Fresh Broccoli Salad

2 heads fresh broccoli - washed, cut into bite sized pieces
1 red onion - chopped to desired size
1/2 pound bacon – fried crisp, cooled and crumbled
3/4 cup raisins
3/4 cup sliced almonds or your favorite nuts (walnuts, sunflower seeds, etc.)

Dressing:
1 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup white sugar
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar


Mix the mayonnaise, sugar and vinegar together until smooth. Stir into the salad, let chill and serve.

When is Your Grilled Steak Done?

First important rule, have your grill very very hot!

Testing a steak’s doneness by touch (the poke test)

NEVER cut into a piece of meat being cooked, you'll release the juices and have a very dry steak!

Here is the method the pros use, a simple poke with your finger and you can judge the approximate doneness.

Use the list below as a guide, but experience is the best teacher.

Very Rare Steak – feels soft and squishy

Rare Steak – soft to the touch - - similar to your thigh (unless of course you're a bike rider or wrestler, haha)

Medium-Rare Steak – yields gently to the touch -- make a relaxed fist and the soft part between your thumb and forefinger

Medium Steak – yields only slightly to the touch, beginning to firm up -- like the med rare only a bit farther up your hand where its not as soft

Medium-Well Steak – firm to the touch

Well-Done Steak – hard to the touch

Take the steak off the grill and put onto a heated plate, allow it to sit 4 - 5 minutes before eating so the juices can saturate the entire steak.