One of the best things about Thanksgiving is all the family traditions. Whether it's Grandma's special china plates and silverware, or Mom's green bean casserole recipe, or the whole family talking about things they are thankful for- traditions are comforting.
Speaking of comforting, we wanted to share some of our favorite Thanksgiving recipes with our readers!
Rebecca in the Wisconsin Test Kitchen is known for her Macaroni & Cheese. It's thick, rich and the three different cheeses make it ridiculously creamy. It's not your standard boxed macaroni and cheese, and everyone looks forward to it every year.
If your families are anything like ours, there might be a debate over which kind of Sweet Potatoes to serve. Some families like the sweet version with marshmallows, while others prefer more of a savory dish. Whichever you'd prefer, we have them both!
Thanksgiving isn't complete without dinner rolls. While we typically "cheat" and serve sprouted grain dinner rolls from Angelic Bakehouse, we have a great recipe for you if you'd like to make your own. These No Knead Honey Rolls are easy to make, and a wonderful addition to your Thanksgiving table. And if you're looking for more carbs, our Pumpkin Scones are a great breakfast option.
If you're looking for a fresh vegetable option, Sauteed Zucchini & Squash is a great option. This is also hearty enough for any vegans or vegetarians at your dinner table.
We'd love to hear about some of your traditional recipes; leave us notes in the comments below!
Stay Cool,
The Cool Dads Crew
Tuesday, November 22, 2016
Monday, November 21, 2016
Thanksgiving Special: Pumpkin Risotto
In an increasingly contentious climate, I think we can all come together and agree on one thing: Thanksgiving is the best food holiday ever.
4 cups vegetable stock
1 cup canned pumpkin puree
2 Tbsp. unsalted butter
1 shallot, minced
1 tsp. kosher salt
1 tsp. chopped fresh thyme
1½ cups Arborio rice
1 tsp. white wine vinegar
½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
¼ cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
¼ tsp. nutmeg
Fresh ground black pepper
1 cup crumbled goat cheese
½ cup Craisins® Dried Cranberries
INSTRUCTIONS
In a medium saucepan, whisk together the stock and pumpkin over medium heat. Bring to a simmer and reduce the heat to low. Cover and keep warm.
Melt the butter in a large dutch oven or saucepan over medium heat. Once the foaming subsides, add the shallot and salt. Cook until softened, 2-3 minutes. Add the thyme and rice and cook for one minute longer.
Add the white wine vinegar and a ladle of warm stock and cook, stirring occasionally, until the liquid has evaporated. Add another ladle of stock, and continue cooking until evaporated again. Continue cooking, adding a ladle of stock at a time, and allowing to evaporate in between each addition. Cook until the rice is done, but has a bite to it, it should be creamy in texture, and will take about 20-25 minutes.
Mix in the Parmesan, half of the parsley, and nutmeg. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Top with the remaining parsley, goat cheese and dried cranberries. Serve immediately.
Ever.
Ever.
Ever.
Just saying!
And we know every family has their signature dishes they enjoy sharing: apple and sausage stuffing, macaroni and cheese, or even a special turkey brine. And while it's always fun to see old favorites on the table, sometimes it's nice to introduce a few new recipes as well! This year, we wanted to share a few seasonal recipes, as well as our old favorites.
The first one, Pumpkin Risotto is an excellent recipe to try, especially if you're looking to have a hearty dish for vegetarians. The Wisconsin Test Kitchen tried this a few weeks back, and fell in love with the rich, hearty flavor. The pumpkin taste wasn't too overwhelming, and paired perfectly with the creamy goat cheese and tart cranberries. Even SB, who is not typically Team Pumpkin loved it.
Pumpkin Risotto
Recipe courtesy of: Platings & Pairings
1 cup canned pumpkin puree
2 Tbsp. unsalted butter
1 shallot, minced
1 tsp. kosher salt
1 tsp. chopped fresh thyme
1½ cups Arborio rice
1 tsp. white wine vinegar
½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
¼ cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
¼ tsp. nutmeg
Fresh ground black pepper
1 cup crumbled goat cheese
½ cup Craisins® Dried Cranberries
INSTRUCTIONS
In a medium saucepan, whisk together the stock and pumpkin over medium heat. Bring to a simmer and reduce the heat to low. Cover and keep warm.
