Football Friday: White Pizza Dip

 When you think pizza, you usually think of traditional red, tomato sauce. While the Wisconsin Test Kitchen enjoys tomato sauce as much as the next guy, every once in a while we get a craving for a white pizza. Last week we had a house full of little girls watching the new My Little Pony movie, and making homemade pizzas. We thought it would be a nice treat to have white pizza for the adults.

We originally found this recipe as a dip, and while it is delicious with some crusty bread or fresh veggies, we loved it slathered on pizza crust, topped with mozzarella cheese and fresh vegetables. It was a really delicious pizza night. 

White Pizza Dip
Recipe courtesy of: http://www.stockpilingmoms.com/2014/03/crockpot-white-pizza-dip/#_a5y_p=1411321

1 envelope Italian dressing mix
1 container (16 oz.) sour cream (we used Greek yogurt)
1 cup (8 oz.) ricotta cheese
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
½ cup (1 oz.) chopped pepperoni
1 loaf of Italian or French bread, sliced or cut into bite size pieces

In a small bowl combine Italian dressing mix,sour cream, ricotta cheese, ¾ cup shredded mozzarella cheese and pepperoni.

Lightly spray slow cooker with non-stick cooking spray.

Spoon mixture into slow cooker.
Sprinkle remaining ¼ cup mozzarella cheese on top.
Place lid on and cook on low 2-3 hours.
Before serving, stir well.
Serve with bread slices or bread bite size pieces.

Notes from the Test Kitchen:

You can absolutely make this in a small crock pot, or you can bake it in the oven if you prefer. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees, and bake for 20 minutes in , or until mixture is warm and bubbly. 

This was the approach we took before spreading it on our pizza crust and baking it. 

The dip is delicious when eaten with sliced pepper and mushrooms as well as bread. 

Now that we've got your mouth watering, it's time for some Football Friday Predictions!

Dad #1 is still in the lead with 78 correct predictions, while Dad #2 is bringing up the rear with 61 correct predictions. 

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

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

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

Eagles vs. Texans
Dad #1: Houston
Dad #2: Philly

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

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

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

Redskins vs. Vikings
Dad #1: Washington
Dad #2: Minnesota

Rams vs. 49ers
Dad #1: San Francisco
Dad #2: San Francisco

Broncos vs. Patriots
Dad #1: New England
Dad #2: New England

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

Ravens vs. Steelers
Dad #1: Baltimore
Dad #2: Pittsburgh

Colts vs. Giants
Dad #1: Indy 
Dad #2: Indy

Hope your weekend is full of football, family, food and fun!
Stay Cool,
The Cool Dads Crew

Kids in the Kitchen Wednesday: Butter Beer

Here's a confession: the members of the Wisconsin Test Kitchen are total nerds. It's okay, we embrace our nerd behavior. We're so nerdy in fact, our resident Cool Dad may or may not have a Star Wars tattoo. But we digress.

One of the cool things we've gotten the opportunity to do in the past year is introduce our tiny chef to the wonder of Harry Potter. We've finished reading the first three books, and just started the fourth book. She's really enjoying them, and loves all things HP right now. We recently had a night with some wonderful friends of ours, and Melissa recommended making Butter Beer- a drink served at a bar in Hogsmeade. The recipe we used is also supposed to be identical to the drink served at Universal Studios. We had to give it a try. 

Magically Easy Butter Beer
Recipe courtesy of: http://www.designdazzle.com/2011/07/summer-camp-harry-potter-activities-wizard-for-a-day/

2 liters cream soda
butter extract (we found it at a craft store- the grocery store didn't carry it)
rum extract

1 7oz. container of marshmallow creme

1 cup whipping cream

To make the cream topping, add the marshmallow creme, whipping cream and 1 teaspoon rum extract into a bowl and beat with an electric mixer until smooth. 

For the "beer", drop 2 tablespoons butter extract and 2 teaspoons rum extract into the 2 liter bottle of soda, put on cap and slowly rotate until combined.


Pour the Butter Beer into a glass, drizzle with the cream topping, and enjoy!

This ended up being a tasty treat that both the adults and the kid really enjoyed (the smallest participant in our evening of Harry Potter revelry was too young for butter beer). Speaking of adults, if you're looking to make this even more of an "adult" drink, you can add a shot of rum for a little extra kick. 

This is a great recipe to try with your little muggles, they'll love something authentically magic!

