Football Friday: Meatball Sub Casserole

Ever make something so delicious and tasty; you want to make it again the next night for dinner? And potentially every night for the rest of your life? Yeah... that was how the Wisconsin Test Kitchen felt about making Meatball Sub Casserole last week.

It's everything you want a tasty meatball sub to be: meaty, saucy and SUPER cheesy. We were so excited to make (and promptly devour) this dish; that we forgot to take a lot of pictures. Sorry. But take our word for it... this is a keeper recipe. It's easy to make, it's perfect Sunday football food, and if you're inspired to make a double batch; it re-heats really well for lunch or dinner the next day.

Meatball Sub Casserole
Recipe courtesy of Gooseberry Patch

Ingredients
1 loaf Italian bread, cut into 1-inch thick slices
8-oz. pkg. cream cheese, softened
1/2 c. mayonnaise
1 t. Italian seasoning
1/4 t. pepper
2 c. shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
1-lb. pkg. frozen meatballs, thawed
28-oz. jar pasta sauce
1 c. water


Directions
1. Arrange bread slices in a single layer in an ungreased 13″x9″ baking pan; set aside. In a bowl, combine cream cheese, mayonnaise and seasonings; spread over bread slices. If you're like the Wisconsin Test Kitchen and forgot to let the cream cheese soften, you can microwave the ingredients on low for a minute or two so they combine and spread easily.

2. Sprinkle with 1/2 cup cheese; set aside. Gently mix together meatballs, spaghetti sauce and water; spoon over cheese. Sprinkle with remaining cheese.

3. Bake, uncovered, at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

Hungry yet? Typing this blog makes me want to whip up another pan of this... immediately. And now for something else meaty and cheesy: football predictions!

Football Friday Predictions

Miami vs. Buffalo
Dad #1: Dolphins
Dad #2: Dolphins

Cincinnati vs. Minnesota
Dad #1: Bengals
Dad #2: Bengals

Indy vs. Kansas City
Dad #1: Chiefs
Dad #2: Chiefs

St. Louis vs. Tampa Bay
Dad #1: Rams
Dad #2: Rams

NYJ vs. Cleveland
Dad #1: Browns
Dad #2: Browns

Washington vs. Dallas
Dad #1: Redskins
Dad #2: Cowboys

New Orleans vs. Carolina
Dad #1: Panthers
Dad #2: Panthers

Jacksonville vs. Tennessee
Dad #1: Titans
Dad #2: Titans

Houston vs. Denver
Dad #1: Broncos
Dad #2 Broncos

Detroit vs. NYG
Dad #1: Giants
Dad #2: Giants

Arizona vs. Seattle
Dad #1: Seahawks
Dad #2: Cardinals

Pittsburgh vs. Green Bay
Dad #1: Pittsburgh
Dad #2: Packers
San Diego vs. Oakland
Dad #1: Chargers
Dad #2: Chargers
Baltimore vs. New England
Dad #1: Patriots
Dad #2: Patriots
Philly vs. Chicago
Dad #1: Bears
Dad #2: Eagles
Atlanta vs. San Francisco
Dad #1: 49ers
Dad #2: 49ers

Hope you have a great weekend!

Stay Cool,
The Cool Dads Crew

Kids in the Kitchen: Snickerdoodles

I think we can universally agree one of the best parts of the holiday season is COOKIES. In the Wisconsin test kitchen we have a few tried and true recipes we make every year without fail. One of our signature cookies is snickerdoodles. Sawyer loves helping roll them in cinnamon and loves watching them bake and get all crinkly at the top. She's a natural in the kitchen... she gets it from her two foodie centric parents. Of course her favorite part of the cookie baking process is actually eating the snickerdoodles! We prefer them while they're still warm- with a big glass of milk.

