I love Shorty Howell

We had some panini fixin’s left over last night, so I took a break from cooking to enjoy the bizarrely nice weather and do a few laps around Shorty Howell Park in Duluth. I have blogged about it before, but I LOVE this park. It has everything – a 1.25 mile trail, regular track, playground for the kiddies and a cool pond filled with geese and turtles.

The 1.25 mile trail is the perfect distance for me – not too short so that it gets monotonous, but not dauntingly long either. I usually whip around three times and get a great workout. There are a few small hills, but they are very manageable and a welcome challenge. 

If you live anywhere near Duluth, I highly recommend a trip to this park, whether to get a workout or just relax. The park is HUGE, so you’re sure to find a quiet spot to eat lunch or read a good book. 

The geese are also fun to watch, but I would not recommend feeding them, as there are LOTS of them and they can get a bit aggressive (I speak from experience here). Also, make sure you wipe off your shoes real good when you get home because these geese leave behind a lot of gifts that you won’t want to track all over your carpet (again speaking from experience).

More Tasty Comfort Food

This Chicken and Pear Panini recipe from Rachael Ray is pretty good too. However, as with most of her recipes, my husband and I felt it could use a bit more salt at the end.

It all starts with the chicken thighs, which are way more flavorful than breasts. In order to cook them all the way through without scorching the outside, I found that covering the pan for the last few minutes of cooking works magically. That way you end up with chicken that is juicy on the inside and nice and crispy (but not burnt) on the outside.

The same trick works well if you are having trouble getting your pears soft while your onions continue to brown away.

Here is the final product before the panini assembly - chicken, onions, pear and shredded cheese. This is where I would take a taste and either add some more salt or cheese or both.

Et voila! As you can see, I didn't bother with the fancy escarole salad, though I'm sure it would be lovely. These sandwiches are pretty hefty, so a few carrot sticks was more than enough for a side dish.

Yummy & Easy Winter Recipe

Photo from Food Network

This recipe from Food Network is the joint. Soy-Maple Salmon with Cauliflower - mmmm hmmmm. I put the cauliflower on top of brown rice to make it a bit more hearty for this annoying winter weather we're having here in Atlanta. The recipe was super easy and a winner, even with my husband who can be a bit skeptical about unfamiliar dishes. Score!