Stay Cool,
The Cool Dads Crew

Monday Meals: Cheesy Vegetable Bake

Some of our favorite meals in the Wisconsin Test Kitchen are ones that are thrown together with ingredients we already have in our cupboards and refrigerator. And bonus points when we end up creating a meal all three members of the test kitchen actually enjoy. In that same vein, last week we created a cheesy vegetable bake!

Cheesy Vegetable Bake

1 onion, diced

2 cups mushrooms, sliced

1 medium head of broccoli, cut into small florets

2 cups cooked quinoa (it's still a thing, sorry!)

2 cups shredded cheddar cheese, divided

olive oil

2 Tablespoons butter

2 Tablespoons flour

1 cup milk 

salt & pepper

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.

Cook quinoa according to package directions. 

Meanwhile, sautee onions and mushrooms with olive oil in large sauce pan until onions are soft. Add the broccoli and sautee until it softens slightly (you don't want it mushy, it's still going to cook in the oven).

Put vegetables in a large bowl, combine with the quinoa. Set aside while you make the cheese sauce.

Melt butter in a sauce pan, add flour. Whisk for 2 minutes. Slowly add milk, whisking the entire time. Once the milk is added, whisk for 3 minutes, or until thickened. Add 1.5 cups shredded cheddar cheese and stir until melted.

Pour cheese sauce into the quinoa and vegetable bowl, and stir until well combined. Transfer to a lightly greased 9"x13" pan, and sprinkle with the remaining half cup of cheese. 

 Bake for 5-10 minutes, or until the cheese is melted.

This is one of those great easy dinners that can easily be modified based on what kind of vegetables you have in your fridge. This would be delicious with eggplant, summer squash or even tomatoes. Also, it's a perfect Meatless Monday meal- if you're into that kind of thing. We hope you enjoy these easy, delicious meals as much as we do.

Stay Cool,

The Cool Dads Crew

Football Friday: Stuffed Jalapenos

The Wisconsin Test Kitchen is not the type of household to buy a bunch of frozen, preservative laden snacks to feed our guests on game day. We try to make as much food ourselves- or we call Jimmy Johns and have them deliver. 

We were craving some delicious spicy, cheesy jalapeno poppers last week, and knew the gross, frozen ones were not going to cut it. And here's a fun fact: you can buy 12 jalapenos at the farmers market for two dollars. It's hard to beat that bargain! 

These cheesy, spicy little bites were perfect with a cold beer. They were easy to eat (ie: no wierd, neon cheese shooting out the end of a pre-made jalapeno popper), and they had a nice amount of heat to them.

Stuffed Jalapenos
Recipe courtesy of The Food Network

12 large jalapeno peppers
2 ounces feta cheese
4 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
4 ounces shredded smoked pepper Jack cheese, or other hot pepper cheese, or extra-sharp Cheddar
A small handful fresh cilantro, finely chopped
2 tablespoons grated onion
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.

Cut 1/3 of each pepper off lengthwise and scoop out the seeds. Place on a baking sheet. If peppers do not sit flat on the baking sheet, slice a thin piece off the bottom of the pepper so it will not roll around.

Mash the feta, cream cheese, shredded cheese, cilantro, and onion together and stuff the peppers with the mixture.

 Roast for 15 to 18 minutes, or until the peppers are tender and the cheese is brown at the edges and bubbly.

Now that we provided you with a tasty game day snack, it's time for some football picks! Dad #1 is still in the lead with 68 correct picks, and Dad #2 is second with 51 points. Now here are this weeks picks:


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

Lions vs. Falcons
Dad #1: Detroit
Dad #2: Atlanta

Rams vs. Chiefs
Dad #1: St Louis
Dad #2: Kansas City

Texans vs. Titans
Dad #1: Houston
Dad #2: Houston 

Vikings vs. Buccaneers
Dad #1: Minnesota
Dad #2: Minnesota

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

Ravens vs. Bengals
Dad #1: Baltimore
Dad #2: Cincinnati

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

Bears vs. Patriots
Dad #1: New England
Dad #2: New England

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

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

Raiders vs. Browns
Dad #1: Oakland
Dad #2: Cleveland

Colts vs. Steelers
Dad #1: Indy
Dad #2: Indy

Packers vs. New Orleans
Dad #1: Green Bay
Dad #2: Green Bay

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

Kids in the Kitchen Wednesday: Egg Cups

Ever have one of those nights when the idea of dinner sneaks up on you? We're talking; kids are crying, your stomach is growling: and you have no idea what to make for dinner? That happens more than we care to admit in the Wisconsin Test Kitchen. But there are a few staples we always have on hand: nitrate free lunch meat, fresh eggs from the farmers market, random assorted vegetables and shredded cheese. For our next trick, we'll teach you how to prepare all these ingredients into a healthy dinner your kids will love.

