Apps that are making my life easier

Ruby  - This app helps you take control of your health and sex life by helping keep track of your period, period related symptoms, and a few other things. It's working great for me and maybe it'll help you out too. Check it out: http://glw.io/CtA6I (I use it on my iPhone, don't know if there is an Android version or not, sorry!)

 

Keep - I love lists, and while I still really enjoy hand writing them and scratching out the items that are done, this is a great option for keeping track of a bunch of things and sharing to-do lists with others. I do most of my list writing on the computer, but it's super helpful to have the option of checking things off on the go

Super Cheesy Potato Soup

• 8 cups Vegetable Broth
• 2 lbs Potatoes, shredded with a cheese grater
• 1 lb Velveeta, cubed
• 1/4 Onion, chopped
• Parsley
• Salt & Pepper

Combine all ingredients in a stock pot and heat through.

Chocolate Truffles

1 8(oz) package Cream Cheese, softened
3 cups Confectioner's Sugar, sifted
3 cups Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips, melted
1 1/2 tsp Vanilla Extract
(coating of your choice)

In a large bowl, beat cream cheese til smooth. gradually beat in confectioner's sugar until well blended. Stir in melted chocolate and vanilla until combined.

Refrigerate for 1 hour.

Shape into balls and decorate as desired.

German Pancakes

Preheat Oven: 425 degrees

Heat cast iron frying pan in oven with tablespoon of butter (or spray liberally). Mix ingredients according to pan size and pour into heated pan.

Bake for 15 minutes.

Easy Lasagna

Preheat Oven: 350 degrees

1 carton (12oz) Cottage Cheese
1 egg
1/4 cup Grated Parmesean Cheese
1 tsp dried Parsley Flakes
1/2 tsp dried Oregano
1/4 tsp dried Basil
9 Lasagna Noodles, cooked, rinsed and drained
1 lb Ground Beef, browned and drained
1 can (26 1/2oz) Spaghetti Sauce
2 cups shredded Mozzarella Cheese

In a bowl, combine the first six ingredients; mix well. In a separate bowl, combine ground beef and spaghetti sauce.

In a greased 13x9x2 baking dish, layer 1/3 of the noodles, meat sauce, cheese mixture and moxerella, repeat layers.

Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 30 minutes; uncover and bake 15-20 minutes more.

Let stand 15 minutes before cutting.

Day Before Payday Fried Rice

• 3 Tbsp Veg Oil, divided
• 3 Eggs, beaten
• 3 cups Brown Rice, cooked and cooled
• 2 cups Frozen vegetables (I usually use peas and carrots)
• 3 tbsp Soy Sauce

Heat 1 tbsp oil in large skillet over medium and scramble until firm. Set aside.

Put remaining oil in skillet coat all rice on high, stir in vegetables and reduce heat to medium. Cover and steam for 5 minutes.

Stir in eggs and soy sauce. Cook until eggs are heated through.

Summer Salad with Okra

Ingredients:

• 1 cup fresh, uncooked Okra, sliced in half vertically
• 5 oz mixed Salad Greens
• 1 small sweet Red Pepper
• 1/2 fresh Jicama, thinly sliced
• 1/4 tsp Kosher Salt
• 1/4 tsp freshly ground Pepper
• 4 tbsp Poppy Seed Dressing

Directions:

Toss everything together and serve.

Curried Carrot and Turnip Soup with Cilantro Gemolata

Soup:

• 1 tbsp Olive Oil
• 1 small Onion
• 1 large Garlic clove, minced
• 1 Orange or Red Bell Pepper
• 5 Carrots, chopped (large pieces)
• 5 Turnips, chopped (large pieces)
• 3 cups Vegetable Broth
• 1 tbsp Curry Powder
• 1 tsp Salt

Sautee Onion and pepper until soft. Add garlic, heat for one minute.

Add remaining vegetables, broth, curry and salt.

Cover and simmer 10-15 minutes, or until all vegetables are tender.

Allow to cool and blend until smooth.


Gemolata:

• 3 tbsp Cilantro leaves
• 1/2 tsp Lime Zest, finely grated
• 1 tbsp Lime Juice
• 1/2 cup Olive Oil

Blend ingredients in food processor until smooth, adding olive oil as needed. 

Fennel Spinach Pasta

• 1 Fennel bulb, sliced thinly
• 1 medium Onion, sliced thinly
• Thyme (optional)
• 16 oz Pasta
• 1 can (6oz) Tomato Paste
• 3 cloves Garlic, minced
• 1 can (15oz) White Beans
• 4 cups fresh Spinach, rinsed

Bring large pot of salted water to boil. Cook pasta according to package directions to al dente.

In a skillet, caramelize onion and fennel adding thyme if desired, occasionally adding spoonfuls of the pasta water to pan - this will help them to cook faster.

Scrape onions and fennel to side, add tomato paste and let it cook down.

Add garlic and cook 1 minute.

Add 1 cup of pasta water to pan and mix ingredients in pan well, reducing until sauce is thickened.

Add 1/2 cup pasta water, beans and spinach. Immediately add al dente pasta over top. Let spinach wilt for about 1 minute.

Season as necessary.

** If pasta sauce it too thick, add pasta water to thin**

Super Easy Cherry Cheesecake

• 2 packages (1 8-oz & 1 3-oz) Cream Cheese, at room temperature
  
• 1 cup Confectioner's Sugar
• 1 carton (8-oz) Frozen Whipped Topping
• 1 Graham Cracker Crust (8 or 9 inch)
• 1 can (21-oz) Cherry Pie Filling

In mixing bowl, beat cream cheese and sugar until smooth. Fold in whipped topping, and spoon into crust.

Top with pie filling. Refrigerate until serving.

2 Ingredient Vanilla Scones

Preheat Oven: 350 degrees

• 3 cups Self-Rising Flour
• 2 1/2 cups Vanilla Ice Cream, melted

Pour ice cream into large bowl; fold in flour until dough just begins to come together. Using your hands, gently knead the dough into a ball, adding flour as necessary to keep from sticking

Turn dough onto lightly floured surface and roll into a 9x13-inch rectangle. Cut the dough into 12 circles 3-inches in diameter and place on baking sheet.

Bake 15-20 minutes until golden brown and cooked through.