Here's our signature cookie recipe:

Sawyer's Snickerdoodles

1 cup butter                                                  

1 1/2 cups sugar                                                  

2 large eggs                                                  

2 3/4 cups flour                                                  

2 teaspoons cream of tartar                                                  

1 teaspoon baking soda                                                  

1/4 teaspoon salt                                                  

3 tablespoons sugar                                                  

3 teaspoons cinnamon                                                  

Directions:

1. Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Mix butter, 1 1/2 cups sugar and eggs thoroughly in a large bowl.

3. Combine flour, cream of tartar, baking soda and salt in a separate bowl.
4. Blend dry ingredients into butter mixture.
5. Chill dough, and chill an ungreased cookie sheet for about 10-15 minutes in the fridge.

6. Meanwhile, mix 3 tablespoons sugar, and 3 teaspoons cinnamon in a small bowl.

7. Scoop 1 inch globs of dough into the sugar/ cinnamon mixture.
8. Coat by gently rolling balls of dough in the sugar mixture.

9. Place on chilled ungreased cookie sheet, and bake 10 minutes.
10. Remove from pan immediately.

What are the cookies that make your holiday celebrations complete? Stay tuned to the blog over the next week; we have more delicious treat recipes to share!

Stay Cool,
The Cool Dads Crew

Monday Meals: Chicken Curry in a Hurry

Doesn't it seem like Thanksgiving just happened? I don't know about the rest of you; but I am so not ready for Christmas next week. Where did 2013 go? The past few weeks have been a flurry of shopping, gift wrapping, and life as usual. But amidst all that, we still need to cook meals.

It's months like this when one pot meals that can be prepared in under 30 minutes really come in handy. Last week the Wisconsin Test Kitchen made a pot of "Chicken Curry in a Hurry"- and it was the perfect meal for a cold, snowy night.

Chicken Curry in a Hurry

Ingredients

• 1 can coconut milk
• 1 tsp. red curry paste
• 2 chicken breasts, cut into ½-inch pieces
• 1 Tbsp. fish sauce (optional)
• ⅓ cup low-sodium chicken broth
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 red pepper thinly sliced
• 2-3 medium sized carrots, thinly sliced into matchsticks
• ¼ cup fresh cilantro, chopped
• Sriracha for serving (optional)
• 1 small can bamboo shoots

 

Instructions

1. In a large saucepan over medium-high heat, stir curry paste into the coconut milk and bring to a simmer. Simmer for 5 minutes.

2. Add chicken, fish sauce, chicken broth,  bamboo shoots and vegetables. Simmer, covered for 10 minutes.

 

3. Stir in fresh cilantro.

4. Serve over rice or noodles.

5. (Optional: top with Sriracha and more fresh cilantro)

Recipe courtesy of www.inspiredrd.com

 

 

 

Final verdict? As good as take-out curry; and it was ready much faster than waiting for the delivery guy to show up. If you're craving curry (like a certain member of the Wisconsin Test Kitchen constantly seems to be...); this is the perfect recipe. You can modify it to include any vegetables you like... Rebecca is obsessed with a red curry at a restaurant that serves it with red peppers and carrots- hence our ingredients. But leeks, green peppers or even mushrooms would be an excellent addition. For our vegetarian and vegan fans, this recipe could easily be modified (omit the fish sauce, and replace the chicken with tofu chunks).

 

What one-dish meals do your families rely on during busy weeks? We'd love to hear from you!

 

Stay Cool,

The Cool Dads Crew

 

Kids in the Kitchen: Monkey Bread

This week the Arkansas Test Kitchen is sharing a nostalgic, fun recipe your kids are going to love. Yep, it got a little bananas up in the Arkansas Test Kitchen over Thanksgiving...

One of Doug's fondest winter memories is waking up in the morning and smelling monkey bread in the oven. So over Thanksgiving break while his niece and nephew were in town; all three children set to work making a family favorite.

