| There are many reasons that the skill of cooking | | | | Health |
| should be a part of everyones life, even if it's at the | | | | I know I am beating an old drum here, but cooking at |
| most fundamental level. I have selected a few that, for | | | | home with fresh ingredients is much better for you and |
| me, were the turning point of 'could barely boil water' to | | | | your family than "eating out" or using processed, |
| studying everything I could get my hands on. They | | | | convenience foods. Out of curiosity, I checked the |
| didn't all show up at the same time in my life, but each | | | | expiration date on a well known breakfast bar. It was |
| occurrence added fuel to the fire, no pun intended, that | | | | three years from now! Do you wonder what they put |
| got me to this point. I'm kind of like Scarlett in Gone | | | | in those things to make them last for three years? I |
| With The Wind who said "I'll never go hungry again!" | | | | don't have to wonder because I know. My 'day job' |
| Let me give you a clue. If you can't cook, you probably | | | | takes me into manufacturing plants of just about every |
| will not go hungry, but there is a huge difference | | | | product under the sun. Some fun to tour, some not so |
| between not starving and getting what you want to | | | | fun. I see a lot of processes that people who consume |
| eat when you want it. I decided to take control and do | | | | food should never have to see. Processed food not |
| something about my "cooking impaired" status. So here | | | | only costs three to four times more than fresh |
| are a few reason that you may find interesting. | | | | ingredients, just think about the methods these 'foods' |
| Access | | | | travel through to become the end product that you |
| What would happen if you moved to a new | | | | buy from the grocery store shelf. I will not name |
| geographic area and you could not get access to your | | | | names, so you manufacturing guys can quit checking |
| favorite type of food? That happened to me in the | | | | your Visitor Log-In Sheets. A good rule to follow is |
| early '80's. Hands down, my favorite type of food is | | | | fresh first, frozen second, canned third and processed |
| Italian and there were many excellent Italian | | | | NEVER. If an ingredient does not look anything like it |
| restaurants in my city. I moved from South Carolina to | | | | should, don't use it. I don't think I've ever heard of a |
| Dallas, Texas - home of amazing steaks, barbecue, | | | | 'puffed cheese snack tree' have you? Make Cheese |
| and TexMex, but not much available at that time in | | | | Straws from scratch. It's easy to do using natural |
| good Italian restaurants. Getting a reservation at a | | | | ingredients. |
| good Italian restaurant took two or three months on a | | | | Every person that cares about their health and their |
| waiting list. Momma Mia, wake up call number one. | | | | families' health should examine their attitude regarding |
| Cost of Eating "Out" | | | | an absolutely necessary part of life. You've gotta eat! |
| What is the average cost of a meal today for two | | | | How you choose to approach that subject is, |
| consisting of Veal Marsala, Fettucine Alfredo, antipasto | | | | obviously, up to you. Cooking does not have to be |
| salad, garlic bread and a glass of good red wine at a | | | | drudgery. It's a lot of fun and exciting when everything |
| restaurant? If you can get out for less than $90.00, | | | | turns out to your expectation. Start small with things |
| including tip, you're doing great. Now, cook that same | | | | you can manage and then build your knowledge about |
| meal for two at home. I just did and it cost $32.07. As | | | | cooking healthy dishes to add to your arsenal to fight |
| an added bonus, I have enough left from the block of | | | | against cancer, heart disease, diabetes and all the |
| Parmesan cheese, the Marsala wine, and the pasta | | | | other illnesses plaguing today's generation. If a food |
| for many more meals to boot. The total prep and | | | | product wasn't available 100 years ago, you probably |
| cook time was 47 minutes. At some restaurants, you | | | | shouldn't eat it now because it is a man made 'food' |
| may have to wait that long just to get your table and | | | | and not NATURAL. Natural is healthy, man made is |
| order your food. NOTE: Marsala wine is for cooking, | | | | not. Don't substitute convenience for good health. |
| not for drinking. | | | | |