Road Trip: Classic Cup Cafe in Ann Arbor, MI

Recently, I visited my brother and sister-in-law in Ann Arbor to welcome the new addition to our family. After a long weekend of chasing toddlers around and staring at my beautiful new niece, nobody was in the mood to cook breakfast on Sunday.¹ We went to the Classic Cup Cafe, which was just a short jaunt away from my brother's place.

Hearty (Homemade) Beef Stew

A few weeks ago while grocery shopping, I was looking for something I could make that would not require a lot of work.  You see, recently I've found that a lot of low-grade recipes have been more my speed.  With my work schedule getting more insane, school getting a bit more tedious, and my personal picking up and leaving the city in a few months, my brain feels like it's going in a million directions.  After a day involving any of the above, the last thing I wanna do, is cook something that will require a lot of time or attention.  Thank goodness while cruising through the meat case at Marsh, I saw the thick cut beef for stews, and immediately thought Beef Stew.

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?

How Indianapolis does pizza! (Napolis Pizza)

One quick question. What do you call the day of the week, where you truly do not want to cook? I'm not to sure what you call it, but I call that night...PIZZA NIGHT.

Homemade Sushi, 3-Ways

What the hell have I gotten myself into?

A few weeks ago, my wife and I were grocery shopping.  While walking down the International Foods isle, I found a package of seaweed wraps, and thought, "How cool would it be if we made our own sushi?"

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!

Alternative Pasta Dish - Spaghetti Squash

Other than the recipe that I have for Brussels Sprouts, I don't really have a whole lot of veggie recipes in my cookbook.  To be honest, I had never really been a huge fan of veggies until I met my wife, who at the time was a vegetarian.  For the sake of not having to prepare two meals each night, she decided to come back to the better side by becoming a carnivore yet again.  She has been a big influence on

Making BBQ Ribs

If our readers are anything like me, you are probably fans of both eating out for dinner and creating new tasty treats from home.  I decided recently to take on something I hadn't made on the grill myself, but have had numerous times--BBQ Ribs.  This was a true test of manliness at it's best, so I decided to take on the challenge.  I was assured by a few friends that had made ribs before that, "Oh, dude, it's so easy.  The trick is indirect low heat for a long time."  Little did I know that I was getting myself into nearly an all-day prep and cook session.  Here's how it all went down.

Eggs in a Basket, Eggies and Toast...or whatever...?

I've become a huge breakfast buff...and recently cereal is just not cutting it for me.  I've been racking my brain for something not necessarily out of the ordinary, but something that I don't make often, or a spin on an old favorite.  While recently revisiting a movie favorite of mine ("V for Vendetta"), I came across the scene where V is preparing Eggs and Toast, together.  I thought to myself, that was just the thing!  It's quick, it's easy, and it doesn't interrupt my morning.

The Manliest Quiche Around

I'll be honest...I didn't think I'd like quiche. I'd always been told growing up, "That's girly food." Well, color me girly then, because this recipe I've made up made me change my thoughts on it. If it doesn't put a little bit of hair on your chest (ladies, my apologies if it does), then you've done something terribly wrong.

Here is what you'll need to get started:

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!

The "Big" Announcement...We've Expanded!

Hello everyone!!!!

My name is James Thornburgh, and I just joined @mealightenment! Justin and I met in college last semester and we both thought it would be a great idea to work together! So, here I am! I'm very excited to help bring a lot to the table for Mealightenment! 

Insanely Moist Banana Bread

I love buying bananas at the market, just for the simple thought of knowing that at least those few bananas I don't eat through that week will make something of themselves. To be honest, the 6 bananas in this recipe really outdid themselves...I'll reveal to you how with this interesting recipe for banana bread. Here are the ingredients: