Walking

I discovered a new gem of a park today. It's just 3 miles from our house, has these really great long trails, bathrooms and drinking fountains. Best of all, walking really lifts my spirits and is completely free! Here's to walking!


"Thoughts come clearly while one walks." ~Thomas Mann

"In every walk with nature one receives far more than he seeks." ~John Muir

"The best remedy for a short temper is a long walk." ~Jacqueline Schiff

"We live in a fast-paced society. Walking slows us down." ~Robert Sweetgall

"Me thinks that the moment my legs begin to move, my thoughts begin to flow." ~Henry David Thoreau

"I have two doctors, my left leg and my right." ~G.M. Trevelyan

Casserole Basics

I just got my weekly newsletter from TipHero. I've been wanting to come up with a few go-to casserole recipes. For a good review on "Casserole Basics" click here.

Really Good Corn Bread

Cornbread can really stretch a meal. Mark Bittman, a well-known cookbook author and NY Times columnist says of cornbread, "This is one of the most important recipes I know. With the possible exception of brownies, there is no other baked good that packs so much flavor, and can be used in so many situations, with so little work."

After some searching, I found this recipe. It's based on the recipe from the Alber's Cornmeal box called "Sweet Corn Muffins." A friend of mine tweeked the amounts of flour and cornmeal in the recipe on the box and I like it this way much better. Enjoy!

Sweet Corn Bread
1 cup all-purpose flour
2/3 cup granulated sugar
1 cup white or yellow corn meal
1 Tbsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
1 1/4 cups milk
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1/3 cup vegetable oil
3 Tbsp. butter or margarine, melted

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease 8-inch square baking pan.

Combine flour, sugar, corn meal, baking powder and salt in medium bowl. Combine milk, eggs, vegetable oil and butter in small bowl; mix well. Add to flour mixture; stir just until blended. Pour into pan.

Bake for 35 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Serve warm.