Following my third post and moving to the fourth outlining and describing what is necessary for my shepherd’s pie, I am excited to move closer towards cooking my meal. I want to take the time to look at different perspectives and cooking methods of this meal using different online resources. Everyone has a certain way they prefer a dish and they make it differently so I have gathered a few different spices together so I can add flavor along the way.  I have hot sauce, garlic, herbs and spices, some Maggi flavoring to add-in.

My potatoes are pre-cooked and mashed so I just need to get them out of the fridge. I oven roasted them with skins on as this gives a nice flavor and keeps the nutrients from boiling away.

Following this I proceeded to move onto my vegetables which were washed and cut and then cooked with the meat. This is when I applied the garlic and other spices stated above to the meal. I then proceed to place all of the different items in a tin foil container then let the baking process start. Despite having all the different food based items established, I need to ensure that the cooking environment receives the same amount of attention. I will need a large frying pan, a cutting board, a series of shaper knives for chopping veggies, a wooden spoon and a scooping spoon. Each of the different utilenses and pots should be properly washed or cleaned. This can be done by hand or through the use of a dishwasher and then placed in a safe area. The other key component of preparing the kitchen includes washing the counter top, this is particularly important for me to keep in mind as part of my meal involves raw beef and pork. This is a simpler process which ensures that cooking will go smoother and contribute to the safety of all parties involved.

I wanted to take the time and look online to see what I could find so that I could benefit from different resources, both in the field of cooking and the cleaning process. I have used Youtube before to both create and watch different videos but I also wanted to expand into newer platforms to gain newer perspectives, an example of this would be Tik Tok.

Using the Youtube guide to provide some helpful tips that I can learn from, I noted that each item was clearly distinguished and described in detail, including the core functions of the item. Other key points from the video that I was able to take away from included a cheaper and more efficient way to clean my kitchen counter with a water and vinegar mixture. I need to keep in mind the health of other kitchen items including the oven. Using the Youtube tutorial reminded me to check the filters as well as the oven racks to ensure proper food safety. The one key point I wanted to note that was not mentioned in the YouTube guide is that each dish should be washed either by hand or through the use of a dishwasher.

After having the chance to learn in class about the wide variety of online sources available that can teach people different skills and hobbies, I wanted to look more into Youtube and Tik Tok to see how others made their Shepards Pie. Within a matter of minutes, I was able to find guides for making this dish as well as other unique perspectives with a unique twist. The Youtube I selected, “ How to  Make an Easy and Traditional Shepherds Pie” is broken down into an easy to watch 5-minute video that shares many of the common ingredients and cooking processes, yet adds certain items such as Lamb for the meat, sour cream for the potatoes, and rosemary as an additional spice. My meal and the one that was cooked in this video falls into the more traditional bracket but highlights that they are subtle differences.

Tik Tok is a source that I have not had much experience with but EDTC 300 has discussed some really useful points and working with Twitter and discussing with classmates I now understand that you can find really useful information on the platform, both in the fields of cooking and education. I decided to hop on the platform and see what information I could find in regards to Shepards Pie and at first, I was overwhelmed. There were hundreds of videos highlighting the different aspects including ingredients and cooking processes that can be used. I found one example that really caught my attention involves making a Mexican-inspired dish with ingredients such as taco seasoning, 2 cans of Mexicorn, and mild cheddar cheese.