Preparing a Meal

The meal I prepared was fettucini alfredo, made in the kitchen of my dorm, for my roommate and myself. First off we had to get the ingredients from the store, which was quite a far bike ride. We had everything we needed planned out already, making the shopping an easy endeavor. We used fettucini noodles and a Classico’s four cheese alfredo sauce. In all, the bike ride to the store and back was definitely the biggest hurdle to overcome.

Upon returning to A tower in Witte, we went to the kitchen and began prepping for our “fancy” meal. We needed a large pot to boil water in and then just several dishes to serve the food in. Once we brought the water to a boil, we put the noodles into the scalding hot cauldron of water and waited approximately five to ten minutes; definitely the most boring part of the entire process. Once the noodles were to the al dente feeling, we strained them from the water and placed them in a large bowl for serving. All that was left was to heat up the alfredo sauce, pour it over the noodles, and enjoy. The meal was excellent and the clean-up was also a snap. This meal was definitely not normal for my roommate and I. We are used to the faster meals such as a sub sandwich or a plate of processed chicken soaked in teriyaki, served over rice. There are definite downfalls to these faster foods that not many people know about as well.

A large problem with the american people today in regards to diets is definitely the convenience factor. For almost everyone, it is more convenient to eat at fast food restaurants and the american people need to curb this habit if anybody wants to change the increasing trend of obesity. Although making a meal may take more time and effort, the benefits of food without so many preservatives are a way to a better life.

Beef Jerky: Real vs Fake

Beef Jerky

Beef Jerky has been one of the worlds most resilient foods for thousands of years, due to its ability to stay in nearly every climate. The idea behind preserving meat by drying it out and using salt to keep it fresh is a primitive idea but still exists in todays world. The difference now days is that people can hardly find a fresh and organic form of beef jerky. Although abundant and found in the aisles of thousands of stores, the product people buy, whether it is Jack Links, Oberto, or Slim Jims, is not the healthiest item people should be eating. In fact, many beef jerky companies use molds and press the beef into the desired shape. I have been lucky enough to actually taste the real food and can definitely say that it is much healthier for the average person.

Ever since I was a child beef jerky has been a cornerstone of my hunting experiences. My dad was the master chef around the house, so he took pride in making the little treats that us kids liked. Real beef jerky tastes a hundred times better than the processed meat, and is much better ingredient wise as well. Although the two foods look similar, the taste in impossible to mix up. In natural beef jerky, the flavor is a little more dull, but the meat quality makes up for the taste. In processed beef jerky the meat is more tender, and the tastes are more intense, but that is only due to all of the chemicals that the companies pump into them.

Fortunately the two styles of beef jerky are similar in nutrients and provide an excellent source of protein. The real difference in why people buy the processed version is clearly the convenience of the food. I know for myself that making beef jerky is quite the undertaking and when i can buy it in the store on any whim, i’d much rather do that. The real beef jerky is a favorite pastime of mine that hopefully I will return to someday, because the flavor of processed jerky doesn’t stand a chance in mind to that of the real jerky.