How to Cook Everything a Little Better

Cook Corn

Instead of boiling corn on the cob, dot it with a little butter, salt, and black pepper. Place on a baking sheet and roast (350 degrees) until tender. Caramelize a little honey in a sauté pan and, when the corn comes out, brush with the honey.

—Alex Guarnaschelli, Butter, New York; host of Alex's Day Off (Cooking Channel)

Bread Meat

After you've breaded a piece of meat for panfrying (dip in flour, dip in a water-and-egg-white mixture, dip in bread crumbs), spray the breaded meat with a little water from a spritz bottle. The moisture will prevent the crumbs from absorbing too much oil while still preserving that crispy crunch.

—David Burke, David Burke Kitchen, New York

Make a Sandwich

Less is more. Proportion is key, making sure each element balances the next. I like a fresh slaw tossed in a light vinegar for some crunch and some acidity. Throw in the protein of your choosing, bearing in mind the salt that comes with cured or smoked meat. And when is adding a fried egg a bad thing? Butter the outside of your bread, griddle it, and that's a sandwich.

—Michael Schwartz, Michael's Genuine Food & Drink, Miami

Hold a Knife

Pinch the dull side of the blade with your pointer finger and thumb where the blade meets the handle. Wrap your other three fingers around the handle, leaving your thumb and pointer finger gripping the heel of the blade. Practice on a big bag of vegetables.

—Kelsey Nixon, host of Kelsey's Essentials (Cooking Channel)

Scramble Eggs

For two eggs, add two tablespoons of water and two tablespoons of heavy cream, season with salt and fresh-cracked black pepper, and whip the hell out of them with a whisk until frothy. Melt some butter over medium heat and cook the eggs, not touching them until they are partially set. Then start some light stirring until they're almost finished, and turn the heat off. They will finish cooking because the pan is still hot.

—Randy Zweiban, Province, Chicago

Grill Fruit

Start with ripe, juicy fruit with a high moisture content. Lightly brush on all sides with melted butter or coconut milk. Make a dessert rub by combining one cup sugar with one tablespoon cinnamon. Set up your grill for direct grilling — a preheated grate over a hot fire: Brush the grate clean with a stiff wire brush. Oil it with a paper towel folded into a tight pad, dipped in oil, and drawn across the bars of the grate. Oiling prevents sticking and gives you killer grill marks. Dip fruit in rub to coat on all sides, shaking off excess. Grill the fruit long enough to turn the sugar and fruit juices into bubbling, golden caramel.

—Steven Raichlen, author of The Barbecue Bible; host of Primal Grill (PBS)

Cook a Lobster

Use water that's as close to seawater as it can be — extremely salty or, better yet, seawater itself. And don't use much: Put three or four inches in the pot, and when the water is steaming like mad, add the lobster. A pound-and-a-quarter lobster takes about nine minutes. Afterward, don't shock it in ice water. That makes the meat tougher. Just let it cool down.

—Dave Pasternack, Esca, New York

Sear a Scallop

Make sure the scallop is totally dry — use a paper towel for this. Season it with salt. Get your (small) pan very hot and add cold oil. This way, the scallop will never stick. Once the scallop is in the pan, do not touch it. At all. It will caramelize. Flip it once and serve.

—Michael White, Ai Fiori, New York

Make a Spice Rub

Start with spices that are whole (as opposed to ground) and fresh (as opposed to sitting in your cabinet for three years). Black pepper always goes well with coriander and mustard seed. Cinnamon always goes well with clove, anise, and allspice. Cardamom is usually too strong. Toast spices in a dry pan on the stove over low heat for a couple minutes, then grind them. (You can use a clean coffee grinder.) Then rub it on whatever meat you're cooking.

—David Katz, Mémé, Philadelphia

Season Meats

Salt draws moisture out, so season just before sautéing meat or fish. If you salt too early, the surface of the flesh will become wet and will not get that nice golden crust. And if you marinate meat, remember to pat dry and season it just before you sear.