A few years ago we tried making egg cups, and the youngest member of the Wisconsin Test Kitchen was immediately hooked. This is, hands down, her most requested meal. It's also crazy easy to make, and delicious. It doesn't get much better than that.

Egg Cups

6-8 slices lunch meat (we usually go with ham, but turkey and roast beef are also excellent)
6-8 eggs
finely chopped vegetables (we recommend mushrooms and green peppers)
shredded cheese (Sawyer only eats mozzarella)

Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees
Lightly spray muffin tins with non-stick cooking spray.
Line each muffin tin with one slice of lunch meat. You don't have to have them perfectly lined up in the tins, it's okay if the egg spills over the side of the lunch meat "cup"

Place a small amount of vegetables and cheese inside the cups

Once you have your fillings done, crack an egg into each muffin tin- trying to get as much of it as possible into the lunch meat cup

Bake for 13 minutes, or until eggs are firm

We served these egg cups with toast and some sauteed spinach; and it was easy to prepare and easy to clean up after. This is a great brunch, or dinner recipe. It's pretty much delicious whenever.

Hopefully we made your weeknight a little bit easier!
Stay Cool,
The Cool Dads Crew

Monday Meals: Bacon Cheeseburger Soup

You know The Cool Dads Cook Crew love to grill; and we love anything with MEAT. But what do carnivores do when it's raining outside and you can't grill? Or, it's cold outside and you're craving some soup?

We got this.

The Arkansas Test kitchen was asked to cook a pot of soup for a church gathering, and what better soup to make than Bacon Cheeseburger Soup?

Bacon Cheeseburger Soup
1 tbs olive oil
1 small onion
2 cloves garlic, minced
1.5 lbs ground beef
6 slices bacon
2 quarts beef broth
1 lb. shredded cheddar cheese
Salt and pepper to taste

1. In a stew pot or Dutch oven, heat oil to medium high heat and saute the onion and garlic until soft.
2. Add ground beef, seasoning it as if you were making hamburgers. We recommend Worcestershire sauce, salt, pepper, and onion powder.
3. Fry bacon (for ease, buying and using pre-cooked bacon is acceptable).
4. Once the ground beef is browned, remove beef and drain grease off.
5. Pour beef broth into pot and bring to a boil.
6. Add grated cheese, and bring back to a boil.
7. Once the cheese is melted and the liquid is boiling, add the ground beef and onion mixture, and crumble up the bacon.
8. Allow the mixture to warm through for approximately 10-15 minutes

Note from the Test Kitchen:

This is an excellent recipe to make if you have leftover cheeseburgers from a cookout. We're not real familiar with the idea of leftovers, but they do come in handy from time to time!

This delicious soup is the best of both worlds; we hope you enjoy it as much as we did!

Stay Cool,
The Cool Dads Crew

Football Friday: Bachos

This past weekend was magical. The Wisconsin Test Kitchen had nothing scheduled other than watching football, enjoying some delicious micro-brewed beer, and enjoying some tasty snacks. We happened to stumble onto a recipe for Bacon Nachos (which we have since dubbed Bachos), and we also happened to have all the ingredients we needed. Fate, I tell you. 

Bachos
Recipe courtesy of: http://food52.com/recipes/13870-bacon-nachos

6 slices thick sliced bacon (thick cut is extremely important- you need a solid base to hold your bacho toppings)
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1 tomato, finely diced
1/3 cup red onion, finely diced
1/2 of one jalapeno, minced
small handful of cilantro, chopped
juice of half a lime
salt and pepper
1/3 cup sour cream (we used Greek yogurt in an attempt to cut calories, which is kind of ridiculous when you think about the fact you're making nachos with bacon slices)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. 

Cut the pieces of bacon in half. On a foil lined baking sheet with a cooling rack placed on top, place the bacon pieces in a "v" formation

Bake the bacon for about twenty minutes.

While the bacon is baking, in a small bowl, make the salsa by combining the finely diced tomato and red onion with the minced jalapeno, the chopped cilantro, and the lime juice. Salt and pepper to taste (but do remember that the bacon is quite salty, so lots of salt isn't really necessary). Set aside.