Monkey Bread:

4 cans of biscuit dough, each piece of dough cut into quarters
1/2 cup sugar
Cinnamon to taste
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 stick melted butter

1. Mix sugar, cinnamon and brown sugar together.
2. Coat each quarter of biscuit dough in sugar mixture.
3. Pour 1/2 of the melted butter in the bottom of a 9x13 baking dish.
4. Place sugar coated biscuits into baking dish.
5. Pour remainder of the melted butter over the top of the mixture.
6. Bake in the oven until golden brown (about 10-15 minutes) at 400 degrees

Icing for the top:

2 cups of confectioners sugar with a little water. Mix together thoroughly until a thick paste is created. Drizzle icing over the top of cooked monkey bread.

This is a great recipe for the kids to help with. The kids were able to use a butter knife to cut the biscuits into quarters, and then they had a blast rolling the biscuit dough into the sugar mixture and placing into the baking dish.

As the weather continues to get colder, this is a great weekend breakfast recipe that's guaranteed to warm you up.

Stay Cool,
The Cool Dads Crew

Monday Meals: Chili

With the up coming (now passed) ice storm that we received in Arkansas; the Arkansas Test Kitchen thought it would be a great idea to make some food that could be heated on the wood burning stove- in case we were to lose power. So, what better food to make than chili? Plus, one of our loyal readers (Rachel) had requested a Cool Dads Cook chili recipe.

So Rachel without further ado; here is your chili recipe!

Doug and Ken's Chili

2 lbs ground meat (either ground beef, turkey, pork, or a combination)
1 onion, chopped
2 green bell peppers, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tbs. oil
32oz. can tomato sauce
1 28 - 30 oz. can diced tomatoes (fire roasted diced tomatoes add a great flavor)
1 14.5 oz can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 14.5 oz can pinto beans, drained and rinsed
1 14.5 oz. can kidney beans drained and rinsed
Onion powder to taste
Garlic powder to taste
Ground sage to taste
Oregano leaves to tasteChipotle Tobasco Sauce
Carroll Shelby's Chili Kit

Directions:

1. Sauté onion, bell pepper, and garlic in oil for approx. 5 minutes in a large pot over medium to medium high heat.
2. Brown ground meat in the pot with the onion, bell pepper, and garlic. Cook until all meat is brown, over medium to medium high heat
3. While the meat is browning, add in your first round of seasonings: onion power, garlic powder, ground sage, oregano, and Chipotle Tobasco. The idea is to season the meat. DO NOT USE CHILI KIT YET!
4. Once all the ground meat is browned, pour in the tomato sauce, diced tomatoes and spice packet from Chili Kit and turn heat to medium low to simmer for approx. 30 minutes.
5. Dump in all the cans of rinsed beans, and mesa packet from chili packet into the chili pot.
6. Let sit for approx. 15 minutes, stirring frequently so the beans will not stick to the bottom of the pot.
7. Taste the chili and add additional seasonings as needed.
7. Serve with corn chips, grated cheese, and sour cream.

 So why is the chili recipe called Doug and Ken's chili? About ten years ago; a friend of mine and I decided we wanted to make chili. So, we started dumping things into our soup pot until this recipe was created. Since then, Ken has passed away, however he had a significant influence on my cooking style.  Every time I make this chili recipe; I always remember making it with him. I remember looking into the spice cabinet and figuring out what spices will go great with our chili; and looking into the cupboards to see what we had that we could dump into the chili. Our first couple of tries were ok; but this is was the best chili we created together; in my humble opinion. I hope you and your families enjoy it as much as we do!

Stay Cool,
The Cool Dads Crew

Football Friday: Smoked Pork Shoulder

 

Part of being a Cool Dad is multi-tasking. Cool Dads are sometimes responsible for laundry, washing dishes and even watching PBS kids along with the little ones. Sometimes it's nice to have a dinner recipe you don't have to babysit, so you can spend time on the things that really matter (ie: more PBS Kids viewing time).

 

Here's a recipe that doesn't take too much effort, but will still make you look like a Rock Star Cool Dad.