—Frank Stitt, Highlands Bar and Grill, Birmingham

Sauté Garlic

Start with a cold pan, add olive oil, then garlic, and turn burner to low heat. Through the gradual increase of temperature, you'll infuse the oil with the flavor of garlic while it turns slightly brown.

—Marco Canora, Hearth, New York; author of Salt to Taste

Source: Click Here

How to Cook Everything a Little Better

Cook Corn

Instead of boiling corn on the cob, dot it with a little butter, salt, and black pepper. Place on a baking sheet and roast (350 degrees) until tender. Caramelize a little honey in a sauté pan and, when the corn comes out, brush with the honey.

—Alex Guarnaschelli, Butter, New York; host of Alex's Day Off (Cooking Channel)

Bread Meat

After you've breaded a piece of meat for panfrying (dip in flour, dip in a water-and-egg-white mixture, dip in bread crumbs), spray the breaded meat with a little water from a spritz bottle. The moisture will prevent the crumbs from absorbing too much oil while still preserving that crispy crunch.

—David Burke, David Burke Kitchen, New York

Make a Sandwich

Less is more. Proportion is key, making sure each element balances the next. I like a fresh slaw tossed in a light vinegar for some crunch and some acidity. Throw in the protein of your choosing, bearing in mind the salt that comes with cured or smoked meat. And when is adding a fried egg a bad thing? Butter the outside of your bread, griddle it, and that's a sandwich.

—Michael Schwartz, Michael's Genuine Food & Drink, Miami

Hold a Knife

Pinch the dull side of the blade with your pointer finger and thumb where the blade meets the handle. Wrap your other three fingers around the handle, leaving your thumb and pointer finger gripping the heel of the blade. Practice on a big bag of vegetables.

—Kelsey Nixon, host of Kelsey's Essentials (Cooking Channel)

Scramble Eggs

For two eggs, add two tablespoons of water and two tablespoons of heavy cream, season with salt and fresh-cracked black pepper, and whip the hell out of them with a whisk until frothy. Melt some butter over medium heat and cook the eggs, not touching them until they are partially set. Then start some light stirring until they're almost finished, and turn the heat off. They will finish cooking because the pan is still hot.

—Randy Zweiban, Province, Chicago

Grill Fruit

Start with ripe, juicy fruit with a high moisture content. Lightly brush on all sides with melted butter or coconut milk. Make a dessert rub by combining one cup sugar with one tablespoon cinnamon. Set up your grill for direct grilling — a preheated grate over a hot fire: Brush the grate clean with a stiff wire brush. Oil it with a paper towel folded into a tight pad, dipped in oil, and drawn across the bars of the grate. Oiling prevents sticking and gives you killer grill marks. Dip fruit in rub to coat on all sides, shaking off excess. Grill the fruit long enough to turn the sugar and fruit juices into bubbling, golden caramel.

—Steven Raichlen, author of The Barbecue Bible; host of Primal Grill (PBS)

Cook a Lobster

Use water that's as close to seawater as it can be — extremely salty or, better yet, seawater itself. And don't use much: Put three or four inches in the pot, and when the water is steaming like mad, add the lobster. A pound-and-a-quarter lobster takes about nine minutes. Afterward, don't shock it in ice water. That makes the meat tougher. Just let it cool down.

—Dave Pasternack, Esca, New York

Sear a Scallop

Make sure the scallop is totally dry — use a paper towel for this. Season it with salt. Get your (small) pan very hot and add cold oil. This way, the scallop will never stick. Once the scallop is in the pan, do not touch it. At all. It will caramelize. Flip it once and serve.

