gifts Archives - Simply Happenstance

Snowball Cookies

December 13, 2015

Snowball Cookies //

Cookies… they’re definitely one of my top 5 favorite treats. I love how simple they are to make, that they come in the perfect size for indulging, and that there is usually an abundance of dough… so you have plenty to share!

During the holidays, I tend to try out some new cookie recipes along with a few tried-and-true faves. At bakeries, I’m always tempted by the traditional wedding cookies. They’re called varying names depending on the culture (Italian Wedding Cookies, Mexican Wedding Cookies, Polvorones, Russian Tea Cakes, and even Snowball Cookies — to name a few), and are baked for celebrations. Typical recipes call for nuts to be added, but in this particular recipe, I opted to substitute mini (semi-sweet) chocolate chips for the nuts to make it more kid-friendly. The outcome was heavenly… the kids couldn’t have been happier!

Growing up, I always looked forward to the Christmas tin of cookies that my Aunt Jean would make for our family. She would include a mixture of sweet treats that she baked up fresh in her kitchen (sugar cookies, fudge, seven layer bars, chocolate chip cookies, and these wedding cookies). It’s a tradition that I LOVE and try to uphold each year.

These Snowball Cookies with Mini Chocolate Chips have a rich buttery taste and melt-in-your-mouth with each bite. They’re delicate and flavorful… a lovely treat to share with family and friends over the holidays, and perfect to include in those cute holiday tins!

These little cookies are great for little hands to help with, too. Preparing the simple dough, adding in the mini chocolate chips, rolling into balls, and covering in powdered sugar are fun tasks in preparing these little bites of joy!

TIPS //

Use only real butter for best cookie results! You won’t be sorry!
Wait for the cookies to cool for a few minutes before rolling in powdered sugar. This will allow them time to cool (so as not to burn your hands) and set properly so that they don’t crumble.
Before serving, you can give an additional roll in powdered sugar to make them look freshly dipped in snow (wink, wink)!
The dough is stiff enough to work with right away, or if you prefer, you can roll them into balls and freeze in an air-tight container. The raw cookies can go straight from the freezer to the oven by adding 2 to 3 minutes to the original cooking time.

I hope that you and your families truly love the “mini” addition in this traditional cookie recipe! Making half the dough with mini chocolate chips and half with nuts (chopped pecans would be my choice!) would be a delicious way to share these treats with those you love! Warmest holiday wishes to you all… and Happy Baking!!!

Print Recipe

Snowball Cookies

Prep Time10

Cook Time7

Total Time17

Course: Cookies

Cuisine: Dessert

Servings: 4 dozen

Author: Simply Happenstance

Ingredients

1 cup unsalted butter softened
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1 cup mini chocolate chips I used semi-sweet
Additional powdered sugar for rolling

Instructions

Preheat oven to 375°F. Line cookie sheet with parchment paper.
Mix softened butter, 1/2 cup powdered sugar, and vanilla with an electric mixer until fluffy.
Mix dry ingredients in a separate bowl: flour & salt. Slowly, add the flour mixture to the butter/sugar until the dough comes together. Fold in the mini chocolate chips.
TIP // If the dough is too soft or sticky, chill it until you can work it easily with your hands (30 minutes or so).
Using a cookie scoop or spoon, scoop small amounts of dough (approx. 1-2 tablespoons worth) and roll into balls using the palms of your hands. Place balls of dough on prepared cookie sheets.
Bake cookies for 7-9 minutes until bottoms are just slightly brown. Remove from oven and cool for a few minutes, until you can handle them.
Fill a small bowl with sifted powdered sugar and roll each cookie in the sugar until coated. Place on a rack to cool. (Once cookies are cooled, or just before serving, you can re-roll them in more powdered sugar to look like they're freshly covered in "snow"). Enjoy!

Notes

Original Recipe Inspiration From: Crazy for Crust

D.I.Y. Girls Jewelry Board

December 2, 2015

D.I.Y. Girls Jewelry Board //

The holidays are upon us! Okay, so we blinked for a second and here we are, and now to the run around! This year I would like to give more meaningful and effective gifts for some of my loved ones. This D.I.Y. Girls Jewelry Board is a great gift for big and little girls alike. Sara and I featured this project a couple years back. To this day, my D.I.Y. Jewelry Board still hangs in my closet, and now my daughter has one to match. This easy project not only makes for a wonderful gift, but it’s a great way to organize all of those baubles and headbands. You can check out this updated version over at Simple As That, where we are guest posting this D.I.Y. in collaboration with the idea of focusing on alternative gifts for the holiday season. We hope you like it! For more additional how to for this project you can also check our step by step here.

