Getting to-do's and notes organized

My recent obsession with to-do lists and note taking apps, has gifted me with some dandy organizational tools. While I was hoping I only needed one app, I found that they each have their place in my ferver to organize my life. I've used Evernote, Google Tasks and Notebook, Gubb, Printable Checklist and Desktask.

Evernote is fabulous. It's great for noting anything from the 'net--w/a click, it copies a whole web page, or selected text/images. You can use it off-line and sync it w/online app. Probably be good as journal-type thing, too. But I had already started journaling about my kids in Google Notebook prior to trying Evernote. Google Notebook can also clip things right from the 'net, you can print, export and share. But Google Notebook isn't as intuitive or versatile as Evernote. You can scan bills, tag and store them in Evernote, or choose to coordinate w/Shoeboxed.com.

I can't figure out how to email using gmail (it defaults to MS email mail) from my local Evernote--I can email using gmail from the online version, though.

I was using Google tasks for a while. It's right in gmail, so it seemed convenient. And one can have several lists in it. However, since I started using Gubb (gubb.net), I won't go back to Google tasks. Gubb is awesome (!) and perfect for me. I can have multiple lists, expand them, and see them all on one page, if I choose.

I had been using Desktask for my work to-do's. Desktask displays your Outlook calendar and tasks on your desktop, which I really liked, BUT I didn't like using Outlook tasks. It just seemed cumbersome for what I needed. When a to-do came to mind, it seemed time consuming and accessing it, adding & deleting items is well, cumbersome. So I started using Gubb for my work to-dos. It is so quick to add a to-do, then cross it off and either delete it or archive it when it's been done. The one feature that would be nice for Gubb to add, would be the ability to add sub-tasks, under a main task. Gubb has the ability to email, text, print, etc. for each list. Texting the shopping list to a cell phone is a nice, green idea.

Printable Checklist (http://printablechecklist.org/) is excellent for any list that you would like to print, but don't need to save for later. I use it for family meeting agendas, reminder lists that I post for my kids , and shopping lists (before I started using Gubb).

Gubb is great for shopping items, errands, to-dos. Evernote is great for web clipping, journaling, and probably a lot more that I haven't yet explored. All of these apps are free. Evernote charges a fee for premium use, if you would like to upgrade to 500MB/month.

Repurposing

As I wash out my jars, which would usually go in the recyclables bin, I'm wishing that more product, actually any products, provided re-purpose ideas for them; ideas right on the box, jar, website, etc.

I've re-purposed some produce containers and product trays for drawer organizers and that has worked well (love organization). But in this reuse-crazed world we live in, where tips--clever and not so clever--abound for reusing and re-purposing, why don't the packages have at least one tip for something clever you can do with the thing?

Some people are super clever and whip up all types of creative uses for this stuff. "Dog-biscuit-dispenser-from-egg-carton" type stuff. Very little of this comes easily to most of us, so it would be helpful, and "green" for the companies to add some text and an image of at least one thing you for which can use their container after it's original use.

Herb Roasted Sweet Potatoes

This is a Martha Stewart recipe. It's really good.

3-4 sweet potatoes, peeled & cut into 1.5" rounds
3 Tablespoons olive oil
1 Tablespoon fresh thyme leaves (or ~1 teaspoon dry thyme)
2 small cloves garlic, minced
1/4 teaspoon crushed red-pepper flakes
1 teaspoon coarse salt

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. In a medium-large bowl, toss the sweet potato rounds w/olive oil, thyme, garlic, red pepper, and salt.

2. Transfer to a rimmed baking sheet, garnish w/thyme sprigs if you like, and place in oven. Roast until tender and starting to brown, 40-45 minutes.

Cauliflower Soup

This is a great simple, recipe for Cauliflower Soup.

Here's the link from Simply Recipe's blog fyi: Simple Cauliflower Soup


Ingredients

• Florets from one head of cauliflower (tough core of cauliflower discarded)
• 1 quart of water
• Salt
• Unsalted butter
• Chives
• Olive oil

Method

1 Bring 1 quart of water to a rolling boil in a medium-sized pot. Add 2 teaspoons of salt to the water (if using salted butter in this recipe, use only 1 teaspoon of butter). Add the cauliflower florets, and cook until cooked through, about 4 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to remove florets to a bowl. Reserve cooking water.

2 Working in batches, fill a blender half-way with cooked cauliflower, add enough cooking water to the blender bowl so that it comes up a quarter of the way. Purée until smooth. You want the consistency to be that of soup, so if you need to add more water, do so. For each blender batch, add salt and butter to taste (about 1/2 teaspoon of salt, and about a tablespoon or more of butter for each blender batch). Since you are using only lightly salted cooking water for a base, not stock, you will need to salt this more than you would otherwise.

3 Serve immediately into bowls. Drizzle olive oil over the top and sprinkle with chopped chives.

Serves 4.