# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Over the last few months, I've been on a quest to master the art and science of cooking steak.

Strike that. I've been on a quest to cook the perfect steak.

In the process, I've culled together pages and pages of notes - from websites, cookbooks, interviews with chefs and my own personal experiences - to put together this, a collection of easy tips that will help you cook the perfect steak.

So let's get started. Because there's a-grillin' to do.

1. Buy from a butcher instead of a grocery store.

The key to any good meal is to use the best ingredients available. When it comes to meat, that means skipping the supermarket and going to a butcher shop instead. There you'll typically find the highest quality meat available in your area, including grass-fed, hormone-free and ethically-raised options.

2. Try the ribeye steak.

Most people tend to choose very lean cuts of beef for steak. But leaner cuts generally yield drier, blander steaks. A cut with a little extra fat and marbling, on the other hand, will simply taste better, and often with very little preparation.

Nutritionally, a little saturated fat, like that found in beef, is fine. (Beef contains over 40% monounsaturated fat anyway). You just don't want too much of it, so trim the extra fat after cooking if you're trying to cut back. Also, instead of going for a leaner cut, you can always just eat a smaller portion of a better tasting one.

So don't be afraid of the fat; in fact, for a perfect steak with very little marinating, you need a cut with a little fat. Personally, I've found the ribeye to be the perfect cut for a great, easy-to-prepare steak.

3. Rub with a clove of fresh garlic.

Fresh garlic makes for a quick and delicious steak rub. Slice a clove of garlic in half, and with the cut side, rub the entire steak, sides and edges.

(Bonus tip: to remove the garlic smell from your hands, wash them and rub them against the sides of your stainless steel kitchen sink.)

Don't stop there, though. There's more seasoning to be done.

4. Season with plenty of sea salt.

If you don't have one already, get yourself a salt mill and a pepper mill, and fill them with sea salt crystals and whole peppercorns.

Grind out a generous amount of sea salt and fresh pepper onto both sides of the steak, enough to form a sort of light crust. Use just a little more than you think is necessary.

5. Right before cooking, freeze the steak for 45 minutes.

A great steak has a beautiful brown crust, usually achieved in steakhouses with commercial grills and broilers that get much hotter than anything you have at home. A quick hit on that kind of equipment rapidly evaporates surface moisture on the steak and forms the perfectly charred crust.

But with a little trick from Cook's Illustrated magazine, you can get close. Put your freshly salted steak in the freezer unwrapped on a rack over a paper-towel lined baking sheet for 45 minutes, right before you intend to cook. Freezers are incredibly dry environments (because the moisture in them, well, freezes) and so food placed in a freezer unwrapped dries very quickly. 45 minutes is just enough to dry out the surface without freezing the steak. Any longer than an hour and the steak may start to freeze.

After 45 minutes, take it out and start to grill or pan-sear right away.

(Most chefs recommend letting the steak come to room temperature before grilling or pan frying. The thinking is that if you start with cold meat, the tendency is to burn the outside before cooking the inside to desired doneness. I've never found that to be a problem with the "Restaurant Method" I describe below, and in this case, it would ruin the quick-freeze effect.)

6. Use the right cooking fat.

Extra virgin olive oil, while delicious, should not be used to sear steaks, because it's too delicate and the smoke point is too low. Unless you're trying to fumigate your kitchen or send smoke signals to distant relatives, use something more stable.

Instead, try cooking with organic butter - higher smoke point, and it's just as tasty.

7. Use an digital meat thermometer to cook the steak perfectly.

Steakhouses go to extraordinary lengths to cook steaks exactly to their customers' desired doneness (medium rare, well done, etc.), because overdone and underdone steaks are the #1 complaint they receive. Cook the steak to the right doneness and you're 90% of the way toward a perfect steak.

A digital meat thermometer (like this one from Amazon) is an easy way to do it precisely. (And, well, we at PN like precision.) Insert it through the edge of the steak, into the center, and make sure it doesn't touch the fat or the pan itself.

Each level of "doneness" corresponds to an approximate internal temperature of the cooked steak. For example, a medium-rare steak should have an internal temperature of about 130 °F.

Because the interior temperature of the steak will rise even after removed from the pan or grill (see "Let the steak rest" below), remove the steak when it reaches a temperature 5 °F lower than desired doneness. For example, for medium rare, stop cooking at 125 °F. While it's resting on a plate for 5 minutes afterward, the internal temperature will rise to 130 °F - perfect for medium rare.

Here's a quick temperature chart for steak:

My preference is to buy a great cut of meat, and cook it to medium rare with a nicely browned crust. But to each their own.

8. Try cooking your steaks using The Restaurant Method.

Everyone loves grilling, and of course you can get a great steak that way. But there's another way - The Restaurant Method - and it's a dead-simple way to get a perfectly cooked steak, indoors, year round. And that's something that any steak lover who lives in a true four-season climate can appreciate.

The Restaurant Method is easy:

1. Sear the outside of the steak in a pan.

2. Roast the inside of the steak in the oven.

Here's how to do it:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 °F.

2. Preheat a big pan on medium-high heat. Use a grill pan if you want char lines; otherwise any large pan will do.

3. Add a tablespoon of organic butter to the pan; let it melt and swirl it around to coat the pan.

4. Sear each side of the steak in the pan for 2 - 5 minutes; peek underneath to know when to flip. You want it brown but not black (i.e., burnt).

5. If you like your steak rare to medium rare, you can often stop here. Just check the internal temperature of the steak with your meat thermometer (see above).

6. If you like your steak medium to well done, put it in the oven on a small rack over a baking sheet lined with tinfoil to roast for another 5-15 minutes. (Again, with the meat thermometer, you'll know exactly when to take it out.)

9. Baste with a sprig of rosemary.

This is a little trick Jamie Oliver teaches, and yet another reason to try cooking your steaks on a pan. With a sprig of fresh rosemary, gather up the juices in the pan. Then, pat the steak all over with the sprig, essentially basting the steak. It's an incredibly easy way to add flavor.

10. Sear the edges too.

Simple, but not too many people do it. Once both sides of the steak have been seared, use a long pair of tongs to hold the steak and sear the edges too.

11. Serve on a warmed plate.

This is one of the easiest things you can do to make any hot meal taste better.

Know how the waiter at your favorite restaurant always gives you that warning, "Careful, this plate is hot"?

That's because for warm dishes, restaurants often warm the plates too. They understand that serving food at the right temperature is one of the most important factors in your enjoyment of a meal. Put hot food on a room-temperature plate and the plate itself will cool off the food and ruin the effort you put into cooking it just right.

Easy solution? Put your plates in the oven for a few minutes. If you use The Restaurant Method (above) then your oven is already at 350 °F. Just pop your plates in for a minute right at the end.

But:

Don't use anything too delicate to withstand the heat, like fine china or (obviously) plastic.

Don't leave the plates in for more than a minute, because they'll be scorching hot.

Remove them with an oven mitt.

Remember to warn your guests that the plate is hot - and heed that warning yourself!

(Note: if your dishes are microwave-safe, microwaving them on high for a minute works too.)

12. Let the steaks "rest" for 5 minutes before serving.

Put the steaks on the warmed plates, cover them with tin foil and let them sit - or "rest," in chef-speak - for 5 minutes before serving. Why?

1. To let the steak come up to the desired temperature. The exterior of the steak is hotter than the interior at this point. So the outside of the steak will continue to "cook" the inside of the steak for a few minutes, even after you've removed the steaks from the pan or grill. That's where you get the extra 5 °F of internal temperature from.

2. To let the juices redistribute throughout the steak. Under cooking heat, the juices in the steak are driven away from the heat (the exterior of the steak) toward the middle of the steak. By letting it rest, the juices will redistribute move evenly, back toward the edges, instead of pooling in the center. That way, the juices will still be in the meat when you take a bite, instead of leaking out onto the plate as soon as you cut into it.

13. Finish with a little extra virgin olive oil and fresh basil.

Another Jamie Oliver trick. Pour a little extra virgin olive oil over a wood cutting board. Place a few leaves of fresh basil over the oil and chop them. Then use the back of a fork to grind the basil into the oil.

