Happy Anniversary to us

So, to continue the fascinating tale of my weekend.... We stopped for lunch at Grand Casino in Hinkley. If Disneyland is the happiest place on earth, this is in the running for the saddest. Maybe it is just that I don't "get" gambling. I have many (many, many) vices, gambling just isn't one of them. It seems easier to just light your money on fire. I was so sad for the casino full of seniors who were just throwing money away. It is so easy to do, cash has been eliminated in favor of little plastic cards (attached to oneself with a retractable cord). Load the card from the ATM and insert into the machine. No need to even pull the lever, it's all done with the touch of a finger. Tap - down $1 - tap - down $2 etc. etc.

Needless to say, we lost the pre-agreed upon amount in short order, had a horrible lunch (but at least it was expensive) and started to really have fun. We started a fire in the stove at Paul's relatives' cabin and went to Cloquet to see the new Bond movie. Loved it! James Bond movies are one of the things we both enjoy. Then back to the (now heated) cabin for a steak dinner.

Saturday we poked around Canal Park in Duluth. We especially like antique stores. Paul got an old fishing reel for his collection and I bought a set of kangaroo salt-and-pepper shakers for my collection (of shakers, not kangaroos). Paul even started playing my favorite antique store game "What is the ugliest thing in this store?" For the record, I won by pointing out the basket made of huge safety pins and plastic beads. Hideous!

Then we went to Grand Superior Lodge in Two Harbors. We rented the Beach House. It is RIGHT ON the beach. It had a fireplace and hot tub! There it is, up at the top, I meant that photo to be down here. Hmm...nope, all the photos are going there, rats!

Anyway, Ate at Hell's Kitchen Sunday morning (highly recommended: sausage bread, portbello mushroom benedict, wild rice porridge, yum) and drove home and got the dependants. THEN I cooked a turkey dinner (because I love the big guy and he loves the big dinner with leftovers in our fridge.) Is that enough to pack into a weekend?

Also, Mr. Romance had his wedding ring re-sized and is now wearing it (after many years) and bought me ruby earrings! I'm a lucky girl (casino luck doesn't count.)

I promised you the fabulous pumpkin pie recipe and here it is (just in time for next year)


Microwave Pumpkin Pie

6 Tblsp butter
1 cup plus 2 tbls brown sugar - divided
1 1/2 cups gingersnap cookie crumbs
2 cups pumpkin (canned)
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
3/4 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp cloves
3 Tblsp flour
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 cups half and half
2 eggs

In 9 inch glass or pottery pie plate, melt butter in microwave. Add 2 Tblsp brown sugar and cookie crumbs. Stir until blended, press crumbs onto sides and bottom of pie plate. Microwave on high 2-4 minutes until hot and set.

Mix rest of ingredients in microwave safe bowl. Nuke on high 8-12 minutes, whisking smooth every 2 minutes, until mounds form when whisk is removed. Pour into crust, smooth top and microwave on half power 10-14 minutes, until pie is set around edges and soft but somewhat set in center. Chill before serving with whipped cream. 1 pie, 6-8 servings