Getting to Know @Mealightenment [Newbie]: Joe

If anyone is curious, I am the large one in the back.

Howdy, everyone! My name is +Joe Reese and I am (one of) the newbies to the blog. I work with Justin and Jacob, and that is how I got tabbed to be a part of the blog. I guess it should go without saying, but my enjoyment of food and cooking in general gave us something to talk about right off when I started getting to know the guys. Since high school, I've had several jobs in the food industry. I started out as a bus boy/dishwasher at a small restaurant on the east side of Indianapolis. I've also worked in a couple different chain restaurants in just about every position you can think of, until my job change about a year and a half ago.  I wasn't too sure what to write about for my intro post, so I decided to steal the questions I liked from the other "Getting to Know" posts. And without further ado, here we go!

BBQ Chicken Salad w./ Spicy Lime Salad Dressing

I've been trying to come up with something that could improve the quality of my lunch recently.  Sandwiches, a banana, and a pudding cup (or whatever), get boring after weeks of the same old thing.  I like taking a salad now and again, but that gets boring, too.  My wife has tried to up the ante on our daily lunches by getting many more fresh veggies, which puts pressure on making sure we get through them before they go to waste.  In a scenario with many, MANY packages of veggies, the best option is in fact to make a salad.  We decided to go a bit different this time around, and put a little spin on the normal "lettuce, cheese, dressing" type of salad that had become normal when packing a lunch in a hurry.

Low Sodium Sweet and Sour Chicken

                                                                                                                                                                           

Who else has procrastinated on eating healthy for the year 2013?  Well, the cold weather is almost over and the time to get in shape is running out. So lets get started on what you'll need to make some healthy sweet and sour chicken that tastes like it was fresh from the local Chinese Restaurant.  It will keep you in line with your goal of losing weight, and it's a heart healthy alternative to ordering out. Here's what you'll need:

Papa Roux Part 1

Everyone I know has a top three as far as restaurants go. Those places that either have the best food in the city, the best atmosphere or offers you a unique experience you can't get anywhere else... and for some reason, it feels special to you every time you go. Maybe it reminds you of the TV Show Cheers, "where everybody there knows your name." Maybe the food makes your mouth explode with flavor! Maybe every time you have been there, it has been the best social experience ever. In my opinion, Papa Roux has hit home on every one of those aspects for me! I have been going to Papa Roux for about a year and a half, and I have introduced at least 30 people to this glorious food pit stop.

Filipino Fanatic

I once saw a saying about the Philippines. It read, "Where else is it completely normal to eat 5 large meals a day?"  Trust me, it makes sense, and once you've had a taste of some Filipino favorites you will completely understand.

Growing up Filipino was always great when it came to the taste and amount of food. We used to wrap our dining table up with newspaper, dump a large box of crabs, invite family over and feast! It seemed like the delicious amounts of food would never end. That is, until I decided to move out. There are only a select few Filipino dishes that I know how to cook, so actually finding a small Filipino restaurant in Indianapolis had me more excited than a kid in a candy store.  

Super Bowl Party? Try Some Variety...

This year's Super Bowl is bound to be a good game, showcasing both the offensive prowess of the 49ers, and the brute strength of the Raven's defense. In between breaks, when you're not watching the e-Trade baby or some stupid Doritos commercial, I'm sure you'll be cramming some sort of food or dip into your mouthhole. The question of what to bring/make for a party you're attending?

Taste of the Caribbean [Review]

Today, I had an idea.  I figured that I would just toss out there on Twitter that I was interested in getting something to eat from a food truck.  Social media, and the "now-ness" of our generation is still amazing, even to the 27-year old me.  Either way, here's the tweet I sent out earlier (pictured at right).

Breakfast That Will Send You Straight to Bed (The Deli - Review)

Before I begin, I must state that once Justin and I took a simple glance at DELI'S menu, we stopped, looked at each other and said, "This is going to be a lot of food!"