Lemon Blueberry Simple Syrup

May 19, 2015

:: Lemon Blueberry Simple Syrup ::

Get ready….get set….Memorial Weekend here we come!!! Can you believe the start of summer is just around the corner?!! Sara and I are counting down the weeks until school is out. We are dreaming of summer sun, the kids sleeping in {we can wish} and fun summer drinks enjoyed by all. This Lemon Blueberry Simple Syrup is just as it’s stated….simple and perfect topped with lemonade, turned into a festive summer cocktail, or better yet given as a gift.

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Blue and Gold Succulent Pots

March 24, 2015

:: Blue and Gold Succulent Pots ::

Spring has sprung and I am all about being practical. A couple of weeks ago we celebrated The Blue and Gold Dinner for our Boy Scout Troop. Instead of making an impractical centerpiece; our den along with some parental guidance {hmm, hmm} created these lovely Blue and Gold Succulent Pots. Perfect for a spring display both inside or out. These succulent pots take very little water and what is best of all, an added tent, pictures, and a small fire {made out of sticks and tissue} make these Blue and Gold Succulent Pots a fantastic desert survival themed centerpiece!

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DIY Oatmeal and Lavender Bath Soak

March 4, 2015

DIY // Oatmeal and Lavender Bath Soak

Yay… It’s mid-week! All I’m dreaming of is a little rest, relaxation, and a warm bath {alone} tonight! If you’re a mom, you’ll especially appreciate the “alone” part! Am I right? It seems that every time I draw a bath for myself, I have at least a couple of my kids come in, splash their hands in the water, and ask if they can take a bath. It’s far from relaxing! So tonight, my plan is to take a secret bath {when everyone falls asleep}, immersing my body in this simple DIY bath soak!

I love a good bath soak, but they can be expensive to buy… and sometimes there are unwanted added ingredients. I first made this Oatmeal and Lavender mixture for my littlest guy, Finn, over Christmas. He had pneumonia and ended up with an itchy rash all over his body from an allergic reaction to the antibiotics. On Christmas morning, my heart was broken looking at his sweet face and little body. He was literally covered in an uncomfortable rash from head-to-toe. I decided to make my own bath soak to help soothe his skin and lift his spirits. It definitely did help, which is partly why I’m sharing it with you today!

I have since made this recipe a few times. I have used locally grown dried lavender, as well as, {kid-safe} lavender essential oil, from Plant Therapy. The bath soak has turned out great, regardless of which kind of lavender I have used. So my advice to you, is to use whatever you have on hand, or can find easily! [Read more…]

UncommonGoods Holiday Gift Guide + Giveaway!

December 15, 2014

UncommonGoods Holiday Gift Guide // GIVEAWAY

Hi, friends! You are sure in for a treat today! We have a holiday gift guide + GIVEAWAY, to share with you, from the wonderful folks at UncommonGoods!

It’s not everyday {or every month for that matter!} that we decide to promote a company and host a giveaway on Simply Happenstance. We are pretty particular about the brands we endorse and the businesses we suggest to our lovely readers. We want to make sure that if we’re giving our ‘thumbs up’ to a company or product… that it’s really worth your while to check it out!

Well… UncommonGoods definitely has our support! We encourage you to take a look at their “unique gift ideas and unusual gifts!” The items are perfect for the person on your list that is hard to buy for… or for the individual that already has everything!

This terrific company uses “business as a force for good!” Are you wondering how they do that? Well… you can fully read their mission statement {here}… but in a nutshell, UncommonGoods hopes to change the way that business is conducted by making sustainability a part of every decision they make. For example… the products on their site are carefully selected from artists and small manufacturers that are made in a socially and environmentally responsible manner. They feature products with recycled components and do not offer products that harm or hurt humans or animals. In fact, approximately one-third of their entire collection incorporates recycled or upcycled materials! Futhermore, most of the products they carry are created right here in the United States! One of our favorite parts of the company, is that UncommonGoods has created the “Better to Give” program. This allows you to select a non-profit organization to receive a $1 donation {from them}, when you checkout. How great is that?!

As a part of this UncommonGoods gift guide and giveaway, Nicole and I were given a few fabulous items to review! Nicole chose two of their Moscow Mule Mugs, while I chose the Define Bottle and their Animal and Monster Hand Tattoos! All items came packed securely and were high in quality! I wouldn’t hesitate to send a gift to someone you love, directly from their site! You won’t be disappointed! {Check out our Instagram feed to see photos of the goods we received and love!}

While preparing for this post, I delved deeply into their site, paying special attention to their Christmas gifts, stocking stuffers, and gifts priced under $50. What an amazing, unique selection! There are truly so many fabulous gift ideas offered by UncommonGoods! {There’s still time to order for Christmas!}

We thought it would be fun to highlight our gift giving choices for the foodie in your life {since we are mainly a food blog}, as well as, for the kids you adore {since we are parents, too}! Without further ado… here they are!

FOR THE FOODIE //

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