Ranoli's Blog May 28, 2010 BBQ Tri Tip Sandwiches I love to BBQ! I BBQ in the rain, three feet of snow or a sunny day. One of my favorite recipes is cooking a beef Tri Tip roast and making sandwiches out of it. It's simple here's what I do: I buy the tri tip bring it home and make sure it's completely defrosted. I pat it dry on both sides. I rub a mixture of salt, pepper and garlic into the meat and let it stand for an hour or two. Use lot's of dry rub it will make a wonderful crust as the roast cooks. Preparing the grill I heat up the grill to a high temp and sear one side of the tri tip for about 5 minutes, then I move the tri tip 45 degrees to get that cross grill mark look and let it sear another 5 minutes. Then I flip it over and repeat the searing for 5 minutes and moving the tri tip 45 degrees to get that cross grill mark look. Now here's where it gets just a bit tricky, after I move the tri tip 45 degrees on the second side, I turn the fire off on half the grill. I place the meat on the side with no flames cooking with indirect heat to finishing cooking the trip tip. When I reach an internal temperature of 130 degrees for medium rare in the middle, I take the tri tip off the flame and let it rest or sit for 20 minutes. Now you are ready to cut the tri tip in very thin strips making sure to always cut across the grain. For the sandwich: I use a French roll that I split in half, I coat each side with a garlic butter mixture which I then grill until I have a toasted garlic buttered French roll. I pile on the meat and drizzle with my favorite BBQ sauce or just use mayo. I like to add a bit of red onion. However you dress this sandwich it will be awesome. Tri tips are lean and delicious. Add your favorite side dishes and invite over a few friends. It's always a good time when you share good food with those you love. Hope you enjoy this yummy sandwich. Add new comment All fields are required. Name:* Email Address:* Comments* Please enter the phrase as it is shown in the box above.    No Comments May 26, 2010 10 Tips to discourage summer home break ins In the United States each year over 6 million homes are robbed while residents are on vacation. The majority of those breaking into homes are opportunists, they see something and they take it. Usually working on impulse and taking low risk items. According to the Burglary prevention council, 28% of summer break ins are performed by someone who watches the home for daily routines and wait for the occupant to leave on vacation before breaking into the home. The home items most often taken are, tools, cameras, credit cards, sports equipment, jewelry, TVs, computers and laptops, DVD players and stereo equipment. Here are a few simple things you can do to reduce your risk of a summer break in: 1. Create a neighborhood watch, your neighbors are your extra set of eyes when you are away from home, know your neighbors and know each other's schedules. Let a neighbor know when you are leaving and when you will return, alert the police too, they will do additional drive bys at different times of day. 2. Lock your doors, especially the door from the house to the garage and the side yard to the garage. Lock fence gates. Lock all your windows too. 3. While away disable your overhead garage door opener and lock the overhead door to the track. 4. Use timers to turn on lights and TVs throughout your home, set them for the times you would normally be using the lights or TVs. 5. Use outside lights, a well lit home will discourage would be robbers, they will go to a dark home first. 6. Stop the mail, milk delivery and newspaper. 7. Close shades, what a thief can't see they can't take. 8. Install an alarm system or at least put an alarm company's sign in your yard. 9. Monitor your answering machine message and your trash. Don't indicate you are away from home and don't put out the trash with the box from the new flat screen TV. 10. Have a home safe and lock up important papers with your account numbers, social security numbers, check books and extra checks, any jewelry or other small valuables. Add new comment All fields are required. Name:* Email Address:* Comments* Please enter the phrase as it is shown in the box above.    No Comments May 7, 2010 Got good sleep? In our fast paced world filled with stress, long hours and too much caffeine, many of us find sleeping to be difficult. Even if we do manage to sleep for 7 or 8 hours, too often we do not reach the deep regenerative sleep our bodies need to keep us healthy and happy. Take a look at your bedroom, how many electrical appliances do you have near your bed? How many electrical outlets? Cell phone? Wireless phone? TV? Wireless router? All of the above generate an electrical and magnetic field, which may have an impact on your ability to rest peacefully and allow your body to regenerate and repair itself each night. Now let's take a look at the bed itself. Does yours have a metal box spring? Or metal in the mattress itself? If you answer yes to either or both questions then you may have found the prime suspect in why you are not sleeping well. Metal conducts both electrical and magnetic fields, and when you move around at night your movements generate a strong magnetic field within the metal springs or coils. When our bodies are subjected to strong magnetic fields for long periods of time our body's cellular communication is disrupted. Cells communicate using electrical signals, our body's cell structure can not repair itself or receive messages from other body cells properly when subjected to a sustained interrupting magnetic field. The result of this poor communication between your body's cells is poor sleep or a depressed immune system. Before you run out and purchase a new mattress or sleeping platform, try this simple test to see if you are sleeping in a magnetic field. Use a liquid filled compass, which you can find, at Army surplus stores, big box stores or on line. Hold the compass away from the bed and notice the direction of the needle. Now watch the needle as you bring the compass close to the bed, watch and see if the needle moves. Then hold the compass a couple of inches from the mattress and slowly move the compass up and down the length of the mattress. If you have more than a couple of degrees of movement then you have a magnetized bed. If you have more than 10 degrees of deviation then it's time to remove your box springs and use a wood-sleeping platform. After replacing the box spring with a wooden platform retest using the same process. If you still have deviation then perhaps it's time to exchange your metal coiled mattress for one of the options that do not contain metal. As an added precaution remove as many electrical items from around your bed as possible. If you find that you are still not sleeping well, consider installing an electrical demand switch to your bedroom. A demand switch will turn off the electrical current to your bedroom after you turn off the last electrical draw to that area. An electrical draw could be your bedside lamp. A good night sleep is essential to a healthy long life and to a life well lived. Add new comment All fields are required. Name:* Email Address:* Comments* Please enter the phrase as it is shown in the box above.    No Comments May 5, 2010 Drive green and save money too Now that it's summer many of us will be driving more enjoying road trips and the outdoors. Here are some simple things you can do to save money and have a positive impact on our environment at the same time.   Bundle your trips together to save gasoline and save your time too. Park your car and ride a bike. Clean your truck, removing what you don't need removes weight that uses more fuel to drive around. Removing your ski rack will reduce your drag and improve your fuel economy. Turn your car off when sitting in traffic or drive thru windows. On windy days, use the tailwinds to your advantage and avoid driving into the headwinds. Take advantage of off peak hours, starting and stopping uses more fuel. Watch your tire pressure, properly inflated tires improve your saves gasoline. Driving when it's warm out saves gasoline. Slow down and drive the posted speed. Learn to use your cruise control properly. Today's cars do not need to warm - idling wastes fuel. Park in the shade; use your air conditioner wisely and with the windows up. Anticipate driving conditions by know what's happening up ahead you will break less. Carpool when possible and take advantage of the carpool lanes, you will maintain a steady speed which saves fuel use. Keep your engine tuned up and change your filters often. Gently release the gas pedal and gently press on the gas pedal, slow and smooth saves fuel. Coasting saves gasoline, gently release the gas pedal just before you crest a hill.   Add new comment All fields are required. Name:* Email Address:* Comments* Please enter the phrase as it is shown in the box above.    No Comments Archives September 2009 October 2009 November 2009 December 2009 January 2010 February 2010 March 2010 April 2010 May 2010 June 2010 July 2010 August 2010