Melt the butter in a large dutch oven or saucepan over medium heat. Once the foaming subsides, add the shallot and salt. Cook until softened, 2-3 minutes. Add the thyme and rice and cook for one minute longer.
Add the white wine vinegar and a ladle of warm stock and cook, stirring occasionally, until the liquid has evaporated. Add another ladle of stock, and continue cooking until evaporated again. Continue cooking, adding a ladle of stock at a time, and allowing to evaporate in between each addition. Cook until the rice is done, but has a bite to it, it should be creamy in texture, and will take about 20-25 minutes.
Mix in the Parmesan, half of the parsley, and nutmeg. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Top with the remaining parsley, goat cheese and dried cranberries. Serve immediately.
We'll be back tomorrow with some of our favorite traditional Thanksgiving recipes. Let us know in the comments some dishes you love making for the holidays.
Stay Cool,
The Cool Dads Crew
Friday, November 18, 2016
Football Friday: Stuffed Acorn Squash
The Wisconsin Test Kitchen loves lazy weekend recipes. We love having a glass of wine, and experimenting with new recipes. We aren't as rushed as we normally are during the week, and we can take the time to play with recipes and modify them to our liking. That's exactly what we did last weekend with a delicious Stuffed Squash recipe. We recommend this as a Football Friday recipe, because this squash is even more delicious reheated the next day! Make this on Saturday, and enjoy while watching football on Sunday!
All members of the test kitchen loved this recipe: the sausage and squash, and the crunchy apples added a hint of sweetness. It worked on every level.
Stuffed Acorn Squash
Recipe courtesy of: The Pretend Baker
INGREDIENTS
2 medium acorn squashes
2 TBSP butter + more if necessary
1 lb salt + pepper pork sausage, casings removed
1 large sweet onion
3 cloves of garlic, minced
2 large stalks of celery, diced
1 medium apple, peeled, cored and diced
½ lb cremini mushrooms, cleaned and sliced small
1 TBSP fresh thyme leaves
½ TBSP rosemary leaves, minced
1 TBSP fresh sage leaves, minced
1 large egg, beaten
salt and pepper, to taste
¾ cup shredded white cheddar, mozzarella or gruyere cheese
Preheat oven to 400F
Cut squashes in half, remove the seeds and place on a baking dish, cut side down and roast for 30-45 minutes or until flesh is easily pierced. Remove from oven, turn the temperature down to 375F, flip over and allow to cool until you are able to handle it.
Meanwhile, heat a large, deep skillet over medium-high heat, cook sausage until browned. Remove sausage to a plate.
Add 1 tbsp of butter to the skillet along with the minced onion, celery and chopped apple. Add a generous pinch of salt and cook, stirring frequently until onion is translucent and apple is soft.
Add garlic and minced herbs and saute for 30 seconds.
Remove onion and garlic mixture and add to sausage.
When squash is cool enough to handle, scoop out most of the flesh, leaving some in the skin for sturdiness.
Add squash flesh to the pan and stir until well incorporated. Taste, adjust salt and pepper.
Mix in beaten egg and fill squash halves. You may have leftover filling- just add it to an oven safe dish.
Top with shredded cheese, return to the oven on the same baking sheet and bake for 15-20 minutes or until cheese is bubbly and brown.
Let stand 10 minutes before serving.
All members of the test kitchen loved this recipe: the sausage and squash, and the crunchy apples added a hint of sweetness. It worked on every level.
Stuffed Acorn Squash
Recipe courtesy of: The Pretend Baker
INGREDIENTS
2 medium acorn squashes
2 TBSP butter + more if necessary
1 lb salt + pepper pork sausage, casings removed
1 large sweet onion
3 cloves of garlic, minced
2 large stalks of celery, diced
1 medium apple, peeled, cored and diced
½ lb cremini mushrooms, cleaned and sliced small
1 TBSP fresh thyme leaves
½ TBSP rosemary leaves, minced
1 TBSP fresh sage leaves, minced
1 large egg, beaten
salt and pepper, to taste
¾ cup shredded white cheddar, mozzarella or gruyere cheese
Preheat oven to 400F
Cut squashes in half, remove the seeds and place on a baking dish, cut side down and roast for 30-45 minutes or until flesh is easily pierced. Remove from oven, turn the temperature down to 375F, flip over and allow to cool until you are able to handle it.