Then, take your rested steak and lay it on the basil oil. Flip it so both sides of the steak get hit.

Optional: Cut the steak into strips and serve over a bed of organic mixed greens, tossed in a simple lemon vinaigrette for the perfect Anytime (AT) meal.

14. Practice.

"Remember that cooking is not an exact science; the results depend on the temperature of ingredients, the cooking equipment you use, and even the climate where you live. The more you practice, the more familiar you will become with how food reacts under certain conditions."

- Chuck Williams, of Williams-Sonoma fame.

The only way to make a perfect meal is to practice making it again and again. Use the same cut of beef from the same butcher, the same cooking equipment, and keep trying. As long as you're paying attention, the more you do it, the better the result will be.

Want more cooking help? Try Gourmet Nutrition: The Cookbook for the Fit Food Lover.

If you want to eat well while getting in the best shape of your life, check out our cookbook, Gourmet Nutrition. It's the only cookbook designed specifically for the fit food lover, with over 120 Precision Nutrition approved recipes, each with detailed instructions and a full-color photo.

In fact, on page 88, you'll find the recipe for The Perfect Steak. And there's plenty more where that came from. For more info, and to order a copy, go to www.gourmetnutrition.com

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
The perfect steak: How to prepare the best steak of your life.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Over the last few months, I've been on a quest to master the art and science of cooking the perfect steak. In the process, I've culled together pages and pages of notes - from websites, cookbooks, interviews with chefs and my own personal experiences - to put together this, a collection of easy tips that will help you cook the perfect steak.

# data[].attributes.body
the best tasting food i recieved this winter break was staek

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Frequently we hear of organizations receiving criminal conviction reports that are very inexpensive and very quick. Usually this means the consumer reporting agency is using database information to report criminal conviction searches without performing required due diligence on the accuracy of the information in the report.

Consumer reporting agencies are required to confirm adverse information that comes out of any database. This means confirming the adverse information from the database at the local jurisdictional level. That takes money and time if it is to be done properly. Don't do it properly and you and your provider could end up owing injured parties a lot of money as the following example illustrates.

Two Verisk Analytics Inc. units agreed to pay $18 million to settle three proposed class action lawsuits that allege the company violated the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) by failing to take reasonable measures to ensure the accuracy of background check reports provided to prospective employers.

The putative class action lawsuits targeted two Verisk units: Intellicorp Records Inc. and Insurance Information Exchange LLC. These companies provide consumer reports including background checks. In their class action lawsuits, the plaintiffs accuse the companies of violating the FCRA by providing incorrect, outdated or incomplete information to potential employers. Specifically, they argue that the defendants failed to provide certain consumers with copies of their consumer reports before delivering them to prospective employers and that the companies failed to take reasonable steps to ensure the accuracy of the reports.

The class action lawsuits alleged a number of issues with the background checks that were sent to prospective employers. Plaintiff A indicated that a prospective employer received a copy of her background check that omitted material information that was available in public records, claiming that Intellicorp relied on out-of-date information when creating the report.

Plaintiff B claims he had no prior criminal history and accused Intellicorp of including the criminal history from other individuals. Due to this error, he claims he was falsely identified as a criminal and was thus disqualified from employment. Plaintiff C raised a similar complaint against Insurance Information Exchange.

In their class action lawsuits, the plaintiffs allege that the companies "fail to use 'reasonable procedures', as required of consumer reporting agencies by the Fair Credit Reporting Act, necessary to ensure the 'maximum possible accuracy' of the reports they sell." They also claimed that Intellicorp violated the FCRA by failing to notify consumers when it compiles and sells a consumer report to an employer.

The defendants have denied all allegations set forth in the class action lawsuits, insisting that they complied with the FCRA at all times.

The parties agreed to a class action settlement amount of $18.6 million. The consumer reporting agencies also agreed to update and improve their reporting policies to maximize the accuracy of the reports.