—Michael White, Ai Fiori, New York

Make a Spice Rub

Start with spices that are whole (as opposed to ground) and fresh (as opposed to sitting in your cabinet for three years). Black pepper always goes well with coriander and mustard seed. Cinnamon always goes well with clove, anise, and allspice. Cardamom is usually too strong. Toast spices in a dry pan on the stove over low heat for a couple minutes, then grind them. (You can use a clean coffee grinder.) Then rub it on whatever meat you're cooking.

—David Katz, Mémé, Philadelphia

Season Meats

Salt draws moisture out, so season just before sautéing meat or fish. If you salt too early, the surface of the flesh will become wet and will not get that nice golden crust. And if you marinate meat, remember to pat dry and season it just before you sear.

—Frank Stitt, Highlands Bar and Grill, Birmingham

Sauté Garlic

Start with a cold pan, add olive oil, then garlic, and turn burner to low heat. Through the gradual increase of temperature, you'll infuse the oil with the flavor of garlic while it turns slightly brown.

—Marco Canora, Hearth, New York; author of Salt to Taste

Source: Click Here

The 1,690 Calorie Mac n' Cheeseburger: Delicious or Disgusting?

(photo: Denny's)

Denny's dastardly minds have done it again. The restaurant chain that fries mozzarella sticks between pieces of bread, have rolled out more gluttonously cheesy menu items.  

The most notable is the Mac n' Cheese Big Daddy Patty Melt: A burger patty layered with slices of cheese, macaroni and cheese, another layer of cheese, some kind of tomato-based "frisco" sauce and two pieces of buttered-up potato bread. Still hungry? It comes with a side of fries. The 1,690 calorie count makes a lot more sense when you consider the sandwich is breakfast, lunch and dinner stacked on top of each other. It makes absolutely zero sense when you consider that it's got 500 more calories than a Carl's Jr. burger with fries, and large coke. It's about three times the calories of a KFC Double Down sandwich. And about 200 calories more than five (count 'em, five) Boston Market Mac and Cheese sides. 

That's without the super-size cheese option. Seriously, if your melt isn't ooze-y enough, you can pay Denny's 69 cents extra for more cheese. A better use of that 69 cents: pay the guy in the next booth to be your sober cheese counselor.

Denny's joined Burger King and more than a dozen chains on a health initiative recently, offering more veggie and fruit options for kids. Adults? They can go to you know where...by way of the cheese menu. Direct quote from the company's press release: “With America consuming around 8.8 billion pounds of cheese annually, Denny’s is answering to the appetites of the nation by introducing a dedicated menu that celebrates all things cheesy." Other items on their new cheese menu include a strawberry cheesecake milkshake and a cheese-filled omelette drizzled in cheese sauce.

But nothing outdoes the cheese pasta/cheeseburger/buttered toast combo, both in calories and in creativity. Be honest, on the gross food scale, does the Mac and Cheese melt look deliciously gross, curiously gross, or just plain gross?


Source: Click Here

The 1,690 Calorie Mac n' Cheeseburger: Delicious or Disgusting?

(photo: Denny's)

Denny's dastardly minds have done it again. The restaurant chain that fries mozzarella sticks between pieces of bread, have rolled out more gluttonously cheesy menu items.  

The most notable is the Mac n' Cheese Big Daddy Patty Melt: A burger patty layered with slices of cheese, macaroni and cheese, another layer of cheese, some kind of tomato-based "frisco" sauce and two pieces of buttered-up potato bread. Still hungry? It comes with a side of fries. The 1,690 calorie count makes a lot more sense when you consider the sandwich is breakfast, lunch and dinner stacked on top of each other. It makes absolutely zero sense when you consider that it's got 500 more calories than a Carl's Jr. burger with fries, and large coke. It's about three times the calories of a KFC Double Down sandwich. And about 200 calories more than five (count 'em, five) Boston Market Mac and Cheese sides. 

That's without the super-size cheese option. Seriously, if your melt isn't ooze-y enough, you can pay Denny's 69 cents extra for more cheese. A better use of that 69 cents: pay the guy in the next booth to be your sober cheese counselor.

