HaddyGraceDesigns

Mashed Potatoes!!!!   Do you love them but haven't been able to prefect them??  Well let's admitt it, not all of us were born knowing how to make perfect potatoes. With the last year I had to call my Mom and ask her why my mashed potatoes sometimes turn out pasty and lumpy... Here is the Secret to perfect mashed potatoes EVERY time!! You need to mash/ whip them while they are PIPING hot with about 1/2 cup of the potato water. If you let them cool off at all you'll have lumps and paste! So whip away!! Now here's the recipe for our favorite 'Sour Cream Mashed Potatoes'. Also know as Refridgerator mashed Potatoes. 9 large Potatoes 6 oz cream cheese 1 cup sour cream 2 tbs onion salt Cook potatoes with 1 tsp salt until they are soft, drain all but about 1/2 to 1 cup of potato water. Mash them till smooth. (I use my mixer and whip them). Add the rest of the ingredients. Note: make sure potatoes are smooth before adding rest of ing...

It's MAKE SOMETHING MONDAY!!!! Each Monday I will post something that you can MAKE. My cooking is nothing fancy, just plain down-home cooking, and my crafts are easy and simple..  So join me each Monday for 'Make Something Monday'. Today's make something is Soft Pretzels!!  And don't worry if you've never made something with yeast, It's easy and I will explain it all!! To get started: 1 cup warm water 1 TBS dry active yeast 1 TBS brown sugar Disolve yeast and sugar in the warm water. Let this mixture set until it is foamy. It'll take about 5-7 minutes. then add 1/2 tsp salt and 2 1/2 cups flour. (I used half whole wheat and half all purpose.) Knead this dough untill it feels like elastic, soft and spongy and keep kneading until it stops sticking to the sides of the bowl. You may need to add a bit more flour to keep it from sticking to your hands. Set the dough in a warm spot and cover with a damp towel. let it...

SNOW DAY!!!  It'd the reward that God offers to us Humans that choose to dwell in the part of his country that has winter-like weather for 6 mo out of the year. The reward he offers to Busy moms who are getting weary of the everyday, hurry-up, get everyone out the door to school, and stay on schedule routine. It's our chance to crawl back into bed for another hour, our chance to read a book BEFORE breakfast, because we have NOWHERE to hurry-up and go to! To cuddle for hours and stay in our Pj's all day!!! AHHH Beautiful Snow day!!!  How I loved thee today!!!  Poor Kitty peering in though the sliding door at us!! 10 degrees doesn't allow for hours of snow fun but we played for bit!  We had impromptu geography lessons with Big sis!!  We made snow icecream!!!  And had peppermint hot chocolate!!  Learn how to make yours here .  He wanted NOTHING to do with staying in his P...

DO you have a son??? Even a wee little one?? If so you are probably attracted to Robots. Why? because Robots are fun and are a perfect example of what makes a little boy 'tick'. Moving parts, Wheels, odd noises. Thanks to 'Walle', Robots also give us that same warm fuzzy feeling that our little boys do!!  Robots, When done playing in the mud, Their Robot mamas just hose them down. Robot mamas when they need a break remove the Batteries of their little Robots and ahhh it's quiet time!! Ahhh .....and all Robots eventually meet EvAAAA and live happily ever after!! Introducing the newest HaddyGrace Shoes for boys!!!!! ROBOT SHOES!!!! You could win these!!!  Just go to my HaddyGrace Face Book page  and upload your favorite 2011 picture to my wall. You get to choose the size! Winner will be choosen with Random.org  Or you can Buy them here . OR if you have a girl you could win THESE Tweet Tweet shoes!! Little girls are made of Sug...

Don't you love when You wake up in the morning and the day holds endless possibilities?? Not that each day doesn't hold endless possibilities BUT. The kind of days where you have NOTHING that HAS to be done! You could do a bit of laundry, or clean a bit, OR you could get on Pinterest  and be inspired to be crafty or redecorate a room. OR You could create what has been growing in your mind ever since you bought a remnant piece of green tweed fabric at a shop. That's what happened to me. This is the same piece of fabric that kept me awake at night  because I couldn't quite decide what it should be. Until this morning that is! While organizing my fabrics (a weekly chore) inpiration hit! I knew EXACTLY what that piece of fabric should become!   I bought this pattern from IThinkSew , and made a few minor adjustments to compensate for the heavier fabric and added the ruffle on the hood. After a super rough morning that started at 5:45 my little...

Do you sigh whenever your child's name and food are mentioned in the same sentence? Is Mealtime a big battle? If you are a normal mom your child's diet is probably always within thoughts reach. Me too! Oh they like to EAT. Candy, Cookies, Chicken nuggets, hot dogs. Nothing that gives me peace of mind that they're getting the nutrition the need. How can they run wide-open for days on end eating what they do??  We are by no means a health food Junkie Family, we like our super cheesy lasagna and eggs fried in bacon grease. However I do like to get lots of raw/whole foods into my family, and it's always on my mind when I plan the menu. With the 2 school girls I pack their lunches therefore I get to choose how healthy their lunch is. But the little ones are a different story, Some days I wonder if they'd rather starve than eat what I want them too. This is what I have come up with to make for my 2 little ones and me at least 3-4 times a week for lunch. ...