The proposed class action settlement is still subject to Court approval.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Background Check Firms Agree to $18M Settlement | Randisi & Associates

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Frequently we hear of organizations receiving criminal conviction reports that are very inexpensive and very quick. Usually this means the consumer reporting agency is using database information to report criminal conviction searches without performing required due diligence on the accuracy of the information in the report.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
We've been reading reports that Black hair salons are closing at alarming rates for the past four years. There have been several proposed reasons and I suspect the answer is probably a combination of them all:

1. We are still very much in a recession so women are cutting back on extra splurges such as salon visits and doing their hair at home.

2. Dominican salons have began to flourish. Whereas once only popular in the Northeast, Dominican shops have began to expand and are found in nearly all major cities across the US and the Wall Street Journal even reports Dominican shops may be partially to blame for Black hair salons going out of business.

3. The natural hair trend has made more women want to do their own hair. No longer depending on relaxers means a lot of women choose low maintenance styles like twists, braids and wash & gos. Doesn't get much simpler than that - no salon required!

4. This reason is always ignored by major media outlets but the truth is we Black women are simply beginning to take better care of our hair. Instead of biweekly salon visits between which we do absolutely NOTHING to our hair in efforts to preserve the look or depending solely on our stylist for every bit of hair care and advice - we have began to educate ourselves and take control of our own hair health. For some reason, mainstream media believes only natural women have cancelled their once standing appointments at Black hair salons. Black women period, for one or a combination of reasons, have began to do their own hair.

So in the wake of the closing of many Black hair salons, what we've began to see is more multicultural salons catering to women of all hair types and ethnicities. Likewise, white salon owners and stylists are beginning to educate and train themselves more on Black and textured hair care. So, are we patronizing those salons over our own? Would you go as far as to say we prefer white hair salons?

Admittedly, I have been known to show preference to non-Black hair salons after moving out of New Jersey. Often times the "other" salons are well established businesses, sometimes associated with major retail chains or spas such as Aveda, JC Penney or Macy's. They consistently use the same quality products, are always kept clean and are run like any other successful business. Clients aren't overbooked, stylists absolutely cannot be no-shows or even late, and salon etiquette is enforced - no kids running around, loud music, cursing, etc. Let's keep it 100% real - Black hair salons have a certain (not so great) reputation of all of the aforementioned.

However, the comfort level of going to a Black hair salon will never be matched by the white or even multicultural establishments. Nothing beats the camaraderie of sitting in the chair of your long-time stylist, who very often is a friend. Someone who not only knows your hair in and out but also chats with you about the latest happenings in your life and pop culture. Being able to buy everything from beauty products, to fashion accessories and sometimes the latest bootleg videos (yes, I've been guilty). Chatting with the other ladies in the salon, listening to music you all enjoy, and leaving with the feeling that you just had a night out with the girls instead of just receiving a beauty service. There is something to be said for the unique experience had at a Black hair salon!

I'll be honest, while at times I prefer the service at a mixed or non-Black hair salon, I refuse to give up the experience. Whenever my feet touch down in New Jersey, my stylist knows to expect a visit. She's been a friend of the family for years doing my grandmother and mother's hair, who by the way have kept their standing appointments. She has come to graduation celebrations and family functions. She is more than just our hair stylist and we gladly continue to patronize her Black hair salon.

So, what are your thoughts?

Have you given up on Black hair salons?

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
White vs. Black Hair Salons | Your Preference? - Longing 4 Length

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
We've been reading reports that Black hair salons are closing at alarming rates for the past four years. There have been several proposed reasons and I suspect the answer is probably a combination of them all: We are still very much in a recession so women are cutting back on extra splurges such as salon visits and doing their hair at home.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Where in the World is Five O'Clock?! | Backup Pint

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
We're trying to solve the really important hard hitting questions. Where in the world is it Five PM?

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Reading is a fundamental part of a child's learning development. Kids learn to read at varying levels. Some will pick it up very quickly, while others will have a harder time. No matter how a child progresses in their reading, all children can benefit from a little help.