Denny's joined Burger King and more than a dozen chains on a health initiative recently, offering more veggie and fruit options for kids. Adults? They can go to you know where...by way of the cheese menu. Direct quote from the company's press release: “With America consuming around 8.8 billion pounds of cheese annually, Denny’s is answering to the appetites of the nation by introducing a dedicated menu that celebrates all things cheesy." Other items on their new cheese menu include a strawberry cheesecake milkshake and a cheese-filled omelette drizzled in cheese sauce.

But nothing outdoes the cheese pasta/cheeseburger/buttered toast combo, both in calories and in creativity. Be honest, on the gross food scale, does the Mac and Cheese melt look deliciously gross, curiously gross, or just plain gross?


Source: Click Here

4 Ways To Attract Girls That You Like

There are a lot of ways to attract the girls you like.

But I'd bet what most guy know about how to attract women may mostly be wrong. That's why most guys whine and complain all the time saying that no girls would ever be interested in them. In this article I would like to show you some ways that you can implement so that you could also attract any women that you like. So let's start.

1. Be a man, not a girl

Most guys I know are wussies. They are not acting like a man. From my experience, this is the main reason why a man fails to have any success in his attempt to attract the girl he likes. If you could be more masculine around women and stop giving compliments to girls that you like as if you are kissing her ass, it is guaranteed that you are going to be successful with women.

2. Confidence is Addictive

Tell you what, in order to become a super attractive guy, you must have a set of highly attractive personalities. In my opinion, there are about 15+ personalities that are attractive to women. But one of the sexiest personalities, or probably the most, is CONFIDENCE. All men who are successful with women exerts a great sense of confidence into the atmosphere. Women also agree that confidence is something they look in a guy. So from now on, you should walk tall, stand big, talk like Mr Bond and act in a way that you are totally in control.

3. Groom Yourself

Girls admit this. By grooming(not over grooming) is a sign that you are taking good care of yourself. So, groom yourself neatly where ever and whenever you go. Cut your nails, style your hair, zap those zits, and make sure you smell good. By doing this, you are basically letting the girls know you are in control of yourself, which is a very sexy thing to them. Think about the edge you are going to have over that guy who also wants to attract the same girl you like, with smelly body odor, messy hair, oily skin and dirty outfits. By grooming yourself, you are also improving your self-esteem and confidence because you are much more comfortable with yourself.

4. Be Unique

If you were to attract women, you would need to make sure you stand out among the crowd of men who are also going for the same women. So it is vital for you to be unique to the girls around you. You can do this by learning and doing something really cool or things that most men do not do. Things such as playing musical instruments are really cool. Adventurous hobbies are attractive to women. Other good examples include horoscope, handwriting analysis, and cooking. Find a set of hobbies that are unique but not freaky. And you stand more chance to make the women you like think that you are attractive.

I have shown you four ways to attract girls that you can immediately use to improve your love life with women. Now, your newly learned knowledge might not be enough for you to attract any women that you like. In this case, I highly suggest you to get the education you need so that you can start attracting more women.

Source : Click Here

4 Ways To Attract Girls That You Like

There are a lot of ways to attract the girls you like.

But I'd bet what most guy know about how to attract women may mostly be wrong. That's why most guys whine and complain all the time saying that no girls would ever be interested in them. In this article I would like to show you some ways that you can implement so that you could also attract any women that you like. So let's start.

1. Be a man, not a girl

Most guys I know are wussies. They are not acting like a man. From my experience, this is the main reason why a man fails to have any success in his attempt to attract the girl he likes. If you could be more masculine around women and stop giving compliments to girls that you like as if you are kissing her ass, it is guaranteed that you are going to be successful with women.