Meanwhile, heat a large, deep skillet over medium-high heat, cook sausage until browned. Remove sausage to a plate.
Add 1 tbsp of butter to the skillet along with the minced onion, celery and chopped apple. Add a generous pinch of salt and cook, stirring frequently until onion is translucent and apple is soft.
Add garlic and minced herbs and saute for 30 seconds.
Remove onion and garlic mixture and add to sausage.
Add remaining butter and mushrooms along with another pinch of salt.
Cook, stirring every so often until brown and buttery, about 5-8 minutes.
Return onion/apple mixture to the skillet along with cooked sausage and all accumulated juices.
When squash is cool enough to handle, scoop out most of the flesh, leaving some in the skin for sturdiness.
Add squash flesh to the pan and stir until well incorporated. Taste, adjust salt and pepper.
Mix in beaten egg and fill squash halves. You may have leftover filling- just add it to an oven safe dish.
Top with shredded cheese, return to the oven on the same baking sheet and bake for 15-20 minutes or until cheese is bubbly and brown.
Let stand 10 minutes before serving.
And now Football Picks! Going into this week, Tristan is still in the lead with 57 correct picks, and Sawyer has 53. Here are our week 11 predictions:
New Orleans vs. Carolina
Tristan: Carolina
Sawyer: Carolina
Arizona vs. Minnesota
Tristan: Vikings
Sawyer: Cardinals
Buffalo vs. Cincinnati
Tristan: Bills
Sawyer: Bengals
Chicago vs. NYG
Tristan: Giants
Sawyer: Giants
Pittsburgh vs. Cleveland
Tristan: Steelers
Sawyer: Steelers
Tampa Bay vs. Kansas City
Tristan: Chiefs
Sawyer: Chiefs
Baltimore vs. Dallas
Tristan: Cowboys
Sawyer: Ravens
Jacksonville vs. Detroit
Tristan: Lions
Sawyer: Jaguars
Tennessee vs. Indy
Tristan: Titans
Sawyer: Colts
Miami vs. LA
Tristan: Rams
Sawyer: Rams
New England vs. San Francisco
Tristan: Patriots
Sawyer: Patriots
Philly vs. Seattle
Tristan: Eagles
Sawyer: Seahawks
Green Bay vs. Washington
Tristan: Packers
Sawyer: Packers
Houston vs. Oakland
Tristan: Raiders
Sawyer: Raiders
We hope your weekend is full of family, fun and football. And stay tuned! We have some new holiday themed recipes on deck for you next week!
Stay Cool,
The Cool Dads Crew
New Orleans vs. Carolina
Tristan: Carolina
Sawyer: Carolina
Arizona vs. Minnesota
Tristan: Vikings
Sawyer: Cardinals
Buffalo vs. Cincinnati
Tristan: Bills
Sawyer: Bengals
Chicago vs. NYG
Tristan: Giants
Sawyer: Giants
Pittsburgh vs. Cleveland
Tristan: Steelers
Sawyer: Steelers
Tampa Bay vs. Kansas City
Tristan: Chiefs
Sawyer: Chiefs
Baltimore vs. Dallas
Tristan: Cowboys
Sawyer: Ravens
Jacksonville vs. Detroit
Tristan: Lions
Sawyer: Jaguars
Tennessee vs. Indy
Tristan: Titans
Sawyer: Colts
Miami vs. LA
Tristan: Rams
Sawyer: Rams
New England vs. San Francisco
Tristan: Patriots
Sawyer: Patriots
Philly vs. Seattle
Tristan: Eagles
Sawyer: Seahawks
Green Bay vs. Washington
Tristan: Packers
Sawyer: Packers
Houston vs. Oakland
Tristan: Raiders
Sawyer: Raiders
We hope your weekend is full of family, fun and football. And stay tuned! We have some new holiday themed recipes on deck for you next week!