As parents, we are the first line of reinforcement for reading when a child leaves school. When children come home, parents should be taking a key interest in making sure they are progressing with their reading. So how can we make sure that we are helping our kids? We've compiled tips from readingrockets.org to help your child become an outstanding reader.

Ask them to read aloud - Ask your child to read aloud. They can read something they wrote for school, a book they have at home, the grocery list when you are shopping or even the signs on the road. Be sure to be an enthusiastic listener whenever they are reading.

Reread a sentence - When your child has sounded out an unfamiliar word, have him or her re-read that sentence. Often kids are so busy figuring out a word they lose the meaning of what they've just read.

Create a book together - Fold pieces of paper in half and staple them to make a book. Ask your child to write sentences on each page and add his or her own illustrations. When he/she is done, have him/her read it.

Point out relationships between words - Explain how related words have similar spellings and meanings. Show how a word like knowledge, for example, relates to a word like know. This will help your child with reading comprehension.

Make books special - Turn reading into something special. Take your kids to the library, help them get their own library card, read with them, and buy them books as gifts. Have a favorite place for books in your home or, even better, put books everywhere.

Use the dictionary - Let your child see you use a dictionary. Say, "Hmm, I'm not sure what that word means... I think I'll look it up."

Get them to read another one - Find ways to encourage your child to pick up another book. Introduce him or her to a series like The Boxcar Children or Harry Potter or to a second book by a favorite author, or ask the librarian for additional suggestion

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
The A, B, C's of Reading Tips - Healthy Kids Today

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Reading is a fundamental part of a child's learning development. Kids learn to read at varying levels. Some will pick it up very quickly, while others will have a harder time. No matter how a child progresses in their reading, all children can benefit from a little help.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Two o'clock at night is a pillow pressed against my face, smothering me, hot and dark and full of terror. The world is asleep in its grave at two o'clock, and I'm still awake, unable to sleep, aware of every sound, aware of every second as it flashes out of existence like a burnt-out bulb.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
As McDonald's cuts salt in its hamburgers by 10 percent, it will have to adapt thousands of trigger-activated salt shakers, each used hundreds of times a day by burger flippers at the 34,000-restaurant chain .

But it's exactly that kind of mind-boggling volume - 69 million customers a day worldwide - that attracted the University of Colorado Anschutz Health and Wellness Center into a partnership with the golden arches.

"I take the world as it is, not necessarily as I wish it were," said the center's James Hill, in an Aurora McDonald's with the chain's national director of nutrition. CU is working with McDonald's, as it has with Disney, "because that's where kids are coming."

Hill and McDonald's senior nutrition director Cindy Goody were in Aurora to promote "5th Gear Kids," a partnership launched in the fall among CU, Children's Hospital Colorado and food purveyors, including King Sooper's, Arby's, Subway and others.

Students in Aurora and Cherry Creek schools can earn points when they buy healthier menu items and meet fitness challenges. Rewards include sports gear and other prizes.

Physicians and nutrition advisers say their health admonitions are often overwhelmed by billions of dollars a year in mass advertising for soda, french fries, candy, and salty, fatty foods. Hill and other researchers argue, though, that food sellers can put similar high-visibility efforts into healthy menu items and messages of moderation.

"There's no way we can do this without the collaboration of industry," said Pam Coxson, a University of California at San Francisco co-author of a new report analyzing the health benefits of sodium reduction.

Researchers used computer modeling to show that reducing sodium intake to even the upper level of federal nutrition guidelines would save 500,000 to 850,000 lives in 10 years, through fewer strokes and heart attacks.

Childhood obesity, meanwhile, has been on the rise, with Colorado the second-fastest growing state. More than one-quarter of Colorado children are overweight or obese.

Menu switches won't work unless balanced with fitness, Hill said.

"If kids aren't active," he said, "nothing they eat will keep them healthy."

850,000

Upper estimate of lives potentially saved over 10 years through fewer strokes and heart attacks, according to a university's computer modeling on reduced sodium intake to even the upper level of federal nutrition guidelines

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
University of Colorado joins McDonald's, others to tout healthy food

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
As McDonald's cuts salt in its hamburgers by 10 percent, it will have to adapt thousands of trigger-activated salt shakers, each used hundreds of times a day by burger flippers at the 34,000-restaurant chain .