 

Smoked Pork Shoulder

Ingredients:
10 lbs. pork shoulder
Dry rub to taste (I used Strawberry's Grand Champion Shake-On Bar Be Cue Seasoning) However, you can find many recipes to make on your own.
1 - 2 cups apple juice
Apple wood

Directions:
1. Remove meat from refrigerator and sprinkle it with dry rub.
2. Let the meat sit at room temperature for approximately 45 minutes
3. While the meat is warming to room temperature, light the charcoals. I like to use Weber Chimney Starter with lump charcoal (it seems to burn longer and at a more steady temperature). By using the Chimney Starter instead of the lighter fluid, you don't have the smell of the fluid, or run a chance of it getting flavor into the meat.
4. Set the grill for indirect heat, with a drip pan under the location of the meat.

5. Pour apple juice into the drip pan.
6. Place wood on top of the charcoal.
7. Let the grill sit until you see smoke coming out.
8. Place meat onto the grill, and grill 1 hour for every pound of meat.
9. Once the meat reaches a temperature of 190 degrees in the fattest section; it's done cooking.
10. Let the meat rest for at least 10 minutes before cutting or shredding.

 

Notes:

1. Most people recommend letting your wood soak in water for at least 2 hours before placing on the fire, however I believe that I get a better smoke flavor using dry wood.

2. If you are using a charcoal grill, I recommend using wood chunks.

3. If using a gas grill, you can make your own smoke packet. Youtube has videos to show you how!

 

Ok, we know what you're all thinking: winter is coming and I can't use a grill in snow or ice-but this looks yummy- how do I make it?!

 

 Easy.

 

Go to your local meat market and ask for a 6 lb. pork shoulder, sprinkle your favorite dry rub on it, maybe add a little Chipotle Tabasco on it for a smokey flavor, and place it into a slow cooker for 8 - 9 hours. The meat will come out tender, juicy, and extremely delicious. This should help cure the 'I want barbecue!!!' craving you're experiencing.

 

Finally, we know it may seem easier to go to the local barbecue restaurant and buy the meat already smoked. However, smoking your own meat provides so many benefits:

 

1) the joy of smoking your own meat, and the pride you can take in the finished product

2) the manly cologne smell of yummy smoke coming from your smoker

3) you can experiment to create your own flavor. Each person's tastes are completely different and you can find / create the taste for you.

 

Hungry yet? Good, so are we. Hungry for some football predictions!

 

Indianapolis vs. Cleveland

Dad #1: Colts

Dad #2: Colts

 

Atlanta vs. Green Bay

Dad #1: Falcons

Dad #2: Packers

 

Cleveland vs. New England

Dad #1: Patriots

Dad #2: Patriots

 

Oakland vs. NYJ

Dad #1: Raiders

Dad #2: NYJ

 

Detroit vs. Philly

Dad #1: Eagles

Dad #2: Lions

 

Miami vs. Pittsburgh

Dad #1: Steelers

Dad #2: Steelers

 

Buffalo vs. Tampa Bay

Dad #1: Buccaneers

Dad #2: Buccaneers

 

Kansas City vs. Washington

Dad #1: Chiefs

Dad #2: Chiefs

 

Baltimore vs. Minnesota

Dad #1: Ravens

Dad #2: Ravens

 

Arizona vs. St. Louis

Dad #1: Cardinals

Dad #2: Cardinals

San Diego vs. NYG
Dad #1: Chargers
Dad #2: Giants

Seattle vs. San Francisco
Dad #1: Seahawks
Dad #2:

Tennessee vs. Denver
Dad #1: Broncos
Dad #2: Broncos

Carolina vs. New Orleans
Dad #1: Saints
Dad #2: Panthers

Dallas vs. Chicago
Dad #1: Bears
Dad #2: Cowboys

Hope you all have a wonderful weekend full of food, family and football!

Stay Cool,
The Cool Dads Crew
 

 

 

 

 

 

Kids in the Kitchen: Baked Cinnamon Apple Chips

I don't know about the rest of you; but the Wisconsin test kitchen is still in something of a food coma after Thanksgiving last week. We've finished off almost all the leftovers, and never want to look at a turkey ever again.

