holidays Archives - Simply Happenstance

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.

Wine and Cheese Platter

September 4, 2015

:: Wine and Cheese ::

It’s the last “official” weekend of summer…we can’t believe that! Since I am not ready to give up white, well white wine that is, I am sharing some of my favorite cheeses paired with wine to celebrate the last days of summer and welcoming fall and all it has to offer!

Though summer has gone by with a blink of an eye, I am super excited for fall and the holidays. Some of my favorite times are spent over a tasty cheese platter with a fruity glass of white wine or a full bodied-red. Either way you choose, you always need a tangy cheese to go with your wine.

My favorite white wine is a crisp Sauvignon Blanc. Right now I am loving this bottle of Layer Cake. It screams summer and makes for a fun and mild white wine. It pairs perfectly with my favorite cheese choices and it is a wonderful bottle of wine to enjoy at a barbecue.

Okay so now for the goods, what kind of cheese do you prefer, and how do you arrange your platter? It’s all fairly simple and completely up to your taste buds. As for myself, I am not a fan of goat cheese. No matter how I have tried, I don’t like it, but that doesn’t mean I don’t add goat to my cheese platters, especially if I know that my company likes it. Buy different types of cheese if you are hosting or creating an appetizer, you don’t have to eat it! Just fill your cheese platter with a few others you love.

My go to cheeses can be found at my local cheese shop The Cellar or I do love me a crumbly Unexpected Cheddar from Trader Joe’s. I like to have a hard cheese, a semi-soft cheese, and a crumbly cheese that can be easily placed on a cracker. I mix these with nuts such as marcona almonds, pecans, and or walnuts. I also add a fruit and a sprinkling of honey that can be drizzled over cheese and crackers or nuts. The fats from both the nuts and cheese help to bring out the flavors in the wine.

My wine and cheese platter includes the following:

honey
marcona almonds
spicy pecans
crackers
grapes
Unexpected Cheddar
Rogue Creamery Chocolate Stout Cheddar
Estero Gold Valley Ford

Sara and I hope you enjoy this holiday weekend. We hope it’s spent well with family, friends, and of course food! For more recipe ideas, check out our recipe index under appetizers.

Orange Marshmallow Mimosas

December 16, 2014

:: Orange Marshmallow Mimosas ::

Cheers friends to the holidays! This month has been very busy, but we are planning to slow down, take a breather and enjoy a little downtime with this recipe for Orange Marshmallow Mimosas. I love this time of the year, but with any holiday, you can get wrapped up in the hustle and bustle. Sara and I have enjoyed you all stopping by, commenting, and liking our little Simply Happenstance. We are very thankful this year for the support, but we will be taking a little break starting next week to enjoy this holiday season with our family. I am looking forward to enjoying the good food, the good cheer, the smiling faces, and a couple of these Orange Marshmallow Mimosas on Christmas Day. We hope you try them too!

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Pumpkin Ice Box Cake

November 24, 2014

:: Pumpkin Ice Box Cake ::

I love traditional pumpkin pie… but I also really like variations of it to indulge in on Thanksgiving Day! Just like me.. my kids all adore foods made with pumpkin, so I decided to whip up this ice box version and try it out on them! {I seriously had a hard time photographing the cake… as they were attempting to dive right in!}

Although the recipe may look daunting, with day before preparations, I promise you it isn’t hard! In fact, many of you probably prefer make-ahead recipes… am I right? If you are trying to spread out your cooking/baking… this may be the dessert for you! You can easily prepare this the day before and then piece it all together just prior to serving.

What I like most about this lightly sweetened pumpkin cake is that it isn’t heavy. After eating loads and loads of appetizers, the full Thanksgiving meal, and indulging in drinks… who wants a heavy dessert?! Not me! Something light, yet boasting with flavor, is what I crave! [Read more…]

Easy Mashed Potato Casserole

November 18, 2014

:: Easy Mashed Potato Casserole ::

It’s crazy to think that in just 8 short days we will be sitting down to Thanksgiving dinner, but don’t panic! This recipe for Easy Mashed Potato Casserole will allow you to plan ahead and stress less on the big day. [Read more…]

Halloween Rice Krispie Treats

October 16, 2014

:: Halloween Rice Krispie Treats ::

Do you have fond childhood memories of eating homemade rice krispie treats? My kids love them, and I’m pretty sure they’ll have happy memories of us whipping up batches together! Of course the original recipe using creamy butter, gooey marshmallows, and crunchy rice krispies is super tasty… but why not kick it up a notch by adding in some Halloween fun?!

Have you spotted the Halloween Oreos yet? There’s something about the bright orange frosting, spooky jack-o-lanterns, and bats that seem to make them even more enticing! Don’t you think?! The crushed up Oreos and Halloween colored sprinkles, are the little extras, that make this recipe an instant kid favorite! [Read more…]