Any of your favorite ice cream mix-ins
INSTRUCTIONS:
Combine ice cream ingredients in the pint-sized bag, and combine ice cubes + kosher salt in the gallon-sized bag. Then place the small bag and shake for 5-10 until ice cream reaches desired consistency. Add in your mix-ins and enjoy!
July 2016 | Encanterra® Real Estate Market Update
July Spa Specials at the Encanterra® Alvea Spa
This month, the Alvea Spa has put together a couple specials inspired by some of our favorite summer beverages– one of which even comes with a glass of wine, thoughtfully chilled with the desert heat in mind. Check out the specials below. (Reposted here from their website.)
JULY SPA SPECIALS
Jul 1, 2016 – Jul 31, 2016
Pina Colada Facial | $63
Treat yourself to a hydrating Noni and Coconut tropical facial. Â Pure Noni juice with pure aloe vera and creamy aromatic coconut will give the skin excellent tone and a fresh glow.
Wine Down Pedicure | $40
This delectable berry-wine pedicure will soothe your aching, tired feet. Enjoy your pedicure with a chilled glass of wine. Add on callus serum or paraffin wax for an additional $5.
Independence Day Celebrations Across the Valley
Independence Day doesn’t fall on a Monday again until 2022, which makes the coming holiday weekend that much more special. Starting today, we’re looking at four whole days of BBQs, festivals, and fireworks… all to celebrate this awesome nation we call home! Check out this list of 22 Valley fireworks displays to celebrate Fourth of July from Phoenix.org so you can be sure not to miss the celebration.
100 Ways to Survive the Summer Heat in AZ
We have a weekend of 118-degree temperatures coming our way, so we couldn’t be happier to have stumbled across this list of 100 ways to survive 100-degree heat in Arizona by AZCentral. How many stay-cool solutions can you squeeze in before the weekend’s over?
Join the Culinary Club at Encanterra®
The Culinary Club was started in the fall of 2014 and has grown to a membership of well over 200 members/spouses. It was designed to be as inclusive as possible, so you don’t have to be a great cook, or even a cook at all, to be a member. For those who do love cooking, they have about 8 home cooking events per year, each with a theme. Most are small dinners with 4 couples (or singles) per home, others are larger buffet events with 25-30 per home, and everyone cooks something. They also have a monthly outing to local restaurants, always looking for the next hidden treasure. In addition, there are cooking demonstrations/lectures by members or invited chefs, a holiday cookie exchange, and trips to places of interest with a culinary theme. Membership is free and anyone who contacts them can be added to their mailing list, with no obligation. For more information, contact Bill Osofsky at billijem@gmail.com.
Roasted Shrimp & Orzo Recipe
The Culinary Club at Encanterra® was kind enough to share with us one of their favorite summertime recipes, served cold or at room temp, from The Barefoot Contessa. Yummy!
Roasted Shrimp and Orzo
Ingredients:
Kosher salt
Quality olive oil
3/4 pound orzo pasta (rice-shaped pasta)
1/2 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (3 lemons)
Freshly ground black pepper
2 pounds (16 to 18 count) shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 cup minced scallions, white and green parts
1 cup chopped fresh dill
1 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 hothouse cucumber, unpeeled, seeded, and medium-diced
1/2 cup small-diced red onion
3/4 pound good feta cheese, large diced
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
Fill a large pot with water, add 1 tablespoon of salt and a splash of oil, and bring the water to a boil. Add the orzo and simmer for 9 to 11 minutes, stirring occasionally, until it’s cooked al dente. Drain and pour into a large bowl. Whisk together the lemon juice, 1/2 cup olive oil, 2 teaspoons salt and 1 teaspoon of pepper. Pour over the hot pasta and stir well.
Meanwhile, place the shrimp on a sheet pan, drizzle with olive oil, and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Toss to combine and spread out in a single layer. Roast for 5 to 6 minutes until the shrimp are cooked through. Don’t overcook!
Add the shrimp to the orzo and then add the scallions, dill, parsley, cucumber, onion, 2 teaspoons salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper. Toss well. Add the feta and stir carefully. Set aside at room temperature for 1 hour to allow the flavors to blend, or refrigerate overnight. If refrigerated, taste again for seasonings and bring back to room temperature before serving.