So, we spent the week making some healthy vegetable filled meals and snacks. We had a big bag of apples in the fridge, and decided to use them to make one of our favorite tried-and-true snacks: baked cinnamon apple chips.

This is seriously one of the easiest recipes- it only calls for two ingredients, and produces a snack kids LOVE.

Baked Cinnamon Apple Slices

2-3 medium to large apples
Cinnamon

Pre-heat oven to 275 degrees. Lightly spray a baking sheet with non-stick cooking spray.

Wash, core and thinly slice the apples.

Place apple slices onto the cookie sheet (this is a perfect step for your little chef to help with).

Lightly sprinkle the apple slices with cinnamon (another good step for your little chef to help with).

Bake apples for two hours total (flip the slices after an hour and let them keep baking). You want the apples to have a "crisp" but NOT burned consistency. After an hour and a half, check on them and see how they look.

This is the perfect snack if you're craving something sweet, but you're avoiding sugar. I don't know why, but I prefer apples this way compared to raw. Added bonus? This recipe will leave your whole house smelling delicious.

What are some of your favorite healthy snacks?

Stay Cool,
The Cool Dads Crew

Monday Meals: Maple & Brown Sugar Pork Loin

 

With all of the turkey and ham being consumed lately; we needed something a little different in the Arkansas Test Kitchen. We found this recipe on Pinterest and it was love at first bite. And with all of the hustling this time of year, this is an easy recipe to throw in the slow cooker and forget about it until dinner time. And your family is sure to love it.

 

 

 

Slow Cooker Maple and Brown Sugar Pork Tenderloin

 

Ingredients:

2 lbs pork tenderloin ( I did not have a 2 lb. pork loin, but used a 3 lb. cut in half)
salt and pepper to taste
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 cup maple syrup (use only 2 tablespoons if you are using pure maple syrup)
4 tablespoons Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme leaf, crumbled

Gravy Ingredients:
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 tablespoon cold water

 

 

Directions:

1. Sprinkle tenderloins lightly with salt and pepper.

2. Place pork in a slow cooker sprayed with non-stick cooking spray.

 

 

3. Combine garlic, mustard, honey, brown sugar, vinegar, thyme and maple syrup; pour over the pork.

4. Turn pork to coat thoroughly. Cover and cook on LOW for 7 to 9 hours, or on HIGH for 3 to 4 hours.

5. Remove pork to a plate, cover with foil, and keep warm.
6. Pour the juices into a saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat.
7. Simmer for 8 to 10 minutes.
8. Combine the cornstarch and cold water; whisk into the reduced juices and cook for 1 minute longer.
9.Serve pork sliced with the thickened juices.

Adapted from Six Sisters' Stuff

 

We hope you and your families had a wonderful Thanksgiving!

 

Stay Cool,

The Cool Dads Crew

Thanksgiving Exclusive: Pumpkin Scones

On Thanksgiving, the main focus is always the family meal at lunch or dinnertime. Breakfast seriously gets the short end of the stick! And rightfully so: you don't want to eat a huge breakfast and not have any room for turkey, cranberries and stuffing. But still... you need something!

This recipes is a classic in the Arkansas Test Kitchen and is asked for repeatedly. Also, you can make this a day ahead; and warm the scones slightly in the microwave. When paired with a cup of coffee, this is an ideal Thanksgiving breakfast. 

 

Pumpkin Scones

 2 cups all-purpose flour
7 Tablespoons granulated sugar
1 Tablespoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
¼ teaspoon ground cloves
¼ teaspoon ground ginger
6 Tablespoons cold butter
½ cup canned pumpkin
3 Tablespoons half-and-half
1 large egg

For the Powdered Sugar Glaze:
1 cup plus 1 Tablespoon powdered sugar
2 Tablespoons milk

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper; set aside.

2. Combine flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and ginger in a large bowl. Use a fork to cut the butter into the dry ingredients until mixture is crumbly and no chunks of butter are obvious; set aside.