Stay Cool,
The Cool Dads Crew
Monday, November 14, 2016
Monday Meals: Teriyaki Salmon with Sriracha Cream Sauce
The Wisconsin Test Kitchen has salmon on the menu at least once every two weeks. It's a great source of protein that SB won't fight us on eating. But she's a pretty clean eater and likes her salmon brushed with olive oil and a little bit of sea salt. We've gotten pretty burned out on plain salmon and were looking for some new ideas.
Rebecca had pinned a recipe for salmon with sriracha cream sauce a few months back, and we had all the ingredients to make it happen. Obviously we kept SB's salmon plain (sriracha is too spicy for her little palate), but the adults enjoyed it. We served the salmon over sauteed spinach, which helped to dull the heat a little.
Note from the Test Kitchen: you can make your own teriyaki marinade for the salmon (recipe below), or you can use a bottled version. We're big fans of the Soy Vay brand.
Teriyaki Salmon with Sriracha Cream Sauce
Recipe courtesy of: Damn Delicious
INGREDIENTS:
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1/4 cup reduced sodium soy sauce
1/4 cup brown sugar, packed
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
2 tablespoons honey
4 (5-ounce) salmon fillets
FOR THE SRIRACHA CREAM SAUCE
1/2 cup mayonnaise
2-3 tablespoons Sriracha*
1 1/2 tablespoons sweetened condensed milk
DIRECTIONS:
To make the Sriracha cream sauce, whisk together mayonnaise, 2 tablespoons Sriracha and condensed milk in a small bowl; set aside.
In a small bowl, whisk together cornstarch and 1/4 cup water; set aside.
In a small saucepan over medium heat, add soy sauce, brown sugar, ginger, garlic powder, honey and 1 cup water; bring to a simmer. Stir in cornstarch mixture until thickened enough to coat the back of a spoon, about 2 minutes; let cool to room temperature.
In a gallon size Ziploc bag or large bowl, combine teriyaki marinade and salmon filets; marinate for at least 30 minutes to overnight, turning the bag occasionally.
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Lightly coat an 8×8 baking dish with nonstick spray.
Place salmon filets along with the marinade into the prepared baking dish and bake until the fish flakes easily with a fork, about 20 minutes.
Serve salmon immediately with Sriracha cream sauce.
Rebecca had pinned a recipe for salmon with sriracha cream sauce a few months back, and we had all the ingredients to make it happen. Obviously we kept SB's salmon plain (sriracha is too spicy for her little palate), but the adults enjoyed it. We served the salmon over sauteed spinach, which helped to dull the heat a little.
Note from the Test Kitchen: you can make your own teriyaki marinade for the salmon (recipe below), or you can use a bottled version. We're big fans of the Soy Vay brand.
Teriyaki Salmon with Sriracha Cream Sauce
Recipe courtesy of: Damn Delicious
INGREDIENTS:
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1/4 cup reduced sodium soy sauce
1/4 cup brown sugar, packed
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
2 tablespoons honey
4 (5-ounce) salmon fillets
FOR THE SRIRACHA CREAM SAUCE
1/2 cup mayonnaise
2-3 tablespoons Sriracha*
1 1/2 tablespoons sweetened condensed milk
DIRECTIONS:
To make the Sriracha cream sauce, whisk together mayonnaise, 2 tablespoons Sriracha and condensed milk in a small bowl; set aside.
In a small bowl, whisk together cornstarch and 1/4 cup water; set aside.
In a small saucepan over medium heat, add soy sauce, brown sugar, ginger, garlic powder, honey and 1 cup water; bring to a simmer. Stir in cornstarch mixture until thickened enough to coat the back of a spoon, about 2 minutes; let cool to room temperature.
In a gallon size Ziploc bag or large bowl, combine teriyaki marinade and salmon filets; marinate for at least 30 minutes to overnight, turning the bag occasionally.
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Lightly coat an 8×8 baking dish with nonstick spray.
Place salmon filets along with the marinade into the prepared baking dish and bake until the fish flakes easily with a fork, about 20 minutes.
Serve salmon immediately with Sriracha cream sauce.