When the bacon looks like it's five minutes from being perfectly cooked, add the grated cheddar and return to the oven. After five minutes or so (checking to make sure the cheese and bacon don't burn), take the bacon out of the oven and allow to cool down slightly for a few minutes.

Place bacon nachos on a serving dish and give each one a dollop of sour cream and a spoonful of salsa

The final product was everything we wanted it to be... the bachos were salty from the bacon, the onion, tomato and jalapeno added a nice crunch, and the Greek yogurt was refreshing and cool. It was pretty much the perfect bite of food. We make a lot of food in the test kitchen; but this was hands down one of the best things we've made in a long time. Take our advice: make these little bites of heaven very, very soon.

And now some football picks! Going into week 7, Dad #1 still has a solid lead of 59 correct picks, and Dad #2 has 43. This weeks predictions are:

Jets vs. Patriots
Dad #1: New England
Dad #2: New England

Falcons vs. Ravens
Dad #1: Atlanta
Dad #2: Atlanta

Titans vs. Redskins
Dad #1: Washington
Dad #2: Washington

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

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

Bengals vs. Colts
Dad #1: Indy
Dad #2: Indy

Vikings vs. Bills
Dad #1: Buffalo
Dad #2: Minnesota

Dolphins vs. Bears
Dad #1: Miami
Dad #2: Chicago

Saints vs. Lions
Dad #1: Detroit
Dad #2: Detroit

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

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

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

Giants vs. Cowboys
Dad #1: Dallas
Dad #2: Dallas

49ers vs. Broncos
Dad #1: San Francisco
Dad #2: Denver

Texans vs. Steelers
Dad #1: Houston
Dad #2: Houston

Hope your weekend is full of food and fun!

Stay Cool,
The Cool Dads Crew

Kids in the Kitchen Wednesday: Sugar Cookies & Frosting

This past weekend, the smallest chef in the Wisconsin Test Kitchen had her best friend, Skye, over for a play date. The weather was warm enough the girls could spend plenty of time running in and out of the house, playing with the dogs and kicking the soccer ball around in the yard. One of our traditions when Skye comes over is to make cookies. This time we thought it would be fun to make cut out sugar cookies and frost them. 

We used a tried and true sugar cookie recipe and tried Bakerella's frosting recipe. The result was soft, sweet sugar cookies with a slight almond flavor, and frosting the girls tried to eat out of the mixing bowl. Warning: if you are so inclined to make these cookies for a play date- the dough needs to sit in the fridge for 2 hours- especially if you have little hands cutting the dough out with cookie cutters.

Sugar Cookies
Recipe courtesy of: http://www.designeatrepeat.com/2013/11/how-to-make-perfect-cut-out-sugar-cookies/
1 cup butter
1 1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 tsp. almond extract
1 tsp. baking soda
2 1/2 cups all purpose flour

Frosting
Recipe courtesy of Bakerella
1 cup butter
1 teaspoon vanilla
3 cups powdered sugar
1-2 tablespoons milk
Icing colors
Sprinkles
Cream the butter and powdered sugar together with an electric mixer.

 Once mixed, add the egg, vanilla, almond extract and baking soda. Once incorporated, add the flour in one cup portions. Once the flour is combined, remove dough from mixing bowl and place onto a floured surface. 

Knead the dough until it forms a solid ball. If the dough seems sticky, add a little extra flour. Cover the dough and refrigerate for 1-2 hours.

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. 

Use a rolling pin to roll out dough onto a lightly floured surface. You're looking to get the dough to approximately 1/2" thickness.

 After using cookie cutters to cut out cookies, place them onto a parchment lined cookie sheet and bake for 8-10 minutes, or until the edges are very lightly browned. 

Let cookies cool completely before frosting.

For frosting: Beat butter and vanilla using a mixer until creamy and smooth. 

Gradually add powdered sugar mixing until combined. Add milk and continue mix until combined. 

Tint icing and mix thoroughly.

 Decorate tops of cookies with frosting and sprinkles.

So here's a confession. The Wisconsin Test Kitchen is pretty pathetic when it comes to the cookie cutters we have available (hence, the reason Sawyer is cutting out cookies in fall with an Easter egg shaped cookie cutter), and we are even more pathetic when it comes to frosting colors and sprinkle options. Sprinkle options were non-existent, and for some reason the only food coloring color we had was green. Good thing there was a Packer game on this weekend! 