3. In a separate bowl, whisk together the pumpkin, half-and-half and egg. Fold wet ingredients into dry ingredients, and form the dough into a ball. Pat out dough onto a lightly floured surface and form it into a 1-inch thick rectangle about 3 times as long as wide. Use a large knife or a pizza cutter to slice the dough twice through the width, making three equal portions. Cut each of the portions in an X pattern (four pieces) so you end up with 12 triangular slices of dough. Place on prepared baking sheet. Bake for 14-16 minutes, or until light brown. Place on wire rack to cool.

4. To make the powdered sugar glaze, mix the powdered sugar and milk together until smooth. When scones are cool, use a brush to spread plain glaze over the top of each scone.

Adapted from

Brown Eyed Baker

 

There you have it: five Thanksgiving recipes the Cool Dads love. We can't wait to hear all about your family celebrations next week.

 

Stay Cool,

The Cool Dads Crew

Holiday Exclusive: Sauteed Zucchini & Squash

Here's a veggie side dish from the Arkansas Test Kitchen that Doug is more than a little obsessed with. After making our delicious macaroni and cheese, sweet potatoes and rolls, why not round out the side dishes with something really simple and delicious?

Sautéed Zucchini and Squash

2 Zucchini
2 Squash 
1 - 2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
Sea salt (you can use table salt, but I prefer cooking with sea salt)
Ground black pepper

1. Heat olive oil in a non-stick skillet
2. Cut zucchini and squash into 1/4" thick medallions
3. Salt and pepper the zucchini and squash to taste
4. Place half of the zucchini and squash mixture into the skillet and sauté until soft
5. Place the second half of the zucchini and squash mixture into skillet and sauté until soft
There you have it: easy and delicious! If you are only feeding a few people, you may want to only cook one zucchini and squash. This dish is also extremely easy to prepare on the grill. Instead of using the skillet, you would use a vegetable basket for the grill which you can find here at amazon. Instead of placing the Olive Oil in the skillet, brush the olive oil on the zucchini and squash as you place them in the basket.

Now for the 2nd recipe:

 Parmesan - Roasted Zucchini

2 zucchinis
Sea Salt
Ground black pepper
Garlic powder
Olive oil
Grated Parmesan cheese
 

1. Wash and cut off the ends of the zucchinis
2. Cut zucchinis in half length-wise, and then cross-wise (so you end up with 4 pieces of zucchini from each whole zucchini).
3. Brush olive oil on the cut side
4. Sprinkle salt, pepper, garlic powder, and Parmesan cheese to taste
5. Place in a pre-heated oven to 400 degrees, and bake for 15 minutes

There you have it- our fourth holiday exclusive recipe of the week! We can't wait to share our final one with you tomorrow, and look forward to hearing about your Thanksgiving meals next week!

Stay Cool,
The Cool Dads Crew

Holiday Exclusive: No-Knead Honey Rolls

On Thanksgiving the turkey and cranberry sauce may get all of the attention, but one thing the Arkansas test kitchen loves most is the homemade bread and rolls. Doug found a great recipe for honey rolls; and decided to give it a trial run before the big day!

No Knead Honey Rolls

1 (21 oz) package active dry yest
1 1/4 cups warm water
3 cups all purpose flour
2 tablespoons butter, softened
2 tablespoons honey
1 teaspoon salt

1. In a large bowl dissolve yeast in warm water (at approx. 110 degrees)
2. Add remaining ingredients

3. Mix for approx. 3 minutes (if using a mixer, mix on low speed)
4. Cover and let rise in a warm place until dough doubles in size approx. 30 minutes (I placed mine on the stove while cooking other recipes for supper)

5. Preheat oven to 375
6. Spray a muffin pan with non stick cooking spray
7. Fill each muffin tin half full with dough (make sure to flour your hands really well)
8. Cover and let rise for 15 - 20 minutes

9. Bake for 10 - 15 minutes or until golden brown

Makes 12 rolls

Adapted from Six Sisters Stuff

The big day is a little over a week away! We can't wait to provide you with a few more recipes before Thanksgiving.

