She’s Alive!

I’m giving you this fabulous Lemon Mascarpone Tart recipe because once you taste it, you’ll forget that I’ve abandoned you for two months. Here’s my excuse list:

I started a full-time job.

I moved twice.

I unpacked like a madwoman for 20 days so my apartment would feel like home to my visiting daughter.

We attended family gatherings.

We went on a roadtrip to the Adirondacks visiting lifelong friend Dawn (who simply refuses to age) and her partner Rob.

I had to suffer through the best day ever on my birthday. We ate crunchy apples and walked through the woods – one of our favorite pastimes, then Dawn treated us to her homemade peach pie, and a scrumptious fish dinner.

We did more visiting…

and finally, last weekend, I left hyperspeed for the first time in months.

I’m exhausted but exhilarated. I’m thinking about the future, figuring out what I want to do, and making plans. I’m filled with gratitude for my family, friends and my children and re-learning three lessons I already knew:

#1. Absence definitely makes the heart grow fonder.

#2. Moving shows who your true friends are.

#3. Sometimes you just get lucky in life and get the absolute best family and friends.

They come over, even on the hottest, stickiest days and work up a sweat lugging boxes, tables and chairs for you. They help you unpack, hang pictures, discuss room layout, and put together bookshelves, bakers racks, and bathroom racks for you. They let you use their laundry when you realize your washer/dryer sounds like a car crash every time you turn it on. And they pamper you on your birthday.

The only downside is you feel indebted to them for eternity — a small price to pay for moving, laundry, and pampering. So, Carolyn and family, Kellen and friends, Bob and Patty, Bernie and Donna, and Dawn and Rob, thank you from the depths of my soul.

And now for the recipe. It’s a Lemon Mascarpone Tart with Blueberries. My cousin Rich discovered this recipe on the Italian Sons and Daughters of America website. I haven’t researched it enough yet, but I’m looking forward to reading the stories and checking out the recipes. I am embarrassed to say I’ve not been a member, but am planning to join this week! The headquarters is in Pittsburgh, how convenient!

The tart crust is an enigma. It has a slight crunch to it, which I don’t understand since the only ingredients are flour, sugar, salt, and olive oil. Rich made it for his dad and sister, Nancy. It was so good Nancy made it for me and my daughter. (Did I mention that 91 year-old Uncle Richard made a pasta dinner for us? Nancy contributed 30 meatballs and the tart to the delicious effort.) I loved the tart so much I made it for Dawn and Rob.

That’s how recipes make the rounds. Trust me, you’ll be making it for someone too. Blackberries would be fabulous on this too. The link to the recipe on the Italian Sons and Daughters of America site, is above, but I’ll print the recipe here too. You WILL love this!

Blueberry Lemon Mascarpone Tart

[cooked-recipe id=”20166″]