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
The tears. The frustration. The late-night run for poster board. Yep, it's homework season.

While the National Education Association suggests that students be assigned no more than 10 minutes of homework per grade level per night, bulging backpacks are proof that this guideline isn't always followed. How does your family handle schoolwork stress?

"Kids aren't lazy," says Marcella Moran, coauthor of Organizing the Disorganized Child: Simple Strategies to Succeed in School (Harper Collins; 2009). "When they constantly forget or choose not to do things, there is a reason behind it-and often that reason is overwhelm."

Success at school starts at home, says Moran, and parents and children need to work together as a team for a great academic year. She offers these six steps to help eliminate homework drama:

1. Get the right tools. First, parents should make sure their child has the right organizing tools. "When kids don't use their planner or binders, it means the system is not right for them," says Moran. "One size does not fit all."

Start by asking your child what they like and don't like about their organizing tools. Sometimes the problem is as simple as the planner's writing space being too small or the binder being too cumbersome. Then come up with strategies that are tailored for them.

For example, if your child forgets to bring home assignments, create a dedicated homework folder that is used for all subjects.

2. Create an after-school routine. When kids get home from school, they need a snack and a break, says Moran: "Diving right into homework can cause kids to struggle."

She suggests scheduling in about a half hour of downtime. To make sure kids don't get lost in play, set a timer. When the bell goes off, it's time to do homework.

3. Pick a good location. Your child's homework area should be relatively quiet. Older students will often complete homework in their rooms, and Moran says their desks should be free from distracting trinkets and toys. She also suggests using a web-blocking program, such as SelfControl, which will help kids focus on homework instead of social media.

Younger students should do their homework near parents or caretakers who can offer help when needed. "Sometimes just being within eyesight of a parent gives younger kids a sense of comfort," says Moran.

4. Ease into assignments. Moran says parents should encourage kids to begin with the easier work, which will give them a sense of accomplishment. "If they start with the tougher stuff, they can get frustrated and give up," she says.

If homework is overwhelming, break it down into doable tasks. For example, instead of tackling all of the math problems at once, have your child do two at a time.

5. Have a backup plan. If kids have trouble writing down their homework, use the buddy system, says Moran. Have your child check in with a classmate to make sure he or she isn't forgetting something.

Also, teachers will often post homework on their websites. Moran says this can be a good way to double-check that your child is completing all assignments, but be aware that last-minute changes don't always appear online.

6. And include breaks. Moran says elementary-aged students can work for about a 30 minutes before they start to get distracted. Older students can work longer. She suggests taking a five- to 10-minute break-but not on the computer.

"Have your child get up and move-shoot some baskets or jump on a trampoline," she says. "Physical exercise releases chemicals in the brain that will help them focus when it's time to get back to the books."
Stephanie Vozza is the author of The Five-Minute Mom's Club: 105 Tips to Make a Mom's Life Easier. She also writes about organization, time management and productivity for Entrepreneur.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
The tears. The frustration. The late-night run for poster board. Yep, it's homework season.While the National Education Association suggests that students be assigned no more than 10 minutes of homework per grade level per night, bulging backpacks are proof that this guideline isn't always followed.

# data[].attributes.body
something an adult told me over the break was "girl wake up and open your preasents!"

# data[].attributes.body
something I watched over the break was "Creed"

# data[].attributes.body
a gift i recieved over the break was money

# data[].attributes.body
something that made me laugh is whenever my dad gets mad he curse me out in patwah

# data[].attributes.body
the latest time i woke up during the break was 5;00 I was on my iPod on social media

# data[].attributes.body
the latest time i woke up during the break was 2:00 p.m

# data[].attributes.body
try to learn how to do hair

# data[].attributes.body
stop lacking and try yo get my permits and a job

# data[].attributes.body
start reading positive quotes, novels, and magazine to improve my mind

# data[].attributes.body
stop saying "i can't" and say "I will"

# data[].attributes.body
not decide to do my homework/classwork last minute