2. Confidence is Addictive

Tell you what, in order to become a super attractive guy, you must have a set of highly attractive personalities. In my opinion, there are about 15+ personalities that are attractive to women. But one of the sexiest personalities, or probably the most, is CONFIDENCE. All men who are successful with women exerts a great sense of confidence into the atmosphere. Women also agree that confidence is something they look in a guy. So from now on, you should walk tall, stand big, talk like Mr Bond and act in a way that you are totally in control.

3. Groom Yourself

Girls admit this. By grooming(not over grooming) is a sign that you are taking good care of yourself. So, groom yourself neatly where ever and whenever you go. Cut your nails, style your hair, zap those zits, and make sure you smell good. By doing this, you are basically letting the girls know you are in control of yourself, which is a very sexy thing to them. Think about the edge you are going to have over that guy who also wants to attract the same girl you like, with smelly body odor, messy hair, oily skin and dirty outfits. By grooming yourself, you are also improving your self-esteem and confidence because you are much more comfortable with yourself.

4. Be Unique

If you were to attract women, you would need to make sure you stand out among the crowd of men who are also going for the same women. So it is vital for you to be unique to the girls around you. You can do this by learning and doing something really cool or things that most men do not do. Things such as playing musical instruments are really cool. Adventurous hobbies are attractive to women. Other good examples include horoscope, handwriting analysis, and cooking. Find a set of hobbies that are unique but not freaky. And you stand more chance to make the women you like think that you are attractive.

I have shown you four ways to attract girls that you can immediately use to improve your love life with women. Now, your newly learned knowledge might not be enough for you to attract any women that you like. In this case, I highly suggest you to get the education you need so that you can start attracting more women.

Source : Click Here

3 Hobbies Girls Find Attractive

Are you afraid that girls just don’t find you interesting?

Think you need to increase you appeal? Well don’t fret because here are 3 hobbies that girls find attractive. By taking up just one of these hobbies, you’re bound to increase the number of girls that find you interesting.

1. Playing an instrument

Without a doubt one of the most attractive things you can learn is to play an instrument. But not any instrument will do. I don’t know many girls that will swoon over a man that plays the flute, do you? No you need a sexy instrument. Think guitar, sax or piano.

Now becoming competent at playing these instruments won’t come overnight. It will take a lot of practice in order to learn your first song. But the results will be well worth the effort you put into it. Not only will you be able to amuse yourself, you’ll have girls falling at your feet when you play the latest hit song.

2. Participate in sports

It’s a fact of nature. Girls typically love guys who excel at sports. It’s because girls like guys who are competitive and can win. It’s also because most guys who play sports have a fit body. Girls like fit bodies too.

So get out there and find a sport you like. It could be football, basketball or ultimate frisbee. Just make sure it’s a sport that you love to play. Because the more passionate you are about the sport, the better you will become at playing it. The better you become, the more you’ll stand out to the girls.

3. Taking a risk

Girls like guys who put it on the line. Now you don’t need to become the next Evel Knievel or Johnny Knoxville. That’s not the type of risk I’m talking about. I’m talking about taking up rock climbing, bmx biking or skydiving. These are activities that get your blood pumping. It also gets the girls hearts pumping too!

I recommend rock climbing. That’s the hobby I took up. I met so many girls because of it too. Girls would ask me what I liked to do. I would tell them that I rock climbed. Instantly they were interested and would ask me to take them sometime.

If it worked for me, there’s no reason it won’t work for you.

Source : Click Here

3 Hobbies Girls Find Attractive

Are you afraid that girls just don’t find you interesting?

Think you need to increase you appeal? Well don’t fret because here are 3 hobbies that girls find attractive. By taking up just one of these hobbies, you’re bound to increase the number of girls that find you interesting.

1. Playing an instrument

Without a doubt one of the most attractive things you can learn is to play an instrument. But not any instrument will do. I don’t know many girls that will swoon over a man that plays the flute, do you? No you need a sexy instrument. Think guitar, sax or piano.

Now becoming competent at playing these instruments won’t come overnight. It will take a lot of practice in order to learn your first song. But the results will be well worth the effort you put into it. Not only will you be able to amuse yourself, you’ll have girls falling at your feet when you play the latest hit song.

