Grill pans are great for steaks, but so are cast iron skillets. For a really great indoor steak: Preheat your oven to about 350, get your pan good and hot, season it lightly with oil, season meat, place in pan and sear or grill for about 2 minutes per side (until nicely browned or good grill marks). Remove pan from burner and place in oven til desired doneness (timing will depend thickness of steak). Use touch method or my favorite, a probe thermometer placed sideways in the center of the steak. 105 degrees = rare, 110 = med rare, 115 = med. This is the temp right when it comes out of the pan - it will carry-over cook to the correct end temperature. (If you're going to cook it more than medium, I don't want to know about it, but for God sakes don't go over 120.) Remember to allow it to rest loosely covered for 3-7 min depending on size of steak. This gives the juices a chance to reabsorb back into the steak so that when you cut into it, the juices don't all go onto your cutting board or plate. The advantage of finishing the steak in the oven is that the lower temperature means the steak will tighten up less towards the end and therefore stay juicier. This should also mean it is pink or red all the way through the middle and not just in the very center. Experienced grillers achieve this same effect my moving the meat to a cooler zone on the grill once it has good grill marks. Take thin steaks off right away though or they'll be overdone. If you are so motivated, a great pan sauce can be made from the drippings and brown bits in the pan and reducing a little bit of wine while the steak is resting. If your doctor isn't already spazzing about your cholesterol (like mine currently is), a little butter swirled in at the very end along with your herb of choice makes it even better.

I'm sorry you aren't going, but you did the right thing by heeding your instincts. There are other cruises in your future. I don't think I would want to be on a ship on the ocean for that long, but my father and brother love the transatlantic cruises (they've been on 3 or 4). My brother has two scheduled this year--in three weeks, he is going from FL to Barcelona; in the fall, he is flying to Europe and cruising back to FL. He keeps Royal Caribbean in business--he's on a ship right now, and has two more Caribbean cruises in coming months.

I am so glad I was able to drop in this morning...I am still laughing! Paintingfool...your story reminds me of my visits to my in-laws before they had indoor plumbing. I was very pregnant over the winter and the "facilities" were outside and not heated. Do you know how many times a night a very pregnant woman need to...and when you actually sit down the seat is so cold all bodily functions stop!....so glad when the "facilities" move inside. Luv...so glad when your identity was revealed, but ya know I kind of thought that you were the one with the big smile in the pictures you posted...and such finds. The children with the dog looks really old...is it? How I wish I was some place warm...it is 22 degrees out and ice on my pond. I spent the last 2 days re-organizing my other "interest." Lots of written material that needed to be updated and but into folders....that done, today is house cleaning day and maybe this afternoon I can start some new projects. Have to tell you this one: I wanted to paint some wooden trays. So I clipped some pictures for my hubby who makes me anything I ask for, but for once I didn't actually give him a definite size........my error! The first tray is beautiful but small - that's OK - I can paint small and the tray is great. The second tray is....... well..... huge! It is 26" X 18" and gorgeous. It looks like a very old tray with a divider handle in the center, with a heart as the handle. So......after diligent thought (very hard for me) I believe I will stain it and................DH suggested that I put my gardening tools in it and keep it on the potting stand he made for me. Think that might work. But I really want to keep the antique look to it...anyone have any suggestions? I was thinking about a redish stain but also want to show wear. A solid stain will still look new and sanding the edges doesn't really age it. It would be nice to use an all in one seal, stain and finish, but wouldn't I have more control over the color if I use a sealer, then the stain and then another sealer? Ah! the challenges of life! As to where I live; I would love to move! Because of our flood of 07 that isn't possible. Prices here are rock bottom...this was the first time ever, ever, ever we flooded but that isn't very reassuring to prospective buyers. Our home is for all purposes brand new but we still have to say - we flooded. So unless we want to take a loss, we wait! As to flooding again...I will not say never again, but it was the "perfect storm." And our two bridges acted like dams, lots of trees and logs came down river and we flooded. No bridges now and when they are rebuilt they will be in different spots and with no supports or forms within the banks of the river and much higher - so no dams. And I really thank all of your for your concern..IT IS REALLY HEART WARMING! Closing this chapter...happy painting! Belle

Kitchenkrazed09, The interior opening of the cabinet for the standard installation, which is what we did, needed to be 24"...So a standard 24" has to be backless. The flush/inset install requires 25"...Which can also be done with a standard cabinet that is backless, but away from the wall an inch. I seem to remember that they also recommend a wider cabinet for the inset look. We have a 30" frameless cabinet. Let me know if you have more questions, or if there are specific photos you'd like to see. There will be more photos on the blog I just started (linked above on Nov 20 post) than I usually put here, but they're not all oven-related. Here is a link that might be useful: Wolf E-Series installation guide (PDF)