What I'm reading Wednesday...

Anything is Possible by Elizabeth Strout

Like Olive Kitteridge, also by this author, Anything Is Possible tells the stories of a small town's inhabitants via short stories from their points of view.  This one had me hooked from the very first story, whereas Olive Kitteridge kind of grew on me in the end.

Making it Monday...

This was our dessert last evening at our Sunday family supper.  It's called a German-ChocoFlan.  A client brought some into work for us, and I begged for the recipe.  Here's where I have to apologize, because I cannot share her recipe with you.  The one she gave me is her own creation, and I didn't ask permission to share it.

But here is a link to a similar recipe and its video.  Both of the recipes (the one in the preceding link and my client's) are baked in a water bath.  That was a little nerve wracking with Rudy curiously running around my feet

And I would suggest baking it the day before you want to serve it, since you have to completely cool before turning it out of the pan; and you want to chill it and store in the refrigerator.

Now, the texture of mine turned out much differently than our client's.  Her choco layer was more of a cake texture, and both of my layers were more of a cheesecake texture.  I'm pretty sure I know what I misunderstood in the recipe that caused that.  But, hey, I love cheesecake, so I really like how it turned out.  I will try it again the way I think she intended, and then I may just have to try it again the exact way I did it this time.  ;)

Creative job skills...

We send a lot of cards at work.  We can order boxes of all one kind (birthday and thank you), or we can order boxes with a variety (sympathy, thinking of you, get well, etc).  The trouble is we end up with zero of the ones we use most often, and an oversupply of what we rarely, if ever,  need.  

The last time I placed an order, I noticed flat note cards (not folded) with a gold bottom border including the company name printed within the border (name blurred in each of these photos).  Now I keep a few sentiment stamps from my stash at home, an embossing ink pad, and some gold embossing powder and heat embossing tool in my desk, and I can fill in where our supply is lacking.

Last week I was able to emboss two of these cards with the word 'Congratulations';  one for newlyweds, and one for new grandparents.  

Yesterday a thank you card was requested, and then he added, 'Not one of the regular kind, one you make.'  LOL  

Not a great photo, but it shows how the metallic embossing matches the metallic that was pre-printed on the card.  

My job does not allow for much in the way of creativity...there are a LOT of rules that must be adhered to in this industry...so I am happy to find a way to be both creative and fill a need and still stay within the rules.

What I'm reading Wednesday...

The War I Finally Won by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley

I just finished The War I Finally Won by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley.  It is the sequel to The War That Saved My Life (which I read and liked three years ago).  I really liked this one as well.  Definitely should be read in order.

What I'm reading Wednesday...

Spring House by Mary Ellen Taylor