2. Participate in sports

It’s a fact of nature. Girls typically love guys who excel at sports. It’s because girls like guys who are competitive and can win. It’s also because most guys who play sports have a fit body. Girls like fit bodies too.

So get out there and find a sport you like. It could be football, basketball or ultimate frisbee. Just make sure it’s a sport that you love to play. Because the more passionate you are about the sport, the better you will become at playing it. The better you become, the more you’ll stand out to the girls.

3. Taking a risk

Girls like guys who put it on the line. Now you don’t need to become the next Evel Knievel or Johnny Knoxville. That’s not the type of risk I’m talking about. I’m talking about taking up rock climbing, bmx biking or skydiving. These are activities that get your blood pumping. It also gets the girls hearts pumping too!

I recommend rock climbing. That’s the hobby I took up. I met so many girls because of it too. Girls would ask me what I liked to do. I would tell them that I rock climbed. Instantly they were interested and would ask me to take them sometime.

If it worked for me, there’s no reason it won’t work for you.

Source : Click Here

The Human Body Clock

Our body has a 24 hour biological clock which is created and regulated by light.

Our central body clock is located deep inside our brain and is said to be the size of a grain of rice.

There are also other body clocks in the heart, liver, kidneys, lungs and liver.  But the central body clock in the brain is like the conductor of an orchestra which keeps time and instructs the rest of the body’s organs when to perform at their best.

Understanding the way that our body clock works and where it has gone wrong is one of the keys to resolving insomnia naturally.

Let’s take a look at the way our body clock operates at crucial times of the day.

Between 10 am and 12 noon (if we’ve had a good night’s sleep), we are said to be at our intellectual best. We can think more clearly.  We tend to be more productive and more efficient.But according to Professor Horne of Loughborough University, the human body is designed to have two periods of sleep a day.  This is why we have what he calls a “post lunch dip”.  After lunch time, our thinking processes tend to slow down and we are more prone to microsleep.

Apparently 25% of all motorway crashes in the UK are caused by microsleeps when driving.  Drivers are three times more likely to fall asleep at 2pm than they are during the rush hour.

Between 6-8pm, the body temperature is at a natural high.  Many of us are having a big meal at this time of the evening.  However our bodies are designed to consume a big breakfast, large lunch and small supper.  This is because insulin doesn’t work for us as well at night as it does earlier in the day and we deal with calories better when we eat large meals earlier in the day.

Our lifestyles are such that many of us may have no time for breakfast, grab a sandwich at lunch and then have a massive meal at night.  This is more convenient for us but not conducive to good health or natural sleep.

Between 3 am and 6 am, our body temperature drops, our blood pressure is lower and our low point of metabolic activity is at 4 am.  If we wake up between 3 am and 5 am, we are liable to find it more depressing than if our sleep is interrupted earlier in the night.  This is because our body is at the minimum point of operation.

2 am – 4 am is the most common time of death amongst those who are ill while 3 am-5 am is apparently the best time to be born naturally for both baby and mother.

People who have to work shift patterns during 3am – 6am find that they put their bodies under enormous strain precisely because the human biological processes are at their minimum level of activity even though they are awake, alert, active and busy.  Their body clock is out of sync with their lifestyle.  There is a strong risk of physical and mental health problems developing amongst this group of individuals who continually have to work “the graveyard shift.”

As we can see, modern life and the human body’s clock is not always compatible.  And disregarding the body clock can lead to ill health (including diabetes or cardio vascular problems) as well as insomnia.

Source : Click Here

The Human Body Clock

Our body has a 24 hour biological clock which is created and regulated by light.

Our central body clock is located deep inside our brain and is said to be the size of a grain of rice.

There are also other body clocks in the heart, liver, kidneys, lungs and liver.  But the central body clock in the brain is like the conductor of an orchestra which keeps time and instructs the rest of the body’s organs when to perform at their best.