Chris' Ice Cream...& Tacos?

Chris' Ice Cream - Nora (82nd /Monon Trail)

Recently, while trolling Twitter, I had a friend tell me about a place in Nora that I absolutely had to try.  According to my friend, this place has amazing and inexpensive tacos that give other area restaurants a run for their money.  Now what if I told you that the restaurant was "technically" a homemade ice cream shop?  Weird, right?  The exact same thing I thought...but then the very next thing I felt was intrigue.

Front Page Sports Bar [Review]

Justin and Ben Risinger

It was a fairly gloomy Thursday when Devin and I went downtown for a visit to the Mass. Ave. staple establishment, the Front Page Sports Bar.  This bar and restaurant has been a part of Mass. Ave., well before it was the Mass. Ave. we all know and love today.  Located at the corner of Massachusetts Ave. and Delaware, for years it was known as Earl's Front Page because of it's location across the street from the Indy Star, and it is the oldest sports bar in the downtown area.

Truly Authentic (Carniceria Guanajuato)

There truly is an extreme difference when biting into a "Mexican dish" as opposed to a truly "Authentic Mexican dish". You get that true taste and mixture of herbs, salsa, guacamole, and meat that's cooked a certain way, that you personally cannot perfect yourself.  When visiting this restaurant I had a flashback of my cruise to Mexico. Since then, I've never had such an authentic Mexican dish outside of Mexico...until now. And the best part, it will not burn a hole in your wallet!

Maxine's Chicken & Waffles

Comfort food for some is mashed potatoes or mac n' cheese; for me, it's chicken and waffles.  It all started for me several years ago while visiting friends in LA. We stood in line for The Price is Right, and afterward visited one of the best establishments in West LA, Roscoe's House of Chicken and Waffles.  Earlier this year, I got another taste of my favorite unconventional dish at Hash House A Go Go in Las Vegas, while there for my bachelor party.  My appetite for this meal is insatiable, & when I heard that Indianapolis had it's own chicken and waffles restaurant, of course my interest was immediately sparked.  I decided that I definitely need to check this place out.

Maxine's House of Chicken and Waffles in Downtown Indianapolis is an eatery

TWO WORLDS COLLIDE! (sweet and spicy stuffed peppers)

Before I begin. I must give a shout out to JACKS LINKS for creating the tastiest sweet and spicy beef jerky around.

The idea suddenly came into my mind while I was half way into a bag of JACKS LINKS. Each bite gave me the best of both worlds. So why not incorporate the sweet and spicy idea with one of my personal favorite type of meals to make. STUFFED PEPPERS!

Salty and Sweet - Teriyaki cinnamon chicken!

If you are like me, I don't stock up my fridge very often. I enjoy going to the store right before I cook to make sure I have the freshest ingredients. On occasion though, a tough time constraint added with being tired from running around non-stop really puts a damper on that store trip though. So yesterday I opened my fridge, and discovered a package of chicken, and my stomach started growling. Lately, I have been

Indy All Night

How many times have you been in the mood for a juicy burger, amazing chicken wrap, pizza, or a great philly cheese steak late at night? If you live near the downtown area, you are in luck! Indy All Night caters for those late night foodies that are craving something that they don't have in their pantries! Indy all night is open till 4am downtown! The best part is... THEY DELIVER! They will bring your nacho's, fresh hand breaded mushrooms

Honouring Our Vegetarians...

Black Bean and Corn Salsa


In honor of last week being NATIONAL VEGETARIAN WEEK


As I am sure that everyone was aware that last week was national vegetarian week, I have brought to you a recipe for a simple side dish that is very refreshing!

Easy to Make - Shredded Chicken Quesadillas

First of all, just wanted to let you all know this is a slow cooker recipe.  Normally when I make the chicken, I fry the breasts up and then pop them directly in the tortilla.  This was was much less stressful, and significantly took down the cooking and prep time.  Here are the ingredients you will need: