Pumpkin Nutella Muffins

 

Pumpkin Nutella Muffins {Simply Happenstance}

 :: Pumpkin Nutella Muffins ::

Oh my goodness, you guys! This is the BEST muffin combination… pumpkin + Nutella! During this time of year, I typically make plain pumpkin muffins and occasionally add in chocolate chips… but let me tell you, swirling in a dollop of creamy Nutella made an incredibly decadent difference! The pumpkin is flavorful and moist, while the Nutella creates a rich, chewy, chocolatey muffin top!

I doubled the recipe below and it made 18 muffins and one loaf to give away to a neighbor. This is the perfect baked treat to give to friends and family! If preparing this recipe as a loaf for others… you may want to buy a few of these darling paper loaf pans from Sur la Table. Wrapped in cellophane and tied with a simple bow… it makes for the perfect hostess gift or sweet treat for neighbors for the holidays! Enjoy! [Read more…]

Gingerbread Pumpkin Fluff

Gingerbread Pumpkin Fluff 2

:: Gingerbread Pumpkin Fluff ::

I don’t know about you, but this long weekend allowed for ample time to start thinking away about Thanksgiving and the holidays.  No… it wasn’t just me thinking about them, but my family as well.  “What would you like to bring to Thanksgiving?” Well for starters, my first choice will always lean towards dessert {obviously I have a sweet tooth}. I also like to think of simple recipes that I know will be an easy addition to my traditional dishes {that can be found here and here}.  This Gingerbread Pumpkin Fluff is simple, yummy, and can be either an appetizer or a dessert {whew… a two-fer}! It is a great sweet appetizer for family waiting for the turkey to be done, or a wonderful dessert for those who like pumpkin pie, but maybe aren’t fans of the crust.  This dip is similar to pumpkin pie but with the twist of cream cheese and marshmallow fluff.

Gingerbread Pumpkin Fluff [Read more…]

{weekend} lovelies

elephants on parade

:: Weekend Lovelies ::

The weekend is upon us, and I am so very happy to share some of our weekend lovelies.  It has been a fun and yet very busy week.  We celebrated a birthday and started dreaming up some ideas for Thanksgiving dishes.  Speaking of the month of November, have any of our local friends gone to visit the Elephants on Parade in Dana Point?  If not, it is a must!  These elephant sculptures are on display throughout the city until November 17th.  They are all very special as each is displayed differently based on the artist whom painted these magical beasts.  We have been enjoying them since the summer and I have made a game of it with the kids.  The one above notably named, Jasmine can be found perched above Strands Beach.  If you find the time, I recommend visiting them while you can.  Who wouldn’t want to fit in a gorgeous fall beach day? Luckily we have been spoiled with some lovely sunny days, but we do look ahead to some brisk fall adventures.  We hope that you can take a moment to enjoy some of our favorite finds.  Maybe it will inspire you to plan ahead for the upcoming holidays.  Sit back and relax with a warm morning drink and this edition of weekend lovelies.  Enjoy! [Read more…]

Happy Birthday

Lucky #7

:: Happy Birthday ::

Happy Birthday to Mason!  I can’t believe he is lucky #7! How can that be?!? I know as kids we were told by our parents that time really does fly once you have children….and they are so very right! Mason entered this lovely world on a hot November day.  The year he was born was one of the hottest summers that we had here in Southern California.  Yes, I know I was pregnant and most women claim that the year they were pregnant was super hot, but it truly was {I have a list of friends that can attest to this, wink}.  I remember having to leave the hospital in shorts, all of which is the last piece of clothing a mother of a fall baby wants to be wearing after having a child.  I pray you Mama’s out there never have to experience that.  Heat and pregnancy really don’t mix.

I can go on and on about my pregnancy, delivery, etc., but what is most important is what his birth and life have taught me.  I do believe I was truly chosen to be Mason’s mama.  He has opened my eyes and heart to more life than I have ever expected.  You see I think we all have in mind how life will be and how things will go during and after our pregnancy.  All of the baby books filled with information on what to do and how to do it all makes it seem as though raising a child can be and will be a text book situation.  What I have learned as a mother is that more often than not, raising a child or a baby generally does not follow a guideline or a particular path.

[Read more…]

Holiday Yams with Brown Sugar & Pecans

Favorite Holiday Yams {via simply happenstance}

 :: Holiday Yams with Brown Sugar & Pecans ::

It’s that time of year! The time where we all pull out our favorite family recipes for the holidays! This happens to be one of my personal loves that I make every Thanksgiving! It’s the ultimate comfort food… using yams {or sweet potatoes}, milk, butter, vanilla and pecans! It’s baked to perfection and served warm! Most of the ingredients you most likely have in your pantry… which makes this dish even more enticing! 

I know that yams are not always a favorite {especially the candied kind topped with marshmallows that we often find during the holidays}; however, this dish is a great alternative to the typical yams or sweet potatoes served. The rich potato mixture is mildly sweet with a hint of vanilla, and the topping…. perfectly crunchy with the baked pecans, warm brown sugar and melted butter! I promise this will become one of your ‘go-to’ holiday recipes!

I hope that you’ll whip up this tasty dish to serve at one of your holiday get togethers this year!  As Julia Child once said, “Everything in moderation…including moderation.” Enjoy, my friends!

Holiday Yams {recipe on Simply Happenstance}  [Read more…]

{weekend} lovelies

 forest walk {photo via simply happenstance}

:: Weekend Lovelies :: 

Happy Weekend, Friends! Nicole and I hope that you are all doing well and enjoying the first weekend of November! Do you have any fun fall plans? If so… please share!

I’m personally hoping for a relaxing weekend spent at home… {As if that’s possible with four kids, right?!} We’ve been quite busy with homeschooling, family hikes {the photo above was taken on our hike last week}, and ballet rehearsals for Miss Sophia Blue, among other things! We got our first dusting of snow a couple of weeks ago! We are truly soaking up this lovely season of autumn, since it is all so new to us!

This edition of {weekend} lovelies is a mixture of pretty things… some comforting recipes, simple home design, DIY projects, the best crafting blogs, a love story, and more! I hope that you’re able to take a moment and enjoy them while sipping on your favorite warm drink! 

Maple Brown Sugar Pumpkin Roll // Bakeaholic Mama I must make this dessert, simply based on how divine the filling looks! Oh my! 

Maple Brown Sugar Pumpkin Roll

A Swedish Home // Scandinavian Home Blog I can’t resist Scandinavian design. I love the simplicity of the interiors with the abundance of fresh white paint and pops of color throughout. 

Scandinavian Design

Fall DIY Projects // Lily Shop I’m loving these three DIY crafts from the Lily Shop Blog! They all seem perfect for the approaching Thanksgiving holiday! Here are the links to the tutorials: 1. Gold Mason Jars | 2. Chalkboard Serving Trays  | 3. Paper Pumpkin

DIY Projects via LilyShop

[Read more…]

Book Review

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Sara and I love this saying found at Lizz the Librarian.  We {heart} a good book, but most of all a book review that leads us in the right direction.  With little time and oh so many choices out there, we sometimes find ourselves lost in choosing our next novel.  Thankfully, we know someone who can help our readers and us too! Kim at Book Reader Chronicles has a wonderful book review that details one of the hottest series out since Twilight.  If you need a book or two to read here is the perfect series to get into.  Go ahead and dive into these novels.  For additional book reviews, check out Kim’s latest and greatest at www.bookreaderchronicles.com.

[Read more…]

Walnut Pesto

Walnut Pesto

 :: Walnut Pesto ::

Do you find when it comes to dinnertime that you often have a hard time figuring out what to make?  This Walnut Pesto can create several easy weeknight meals.  I love a rich basil pesto as much as the next girl, but what makes this pesto a little different is the use of walnuts.  Yes, walnuts! They create as much flavor as pine nuts and are half the price. These rich and buttery nuts make this pesto a bit more diverse in both flavor and texture. What is wonderful about these special nuts, is the fact that they are native to California, and we love that!  The local nut mixed with local ingredients from my garden box, made two easy weeknight meals for my family.  [Read more…]

Black Bean Chili

 

all in one pot, black bean chili {via simply happenstance}

:: Black Bean Chili ::

Can you believe that Halloween is this week? We are still waiting on costumes {delivery takes a bit longer now that we are living in the mountains}. It looks like we have a super girl, batman, a werewolf, and obi wan kenobi! Ha! An eclectic bunch, for sure!

I thought I’d share with you one of our favorite Halloween traditions…. chili! I don’t think we are alone in this one. I have lots of friends that make a big pot of warm chili for a quick and easy dinner on Halloween night! This recipe is one of my favorites, as it is loaded with healthy vegetables and hearty black beans. I also like that it’s hard to mess up. Measurements aren’t really a necessity {as long as you don’t go overboard with the optional hot peppers and spices}. Also, you can adjust the recipe as needed to suit your own taste… even adding in ground turkey or beef, if you’d like. The best part about this recipe is that it’s ALL IN ONE POT! That’s right! Way less clean up, my friends! With four kids… I am completely over the clean up process…. plus less time cleaning up, means more time enjoying your sweet littles! 

So, without further ado, here is the dream dish…. easy, healthy, and completely delish! [Read more…]

{weekend} lovelies

Pumpkins

:: Weekend Lovelies ::

I have to be honest; Halloween is one of my favorite holidays….so this {weekend} lovelies is devoted to this fall favorite! I don’t know if it is the simple fact that you can be anything you want to be on this magical night, or that I myself like to be scared. In fact, my sisters and I would often get my Grandma to rent us scary movies as she liked them, too! Maybe Halloween’s mystery brings out the kid in all of us, especially those of us who have grown up loving ‘It’s the Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown.’ Perhaps it makes us want to hold tight to those memories and share the fun with our children! We hope you enjoy some of our favorite finds! For some additional scares and all things Halloween, check our Boo Board on Pinterest. Happy Halloween! [Read more…]