Stay Cool,
The Cool Dads Crew

The Great Sweet Potato Show Down

It's an epic holiday debate in the Wisconsin test kitchen. Sweet potatoes... sweet or savory- what variety to make for Thanksgiving? We have some members that are opposed to the marshmallow topping, and we have others that crave it almost as much as pumpkin pie. So in an attempt to please everyone, we've started serving two different kinds of sweet potatoes.

Sweet Potatoes

6-8 medium sweet potatoes
1/2 t salt
1/4 cup butter or margarine, melted
20oz can crushed pineapple, drained
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 t nutmeg
1 t cinnamon
Cook sweet potatoes until soft (about 45 minutes in a 350 degree oven). Peel. Slice and place in slow cooker. Combine remaining ingredients and pour over sweet potatoes. Cover. Cook on high for 4 hours

Savory Potatoes

6-8 medium sweet potatoes
1/2 cup orange juice
2 T butter
1 T cinnamon
1 T cumin powder
1 T nutmeg
sea salt and pepper

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. Wash sweet potatoes, and poke holes in them with a fork. Place on a lined baking sheet and bake for 30-45 minutes or until tender. Once the sweet potatoes are cooked, let them cool slightly before cutting into them, and removing the meat of the potatoes from the skin- place in a large bowl.

Mash sweet potatoes and butter with a potato masher, slowly adding orange juice until absorbed (you might need to add more orange juice, depending on the size of the sweet potatoes). Add seasonings and adjust as needed- add salt and pepper to flavor. Serve warm.

Do you have the sweet vs. savory debate in your house? Which one wins? We can't wait to share more holiday recipes with you this week!

Stay Cool,
The Cool Dads Crew

Holiday Exclusive: Macaroni and Cheese

If you love food and the holidays as much as our families do, then there's a good chance you're thinking ahead to your menu for next week Thursday. The Cool Dads Crew thought we'd pick some time-tested and favorite recipes and share them with our loyal readers. Our first recipe is a homemade macaroni and cheese that receives rave reviews whenever it makes an appearance. It's as much a part of our Thanksgiving table as the turkey and cranberries.

Mama's Three Cheese Macaroni and Cheese

1 16oz box elbow macaroni
2 eggs
1 12oz can evaporated skim milk
1/4 cup melted butter
2 T mustard
1 t sea salt
1 t pepper
8oz melted Velveeta
2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
2 cups shredded mild cheddar cheese


Cook macaroni according to package directions.
In a bowl, whisk eggs, evaporated milk, mustard, butter, salt and pepper until combined.
Stir in melted Velveeta and 1 1/2 cups of each of the shredded cheeses. Stir in the pasta.

Pour into a greased 3 quart baking dish and top with the remaining shredded cheese. Bake at 350 for 25-30 minutes.

We look forward to sharing more recipes with you throughout the week- and make sure you let us know what menu items your families can't live without during the holidays.
Stay Cool,
The Cool Dads Crew

Football Friday: Crab Rangoons

It's been one of those weeks in both the Cool Dads Kitchens. It's been a whirlwind of recovering from illness, taking care of sick kids and dealing with all kinds of family related chaos. Long story short: the test kitchens didn't have chance to develop a new recipe for Football Friday. But, we don't want to leave our loyal fans hanging... So we've included a link to a crab rangoon recipe that has been tried and true here in the Wisconsin test kitchen. We've made these a ton of times, and they are delicious. Pair these with some sweet and sour sauce, or spicy mustard- and you've got a great Sunday afternoon football snack.

http://www.hungry-girl.com/show/movie-night-the-crab-rangoonies-recipe

What we may lack in new food innovations, we make up for with football predictions!

Buffalo vs. NYJ
Dad #1: NYJ
Dad #2: Bills

Baltimore vs. Chicago
Dad #1: Bears
Dad #2: Bears

Cleveland vs. Cincinnati
Dad #1: Bengals
Dad #2: Browns

Washington vs. Philadelphia
Dad #1: Eagles
Dad #2: Eagles

Detroit vs. Pittsburgh
Dad #1: Steelers
Dad #2: Lions

Atlanta vs. Tampa Bay
Dad #1: Falcons
Dad #2: Buccaneers

Jacksonville vs. Arizona
Dad #1: Cardinals
Dad #2: Cardinals

Oakland vs. Houston
Dad #1: Raiders
Dad #2: Texans

San Diego vs. Miami
Dad #1: Chargers
Dad #2: Chargers

New Orleans vs. San Francisco
Dad #1: Saints
Dad #2: Saints

Green Bay vs. NYG
Dad #1: Packers
Dad #2: Packers

Seattle vs. Minnesota
Dad #1: Seahawks
Dad #2: Seahawks

Kansas City vs. Denver
Dad #1: Broncos
Dad #2: Chiefs

New England vs. Carolina
Dad #1: Patriots
Dad #2: Panthers

Hope your weekend is full of family, football and fun!

Stay Cool,
The Cool Dads Crew

Kids in the Kitchen: Chicken Nuggets

True confession from the Wisconsin test kitchen. Sometimes we feed our daughter Sawyer Happy Meals from McDonalds. I know, it's shameful. We pride ourselves on cooking at home and eating an organic sustainable diet. But every once in a while, we give into the siren song of the golden arches. Go ahead- judge away.

But, the way she scarfs down those strange, disgusting little chicken nuggets got us wondering... could we make chicken nuggets at home that she'd like as much as McDonalds? In a word... yes. And bonus: they're healthier, lower in sodium and made from actual chicken.

Cool Dads Chicken Nuggets

1lb. boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 cup bread crumbs*
2T parmesan cheese
2 egg whites

**A note on the bread crumbs. Here in the Wisconsin test kitchen, we're extremely thrifty. We make our own breadcrumbs and keep them in the freezer to use for meatloaf, breadings, etc. So, we used a cup of these plain bread crumbs and mixed them with a few dashes of seasoning salt, Penzy's Sunny Paris seasoning, and 2T Parmesan cheese. Store bought bread crumbs will work just as well- just combine them with the 2T of Parmesan cheese.

Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees and coat a 9"x13" pan with non-stick cook spray.

Cut chicken breasts into roughly 1" pieces.

Crack eggs, and put egg whites in a separate bowl

Pour bread crumbs  and cheese into a ziplock bag.

Recruit help from your tiny kitchen helper.

Initially, Sawyer was NOT into the cooking process. But once I showed her how to dunk the chicken pieces into the egg white and then place them in the bag of bread crumbs-  and shake to cover them in crumbs- she was all about it. In fact, she ended up making ALL of the chicken nuggets for dinner that night! She was so proud of the fact she made dinner, she couldn't wait to tell her Daddy all about it when he got home from work that night.

So, to review: dunk raw chicken pieces in egg white- and put them in the bag with the bread crumbs. Shake the bag in order to get the chicken pieces completely covered in bread crumbs (listening to Luke Bryan's Country Girl (Shake It For Me) is recommended, but completely optional for this step). Remove the chicken pieces from the bread crumb bag, and place them in the baking dish.

Bake them at 400 degrees for 14 minutes, turning them over halfway through the cooking process.

The final result?

Sawyer's feedback was, "These are even better than the ones at McDonalds!" And she promptly ate seven chicken nuggets. The fact she got to help make dinner all by herself was a huge factor in how successful the meal was. There you have it... chicken nuggets so easy a five year old can make them.

Recipe courtesy of Taste of Home

This is what Cool Dads Cook is all about- providing you with healthy recipes your kids will eat, and will love to help prepare. We can't wait to share some of our favorite holiday recipes with you next week!

Stay Cool,
The Cool Dads Crew