But, despite our lack of sprinkles and fun frosting colors, the girls had a great time making and decorating their own cookies, and Skye was excited to take a whole tray of cookies home to her family. All and all- it was a successful play date and Skye is already talking about our next cookie baking adventure. This is what weekends are all about- making memories with the little ones we love.

Stay Cool,
The Cool Dads Crew

Monday Meals: Thai Spiced Tomato Soup

Looking for a new take on a classic tomato soup recipe? We've got an especially tasty one for you. The Wisconsin Test Kitchen loves bold, spicy Thai flavors, and we were curious to see how coconut milk and curry paste would meld with tomato soup. The verdict? Delicious! This might be slightly spicy for little palates, but adults will find this extremely satisfying. Bonus points for this being an easy recipe to make on a weeknight.

Thai Spiced Tomato Soup
Recipe courtesy of: http://www.recipe.com/thai-spiced-tomato-soup-3/

1 medium Vidalia onion, chopped
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 tablespoons red curry paste
1 garlic clove minced
1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
2 14 ounce cans vegetable stock
1 14 ounce can coconut milk
1 28 ounce can diced tomatoes (we used fresh)
1 tablespoon packed brown sugar
Juice of two limes
1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped

In a heavy saucepan over medium heat, add oil, onion, red curry paste, garlic, and cumin seeds. Cook until onions have softened. 

Add vegetable stock, tomatoes, coconut milk, and brown sugar and simmer for 10 minutes. 

Salt and pepper to taste. Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly.
Puree soup in batches in a blender. Return soup to pot and reheat. Before serving, squeeze in lime juice and stir in cilantro.

This is exactly the soup you want to make on a cold, fall night- it's guaranteed to warm you up!

Stay Cool,

The Cool Dads Crew

Football Friday: Vegetarian Chili

I think we can all thank Bud Light for making quinoa a thing.


And it was definitely a thing this past week in the Wisconsin Test Kitchen when we used it in a pot of vegetarian chili. Quinoa is an excellent substitute for meat because it's high in protein, it's filling and it has a "meaty" texture when combined with tomatoes and beans in chili. 

Despite the fact the Wisconsin Test Kitchen is made up of serious carnivores, we loved this chili. The seasonings were excellent, and the combination of black and kidney beans was satisfying. We'll be making this again soon. 

Quinoa Chili
Recipe courtesy of: http://www.cookingclassy.com/2013/07/quinoa-chili/


2 cups cooked quinoa 
1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 large yellow onion, diced (1 3/4 cup)
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 (14.5 oz) cans diced tomatoes (we use fresh tomatoes)
1 (15 oz) can tomato sauce
1 1/2 - 2 cups vegetable stock
1 (7 oz) can diced green chiles
2 1/2 Tbsp chili powder
2 tsp ground cumin
2 tsp cocoa powder
1 1/2 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp granulated sugar
1/2 tsp ground coriander
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper, or to taste (optional)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
2 (15 oz) cans kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 (15 oz) can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 1/2 cups fresh or frozen corn



Heat olive oil in a large enameled cast iron pot over medium-high heat. Once oil is hot add onion and saute until tender, about 4 minutes, adding in garlic during last 30 seconds of sauteing. Add in diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, cooked quinoa, stock (start with 1 1/2 cups then add more later if desired), green chiles, chili powder, cumin, cocoa, paprika, sugar, coriander, cayenne pepper and season with salt and pepper to taste. 

Bring mixture just to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer, cover pot and allow to simmer 30 minutes. 

Add in beans and corn, and cook until heated through. Serve warm with optional toppings and sides (cheddar, sour cream, diced avocados, saltine crackers or tortilla chips).

In regards to football picks, Dad #1 has a pretty solid lead over Dad #2 with 48 correct predictions to 33. But, the season is still early and anything can happen. Here are this weeks predictions:

Colts vs. Texans
Dad #1: Indy
Dad #2: Indy

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

Ravens vs. Buccaneers
Dad #1: Baltimore
Dad #2: Tampa Bay

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

Lions vs. Vikings
Dad #1: Minnesota
Dad #2: Detroit

Patriots vs. Bills
Dad #1: New England
Dad #2: New England

Panthers vs. Bengals
Dad #1: Carolina
Dad #2: Cincinnati 

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

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

Bears vs. Falcons
Dad #1: Atlanta
Dad #2: Atlanta

Cowboys vs. Seahawks
Dad #1: Dallas
Dad #2: Seattle

Redskins vs. Cardinals
Dad #1: Arizona
Dad #2: Washington

Giants vs. Eagles
Dad #1: New York
Dad #2: Philadelphia 

49ers vs. Rams
Dad #1: San Francisco
Dad #2: San Francisco 

Here's to a great weekend full of football and food!