When it comes to weeknight recipes, it doesn't get any easier than this. And it can be easily adapted for little kids- they can have the marinated salmon sans the sriracha cream sauce. Give it a try and let us know what you think!
Stay Cool,
The Cool Dads Crew
The Cool Dads Crew
Friday, November 4, 2016
Football Friday: Balsamic Chicken
Do you ever see the ingredients for a recipe and wonder, "Huh. How is that going to work?" That was pretty much the reaction of the Wisconsin Test Kitchen when we recently stumbled upon a recipe for Balsamic Chicken. The recipe was easy enough- chicken, salsa and balsamic vinegar. But how was it going to taste? We were intrigued enough to try it.
The end result was awesome! So awesome in fact, even SB enjoyed it. And she's notoriously picky when it comes to ingredients being mixed together. Two servings of Balsamic Chicken later- and she deemed the recipe a winner. It was another night where Kevin almost didn't get dinner...
SB ate the chicken plain with a side of carrots, while Rebecca had it wrapped in lettuce leaves (she's still all about that Whole30 life!); and Kevin had it wrapped in Angelic Bakehouse sprouted grain wraps. The chicken was juicy, flavorful, and the balsamic added a nice tangy element.
Based on how easy this meal was to make, it's the perfect game day recipe. Throw the ingredients in the slow cooker, and by the late afternoon games, you've got the perfect filling for a sandwich, or served over rice or quinoa. YUM!
Balsamic Chicken
2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs
1 16oz jar salsa
1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
Combine the salsa and balsamic vinegar. Place the chicken in the bottom of the slow cooker, and top with the salsa mixture.
Cook on low for 4 hours. Once chicken is cooked all the way through, remove from slow cooker, and shred using two forks. Return to the slow cooker and combine with the sauce. Serve warm.
Now it's time for our Football Friday picks! Tristan has now taken the lead with 48 correct picks, to Sawyer's 46 correct picks. Here we go for week 9!
Atlanta vs. Tampa Bay
Tristan: Falcons
Sawyer: Falcons
Detroit vs. Minnesota
Tristan: Lions
Sawyer: Vikings
Pittsburgh vs. Baltimore
Tristan: Ravens
Sawyer: Ravens
NYJ vs. Miami
Tristan: Dolphins
Sawyer: Dolphins
Dallas vs. Cleveland
Tristan: Cowboys
Sawyer: Cowboys
Jacksonville vs. Kansas City
Tristan: Chiefs
Sawyer: Jaguars
Philadelphia vs. NYG
Tristan: Eagles
Sawyer: Eagles
Carolina vs. LA
Tristan: Rams
Sawyer: Rams
New Orleans vs. San Francisco
Tristan: Saints
Sawyer: Saints
Tennessee vs. San Diego
Tristan: Titans
Sawyer: Chargers
Indy vs. Green Bay
Tristan: Packers
Sawyer: Packers
Denver vs. Oakland
Tristan: Raiders
Sawyer: Broncos
Buffalo vs. Seattle
Tristan: Seahawks
Sawyer: Seahawks
Hope your weekend is full of football, family and food!
Stay Cool,
The Cool Dads Crew
The end result was awesome! So awesome in fact, even SB enjoyed it. And she's notoriously picky when it comes to ingredients being mixed together. Two servings of Balsamic Chicken later- and she deemed the recipe a winner. It was another night where Kevin almost didn't get dinner...
SB ate the chicken plain with a side of carrots, while Rebecca had it wrapped in lettuce leaves (she's still all about that Whole30 life!); and Kevin had it wrapped in Angelic Bakehouse sprouted grain wraps. The chicken was juicy, flavorful, and the balsamic added a nice tangy element.
Based on how easy this meal was to make, it's the perfect game day recipe. Throw the ingredients in the slow cooker, and by the late afternoon games, you've got the perfect filling for a sandwich, or served over rice or quinoa. YUM!
Balsamic Chicken
2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs
1 16oz jar salsa
1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
Combine the salsa and balsamic vinegar. Place the chicken in the bottom of the slow cooker, and top with the salsa mixture.
Cook on low for 4 hours. Once chicken is cooked all the way through, remove from slow cooker, and shred using two forks. Return to the slow cooker and combine with the sauce. Serve warm.
