Today is special. One year ago today Howard came home from Novell never to return. He has been a full-time cartoonist for a year now. One year ago we had a business that was on the edge of breaking even, after years of costing us money. We had enough in savings to pay for about 3 months of living expenses. Logic would not have told us that it was the right time for Howard to quit. But it was. Now, a year later, Howard’s cartooning can be relied on to pay a third to a half of each month’s expenses and because of some timely windfalls we now have enough in savings to carry us for another six months. Our position today is much better than it was a year ago, but we’re still not out of the woods.
I confess there are days when I walk through a grocery store and look longingly at treat foods like avocados and chicken nuggets and chocolate cheescake. There are games I’d like to own. There are household projects which are on indefinite hold. If I wanted to I could create a huge list of things I’d love to have enough money to do. But I’ve BEEN there. A year ago I had money enough for all of those things. We are so much happier now. It is good for us to have to prioritize and decide what is really important to us. Yes I’d like more money, but I want to have more money because the cartooning is bringing it to us, not because we had to give the cartooning up.
I continue to feel fortunate and blessed to be where I am. This past year has been a gift, I’m just greedy enough to want second one even better than the first.
Which makes me want to share my new chocolate orange cheesecake recipe with you.
That’s my normal reaction one someone says they see something that they want but can’t have. To teach them how to do it for themselves.
Congratulations to both of you on making it fly. 🙂 Now that our financial situation is looking up, I figure we should be able to help things along pretty soon by purchasing some must-have Schlock loot…… PLUNDER!!!!!!
(Oh, wait … that was yesterday.)
I’d love to have the recipe. I have a vanilla cheesecake recipe and the springform pan to go with it, but I’ve never gotten my hands on a good chocolate cheesecake recipe.
Now you have me wishing that Howard had quit one day earlier so that the aniversary could be on Talk Like A Pirate day.
2 lbs cream cheese
3 eggs
1 cup sour cream
4 to 8 oz dark chocolate, melted
1 tablespoon (or more) Grand Marnier (tripe sec, curcao)
Crust (whatever you like. I’ve been using half a dark chocolate fudge cake mix with about 4 tablespoons of melted butter.
Make the crust and put it in a springform pan. Beat the cream cheese and sour cream til it is smooth and fluffy. Add the eggs and beat til it is smooth and intergrated (no egg white pooling on top.) Beat in the orange flavor and the chocolate. When it no longer looks like marble, pour slowly and carefully in to the crust. Bake at 350F for 45 minutes to an hour. If you’ve greased the pan thoroughly then let it cool in the oven for an hour and it won’t split on top.
I’m guessing you could probably use a little orange extract instead of the Grand Marnier.
I’ll have to try that. We aren’t likely to buy Grand Marnier anytime soon.
Hi.
If you want that orange flavor without the expense of the liquer, might try blanching then grating orange peels or using candied orange peels sliced somehow. While this is a recipe for chocolate-covered orange peels, you could just stop after the sugar-coating and cooling.
http://www.latimes.com/features/printedition/food/la-fo-chocolate15dec15,1,1399587.story?page=5&coll=la-headlines-pe-food (popups)
Just a thought. 🙂
The anniversary date should be observed on TLaP Day. There could be hats. -Pirate- hats.
And I hope you get it and more! I think your life is to be envyed… and as an example for people to follow.
The Fudge Truffle Cheesecake is the best chocolate cheesecake I have ever found… but you might like to try some of the others too!
http://www.geocities.com/wren0810/cakes/list.html
I was thinking that, and also that as LDS members you probably wouldn’t be wanting to put Grand marnier in it. (Though the alcohol probably cooks off, at that.)