Good morning, dear ones!! I am so excited for this beautiful weekend to start!

Last night I got to indulge in one of my favorite rituals. Every few weeks my friends Art and Donna join me, Mums and Dad at our favorite Mexican restaurant where we all order the same thing, the waiters greet us like old friends and, when the boss is in, bring us free after dinner drinks to warm our bones. Then Dad heads home (he gets up obscenely early for work) and the rest of us adjourn to Art and Donna’s place for British murder mysteries like Foyle’s War or Inspector Lewis and dessert. This week they introduced us to the irascible Doc Martin set in oh-s0-gorgeous Cornwall and served us these beeyootiful plates of cream-filled chocolate cake to go with our rose-scented tea. Bliss.

This morning I awoke to a misty wonderland and just had to shuffle out through the dew-covered grass to capture it.

I do love mornings like this when the fog shrouds everything in cozy quietness.ย  Reminds me I need to track down some firewood for my fireplace before fall arrives. I’ve never had my very own fireplace before, but it’s something I’ve always longed for so I’m thrilled to bits. I can’t wait for cold misty mornings this fall when I get to snuggle in by the fire with my tea in one hand and a ripping good book in the other.

What are your plans for this weekend, my friend? Will you be relaxing and puttering or dashing about from one fun thing to the next?

I cleaned my house like mad this week, so now I get to enjoy it and tackle sorting through the boxes of papers I hid in my closet when my aunts came over. ๐Ÿ˜‰

Tonight I get to join my friends for dinner and a movie. I love watching movies at their place. They have a massive screen and the comfiest couches and we all pile in and eat popcorn made on the stove and have a marvy time. I don’t know what we’re having for dinner yet, but I’ve got dessert all ready to go: Rainier Cherry Tart with Maple Cream and a Gluten-Free Maple Crust. My whole apartment smells absolutely divine and I can’t wait to dig in!

Happiest of weekends to you, dear folks, and I’ll see you Monday morning!!

Rainier Cherry Tart with Maple Cream and a Gluten-Free Maple Crust

Ingredients:

2 cups cherries, pitted and halved
1/4 cup blueberries
1 package cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup coconut milk
2 Tbsp maple syrup
1/2 tsp maple extract

For the Crust:

1 cup gluten-free all-purpose baking flour
1 Tbsp sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp maple extract
1/2 cup butter, melted

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 375 F.
  2. Blend cream cheese, coconut milk, maple syrup and maple extract until smooth. Set aside but do not chill.
  3. Mix all crust ingredients, add a little flour if too soft. Press evenly into 9-inch tart pan and bake for 20-25 minutes until crust is golden brown.
  4. Let crust cool, then spread cream mixture in the bottom and top with fruit. Chill until ready to serve.