Stay Cool,
The Cool Dads Crew

Monday Meals: Pot Roast

Last week the smallest member of the Wisconsin Test Kitchen requested, "That stew..."

Thanks Sawyer, that narrows it down.

After further questioning, she elaborated it was, "The stew with the beef, and potatoes and carrots in the slow cooker."

Oh- pot roast. Thank goodness for children that request easy dinners. We recently found a new pot roast recipe we fell in love with. The seasoning was great, and the beef ended up super tender. Bonus points for the fact it included a lot of vegetables! Needless to say, it was clean plates all around after dinner last week.

Slow Cooker Pot Roast
Recipe courtesy of: http://www.aspectacledowl.com/slow-cooker-pot-roast-recipe/#_a5y_p=1287971


3lb. Beef of your choice (we went with a boneless chuck roast)
1 10.75oz can of Cream of Mushroom Soup
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1 packet of onion soup mix
1 cup of beef stock
1 large onion (sliced)
8oz fresh mushrooms (sliced)
2 cups baby carrots (or sliced whole carrots)

Place beef in slow cooker.
Whisk together garlic powder, onion soup mix, beef stock and cream of mushroom in a bowl
Pour mixture over beef and add all veggies.

Cook on low for 6-7 hours.
This is the perfect recipe to throw together in your slow cooker the night before, turn it on in the morning and come home to a warm, hearty stew. This is one of our new favorite kid tested, family approved meals. We look forward to providing you with more tasty, fall dishes as the leaves turn and the temps start to fall.

Stay Cool,
The Cool Dads Crew

Football Friday: Dutch Oven Cobbler

There's something about a warm, delicious bowl of fruit cobbler with ice cream or fresh whipped cream on top of it. And bonus points for it being healthy because it has fruit in it!

Some of you might already be familiar with this awesome cobbler recipe but it was brand new to the Arkansas Test Kitchen. Doug and his family took a trip to Little Rock recently to visit family, and stumbled upon this recipe in a cookbook at the Arkansas Game and Fish Nature Center.

Dutch Oven Cobbler

2 cans of Pie Filing of your choice (I used Apple)
1 box Yellow Cake mix
12 oz of Sprite

1. Line the Dutch Oven with Parchment Paper (this will create easier clean up)
2. Dump the 2 cans of pie filing
3. Dump the box of Yellow Cake Mix
4. Pour the Sprite on top of the cake mix, stirring it into the cake mix but not the pie filing

5. Cook at 300 degrees for 45 minutes
6. Spoon into bowls warm and top with ice cream

Sorry there weren't any pictures of the finished product, it was devoured pretty quickly. But take our word for it- this was an easy recipe that's a perfect end to a weekend of watching football.

Speaking of which, it's time for Football Friday picks! Dad #1 is still in the lead with 34 correct predictions, and Dad #2 is close behind with 26 correct predictions.

Packers vs. Vikings
Dad #1: Green Bay
Dad #2: Minnesota

Bears vs. Panthers
Dad #1: Carolina
Dad #2: Chicago

Browns vs. Titans
Dad #1: Cleveland
Dad #2: Tennessee

Eagles vs. Rams
Dad #1: Philly
Dad #2: Philly

Falcons vs. Giants
Dad #1: New York
Dad #2: Atlanta

Buccaneers vs. Saints
Dad #1: New Orleans
Dad #2: Tampa Bay
Texans vs. Cowboys
Dad #1: Dallas
Dad #2: Houston

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

Colts vs. Ravens
Dad #1: Indy
Dad #2: Indy

Steelers vs. Jaguars
Dad #1: Pittsburgh
Dad #2: Pittsburgh

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

Chiefs vs. 49ers
Dad #1: San Francisco
Dad #2: Kansas City

Jets vs.Chargers
Dad #1: San Deigo
Dad #1: New York

Patriots vs. Bengals
Dad #1: Cincinnati
Dad #2: New England
Seahawks vs. Redskins
Dad #1: Seattle
Dad #2: Seattle

Have a great weekend full of food and football!

Stay Cool,
The Cool Dads Crew