homemade Archives - Page 2 of 4 - Simply Happenstance

DIY: Pumpkin Succulent Harvest Decoration

October 14, 2014

DIY Pumpkin Succulent Harvest Decoration //

Hello, friends! About two weeks ago, I posted a photo of the pumpkin succulent arrangement my crafty mom brought over to me. It was such a hit on my personal Instagram and Facebook page, that I decided a tutorial was necessary. My sweet mama came over with the supplies, and I photographed her in action!

There are so many things I LOVE about this project! The first, obviously being, that I was able to create this with my mom! I also love that it’s super simple, completely gorgeous, and is a “green” project {not wasting or harming the plants in order to create this lovely harvest piece}.

{This arrangement would make the most perfect hostess gift for Thanksgiving, or a great centerpiece for a fall gathering, in which you’re entertaining. It would also be a thoughtful, handmade gift for family, friends, teachers, or coworkers.}

Unlike many of the pumpkin succulent pieces you may have seen floating around the web or Pinterest… there is no need to actually cut into the pumpkin. {Unbelievable, right?} The steps are easy, and explained below in a tutorial with pictures. I’ve also included helpful tips {from my mom!} for keeping your harvest decoration looking great, and ideas for planting the top of Mr. Pumpkin when he starts to expire. [Read more…]

Homemade Raspberry Jam

September 18, 2014

:: Homemade Raspberry Jam ::

I have always wanted to make homemade jam! What about you? I had envisioned my mom, as a child, making jam and canning fruits and vegetables in the summertime with my grandma. I hoped to create some of the same memories with my own children — so I recruited my mom to come over and help with my very first jam making session!

I started with four cups of fresh raspberries. You can also use frozen — just make sure they are thawed and ready to use. [Read more…]

Strawberry Cheesecake Cupcakes

July 1, 2014

:: Strawberry Cheesecake Cupcakes ::

Well hello, friends! Happy 4th of July week! We have another heavenly cupcake recipe for you today… simply perfect for a celebration or date night at home! The cupcakes have a baked graham cracker crust, decadent vanilla cake with chunks of fresh strawberries, and an incredibly rich cream cheese frosting! Together, it creates the most divine Strawberry Cheesecake Cupcakes! Enjoy!

[Read more…]

Peach and Toasted Pecan Ice Cream

June 20, 2014

:: Peach and Toasted Pecan Ice Cream ::

I recently sat down and reminisced about my favorite 4th of July celebrations over the years. They were spent at my Aunt Jean’s house in Fullerton. She had the most beautiful Spanish style house, with a big backyard, and dreamy swimming pool. She invited everyone! Her yard was always packed full of close friends and family. After dark… we would crowd the usually quiet street in front of her house {which was situated on a hill}, and watch the local firework show.

Looking back, I have the fondest… most cherished memories of the 4th of July because of my sweet Aunt Jean and the wonderful annual gathering she created! The conversation was always delightful, the pool nice and cool, and the food… absolutely scrumptious! Of course, the homemade ice cream {that seemed to take forever to churn by hand}, was always my favorite!

Fresh peach ice cream seemed to be a tradition at her 4th of July celebrations, which is why I decided to make my own version to share with my family! I’m hoping to carry-on the lovely homemade ice cream tradition to celebrate Independence Day this year… and in the many years to come!

[Read more…]

Homemade Vanilla Almond Milk

April 17, 2014

:: Homemade Vanilla Almond Milk ::

Mmmm! Creamy cold, almond milk! Do you drink it at your house? If not… it’s definitely worth a taste! Even better, try making it from scratch! The task always seemed daunting, in my opinion… which is why I never made it in the past. However, we go through cartons and cartons of almond milk each week… so I thought it was worth a try to make a batch of it homemade. Everything is better fresh, right?!!

About five years ago… maybe even longer, we stopped buying traditional dairy milk in our house. We started using almond milk in its place {since everyone is lactose intolerant in our family}. When my youngest little guy, Finn, stopped nursing at 14 months old, I started giving him almond milk, as well. Did you know that one serving of almond milk has 50% more calcium than regular milk? Amazing! Well, my little guy is now three… and still LOVES his daily cups of almond milk!

The key to making this smooth, creamy milk is soaking the raw almonds in water! Simply place the almonds in a bowl, and cover with about an inch of water. {They will plump as they absorb water.} Let stand overnight, or up to 2 days.

Once your almonds have been adequately soaked, make sure you rinse them with fresh water, and drain, so they are ready to use. Put your almonds into a blender with 3.5 cups of water {less water, will equal a stronger flavor, overall}.

[Read more…]

Chewy Homemade Granola Bars

March 17, 2014

Chewy Homemade Granola Bars //

{gluten-free}

Have you ever made homemade granola bars? They have been on my “must bake” list for quite some time. I did my research, and have read numerous reviews before finally adapting this recipe from Smitten Kitchen {which was originally adapted from the King Arthur Flour site}. What I love about these chewy, flavorful bars… is that they are so easy to adjust to your personal taste! You can customize them by adding in walnuts, pecans, chocolate chips, dark chocolate chunks, dried cranberries, cherries or apples, and sesame or pumpkin seeds… the list goes on and on. Although I think these decadent bars are already pretty healthy… you absolutely can make them healthier by changing out the granulated sugar for coconut sugar, and replacing the melted butter with coconut oil. Also… make sure if you use honey, it’s in its raw form so you can get rid of some of the processed sweeteners.

[Read more…]

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