Understanding the way that our body clock works and where it has gone wrong is one of the keys to resolving insomnia naturally.

Let’s take a look at the way our body clock operates at crucial times of the day.

Between 10 am and 12 noon (if we’ve had a good night’s sleep), we are said to be at our intellectual best. We can think more clearly.  We tend to be more productive and more efficient.But according to Professor Horne of Loughborough University, the human body is designed to have two periods of sleep a day.  This is why we have what he calls a “post lunch dip”.  After lunch time, our thinking processes tend to slow down and we are more prone to microsleep.

Apparently 25% of all motorway crashes in the UK are caused by microsleeps when driving.  Drivers are three times more likely to fall asleep at 2pm than they are during the rush hour.

Between 6-8pm, the body temperature is at a natural high.  Many of us are having a big meal at this time of the evening.  However our bodies are designed to consume a big breakfast, large lunch and small supper.  This is because insulin doesn’t work for us as well at night as it does earlier in the day and we deal with calories better when we eat large meals earlier in the day.

Our lifestyles are such that many of us may have no time for breakfast, grab a sandwich at lunch and then have a massive meal at night.  This is more convenient for us but not conducive to good health or natural sleep.

Between 3 am and 6 am, our body temperature drops, our blood pressure is lower and our low point of metabolic activity is at 4 am.  If we wake up between 3 am and 5 am, we are liable to find it more depressing than if our sleep is interrupted earlier in the night.  This is because our body is at the minimum point of operation.

2 am – 4 am is the most common time of death amongst those who are ill while 3 am-5 am is apparently the best time to be born naturally for both baby and mother.

People who have to work shift patterns during 3am – 6am find that they put their bodies under enormous strain precisely because the human biological processes are at their minimum level of activity even though they are awake, alert, active and busy.  Their body clock is out of sync with their lifestyle.  There is a strong risk of physical and mental health problems developing amongst this group of individuals who continually have to work “the graveyard shift.”

As we can see, modern life and the human body’s clock is not always compatible.  And disregarding the body clock can lead to ill health (including diabetes or cardio vascular problems) as well as insomnia.

Source : Click Here

Surprising 6-Figure Salaries

From selling porta-potties to train conducting, these five go-getters are bringing home six figure salaries by working jobs you may not expect.

Drives Trucks 600 to 700 Miles a Day

Name: Jeff McGee
Job: Semi-truck mover
Salary: $160,000
Age: 37
Hometown: Duluth, MN
I got a degree in science and I wanted to be a physician. But when I had a kid, I needed money and I needed it fast.

Since I was getting very few job offers in the medical field, I got a job as a truck driver. I didn't get any sleep, I was overworked and gained lots of weight from sitting in a truck all day and night. And I only made about $45,000 a year.

One day, I got talking with a man in a truck stop who told me how he worked as a semi-truck mover and made over $100,000 a year. So I looked into it and applied for a job.

Now, I deliver semi-truck trailers from one place to another. Not many people know about this industry because it's so much more specialized than just regular truck driving. As a transporter you pick up semi trucks straight out of the factory and drop them off at individual dealers.

I love it. I drive 600 to 700 miles a day, have my own vehicle, get as much vacation time as I want and the company flies me to each factory and puts me up in a nice hotel.

Adds Glam to the Porta-Potty Business

Name: Eliza Kendall
Job: Luxury porta-potty business owner
Salary: $100,000 to $120,000
Age: 54
Hometown: Harwich, Mass.
I never thought I would end up in septic. I started out working as an event organizer for a lot of top companies, until I saw a little porta-potty business for sale.

I realized that there was really nothing out there that combined porta potties with upscale events. So I bought the business, which came with six porta potties and a little trailer with a men's and women's room in it.