Now it's time for our Football Friday picks! Tristan has now taken the lead with 48 correct picks, to Sawyer's 46 correct picks. Here we go for week 9!
Atlanta vs. Tampa Bay
Tristan: Falcons
Sawyer: Falcons
Detroit vs. Minnesota
Tristan: Lions
Sawyer: Vikings
Pittsburgh vs. Baltimore
Tristan: Ravens
Sawyer: Ravens
NYJ vs. Miami
Tristan: Dolphins
Sawyer: Dolphins
Dallas vs. Cleveland
Tristan: Cowboys
Sawyer: Cowboys
Jacksonville vs. Kansas City
Tristan: Chiefs
Sawyer: Jaguars
Philadelphia vs. NYG
Tristan: Eagles
Sawyer: Eagles
Carolina vs. LA
Tristan: Rams
Sawyer: Rams
New Orleans vs. San Francisco
Tristan: Saints
Sawyer: Saints
Tennessee vs. San Diego
Tristan: Titans
Sawyer: Chargers
Indy vs. Green Bay
Tristan: Packers
Sawyer: Packers
Denver vs. Oakland
Tristan: Raiders
Sawyer: Broncos
Buffalo vs. Seattle
Tristan: Seahawks
Sawyer: Seahawks
Hope your weekend is full of football, family and food!
Stay Cool,
The Cool Dads Crew
Wednesday, November 2, 2016
Kids in the Kitchen Wednesday: A Recap
One of the main reasons we developed Cool Dads Cook, was to get kids into the kitchen, cooking more and allowing them to have pride in the food they prepare. IE: preventing them from eating the same boring chicken nuggets and buttered noodles all the time. We've found that the more active kids are in cooking, the more likely they are to want to try new and different kinds of food.
We haven't had as many Kids in the Kitchen posts lately, because our kids have been super busy! But, here are some of our favorites we've posted over the last 3 years!
Our first ever Kids in the Kitchen post was Melt in Your Mouth Meatballs and Cauliflower Puree. These are still dishes the Wisconsin Test Kitchen makes to this day. If you're looking for another way to get veggies into your kids diets, this Cauliflower Puree is ideal; it's a great substitution for mashed potatoes.
Strawberry Muffins are another great way to get fruit into your kids diet- first thing in the morning. These muffins are a great grab-and-go breakfast idea.
Homemade Fruit Snacks was a really popular post! We are all about finding out how to make snacks at home, and not spend money on individual packaged food from the store. Making fruit snacks is a really fun activity for the kids to help with!
Indoor S'mores!!! It's getting colder out, and bonfire season is almost behind us. But we taught our readers how to make their own s'more makers. This is a fun activity and snack for the kids to try.
Butter Beer was a nod to all our Harry Potter fans out there. This was a delicious beverage- without the trip to Hogsmeade to enjoy it!
We'll be back soon with new recipes and ideas to keep your little ones in the kitchen with you.
Stay Cool,
The Cool Dads Crew
We haven't had as many Kids in the Kitchen posts lately, because our kids have been super busy! But, here are some of our favorites we've posted over the last 3 years!
Our first ever Kids in the Kitchen post was Melt in Your Mouth Meatballs and Cauliflower Puree. These are still dishes the Wisconsin Test Kitchen makes to this day. If you're looking for another way to get veggies into your kids diets, this Cauliflower Puree is ideal; it's a great substitution for mashed potatoes.
Strawberry Muffins are another great way to get fruit into your kids diet- first thing in the morning. These muffins are a great grab-and-go breakfast idea.
Homemade Fruit Snacks was a really popular post! We are all about finding out how to make snacks at home, and not spend money on individual packaged food from the store. Making fruit snacks is a really fun activity for the kids to help with!
Indoor S'mores!!! It's getting colder out, and bonfire season is almost behind us. But we taught our readers how to make their own s'more makers. This is a fun activity and snack for the kids to try.
Butter Beer was a nod to all our Harry Potter fans out there. This was a delicious beverage- without the trip to Hogsmeade to enjoy it!
We'll be back soon with new recipes and ideas to keep your little ones in the kitchen with you.
Stay Cool,
The Cool Dads Crew
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