Being brought up in a wealthier area, I understand understated elegance. It's not shag red rugs and plastic flowers -- it's cleanliness and things like fresh water in the toilets, lattice work, fresh flower sprays to keep it smelling nice and motion-activated lighting. I even have my own line of amenities like lip balm and lotion that I put next to the sinks.

I started going into Ritz-Carlton bathrooms to see what they do different from a Motel 6 and that's what I would do with my porta potties.

The first year we opened, in 1996, we were in the black -- and we slowly built from there. About 90% of our business is weddings, and we also do special events and fund-raising parties. We charge $345 per unit per weekend, and $850 for the trailer with two rooms.

Teaches Life Skills to High School Students

Name: John Williams
Job: Life coach
Salary: $108,000
Age: 31
Hometown: Portland, Ore.
I work as a life coach for high school students, so I'm basically a mix between a career coach and therapist.

After graduating from Brown University, I started out as a Latin teacher for a small high school. As a teacher, I realized there were lots of skills that I wished I had learned in high school but didn't, so I started meeting with students on the side -- helping them with everything from leadership, beliefs, communication and learning styles.

We would talk about what they wanted to get out of high school, and make goals. For example, I worked with a very, very shy 9th grader, who had really poor self esteem and incidents where he was bullied pretty badly. So I helped him to change his perspective and focus on his strengths, and a year later he started getting involved in a band and being a lot more confident in himself.

I worked with students like that on the side for four years, and then decided I wanted to do it as a full-time job instead. I now meet with three to four students a day, and I have quite a few clients in other states who I talk with over the phone or on Skype.

I save money by meeting them at coffee shops instead of paying rent for an office. Each 50-minute session costs $135, so it works out to be about $108,000 a year -- compared to the $36,500 salary I made as a teacher.

Films Sports Events

Name: Steve 'Ya-Man' Brangle
Job: Live sports TV camera man
Salary: $100,000 to $150,000
Age: 51
Hometown: Apex, NC
I always wanted to be involved with sports. I ran in high school and thought I might want to be a foot doctor. But at North Carolina State University they didn't have a pre-med program, so I ended up taking random classes that interested me, and one was a radio and TV class.

I kept trying to get into radio, but doors kept opening for me in TV instead. When a bunch of us from my class applied for a job with a local TV station, I guess I was the least out of focus during my filming test, because I got the job. It was mostly agricultural stuff I had to shoot, but eventually I started doing freelance at the same time and began taping basketball games.

Doing freelance was rough the first couple years because no one knows who you are. But as the years went by, I started doing stuff for ESPN and national networks.

Now I film college basketball, college football, NBA, NFL and the Little League World Series. I've loved sports from day one, so I would have been at these games as a fan anyway. Now I'm getting to do paid work and be a fan at the same time.

Keeps the Trains Running on Time

Name: Derek Teed
Job: Train conductor
Salary: Expecting $100,000 or more
Age: 25
Hometown: Aberdeen, SD
My salary is based on the jobs and terminals I get assigned, but if they pan out as expected, I've been told I should break $100,000 this year.

I just graduated from the University of Minnesota and served two deployments to Iraq as a medic. Yet, I somehow landed a job that requires just a GED or high school diploma and pays over $100,000 in some areas.

I'm used to a tough lifestyle and am good at working away from home and at all hours -- and that's why the railroad pays you so much. You could get called up any time to work. Like today, if I wanted to go to a bar and have a drink, I couldn't because if I was called and I showed up after having a drink, I would be fired on the spot.

I've done five shifts so far, and four of them were 12-hour shifts. As a conductor, you're responsible for the whole train -- the cars, communicating with the dispatcher and making sure everything is set up and in order. You're the one out there making sure you have the right-away on a track, so that two trains coming at each other don't hit.

So far, it's going alright. I'm really tired, but I make enough to support myself. I grew up in a neighborhood where everyone's pretty well off, so a lot of my friends went for doctor degrees and whatnot. And I'm out here making more money than any of them.