Weight Loss Wednesday: Pork Roast with Apples, Carrots & Rosemary

You read that correctly! Cool Dads Cook is introducing a new feature: Weight Loss Wednesdays. Since Doug in the Arkansas Test Kitchen is on a mission to lead a healthier lifestyle by counting calories and moving more; we thought we'd post some of the low-calorie (but delicious!) recipes he's preparing. Doug is on a mission to prove that living a healthy lifestyle doesn't mean eating bland, tasteless food. He's finding all kinds of delicious, savory recipes you're sure to love. Welcome to the first post!

Slow Cooker Pork Roast with Apple, Carrots, and Rosemary
recipe courtesy: Everyday Good Thinking
Recipe serves 10


2 Granny Smith apples (cored and each cut into 8 slices)
1 tablespoon lemon juice
4 lbs pork loin roast (boneless)
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon fresh black pepper
1 medium onion cut into eights
4 large carrots (peeled and cut 1 1/2" pieces)
1 sprig of Rosemary

1. In a bowl toss apple slices with the lemon juice and set aside
2. Season Pork Roast with the salt and pepper
3.Place half of the onions and apple slices in the bottom of the slow cooker
4. Place the pork roast on top of the apple and onions
5. Nestle the remaining apples, onions and carrots around the pork roast
6. Top the roast with the rosemary sprig
7. Cover and cook on high for 4 hours, or low for 7 to 8 hours

8. Check the meat with an instant read meat thermometer to make sure the meat has reached an internal temperature of 160 degrees
9. Allow roast to sit on a platter or cutting board for 5 - 10 minutes before cutting

Calories

Carbs

Fat

Protein

Sodium

Sugar

65

8

2

3

270

4

Dietary information calculate by Myfitnesspal

Make sure to check out Doug's fitness blog: www.bloodsweatandgears.blogspot.com for updates on his progress!

Stay Cool,
The Cool Dads Crew

Monday Meals: Dutch Baby Pancakes

Breakfast for Dinner... it's what's for dinner. Both Test Kitchens have blogged in the past about our love of pancakes and eggs for dinner; it's an easy thing to make and the Little Chefs love the novelty of it.

A few weeks ago, the Wisconsin Test Kitchen saw Alton Brown's recipe for a Dutch Baby pancake; and it was enough to get us out of bed on a cold Saturday morning to try making it. 

Several great things about a Dutch Baby pancake:

1. It's easy to make. You need to be precise with measurements and following directions, but it's easy-peasy.

2. One. Big. Pancake. It's one big pancake!!! You're not stuck standing over a griddle, flipping little pancakes while the finished product gets cold. You have ONE BIG PANCAKE!!

3. You put the Dutch Baby in the oven to bake, and literally leave it there for twenty minutes; giving you time to make fruit salad, set the table, pour juice... all the other stuff that goes along with Breakfast for Dinner. So easy for a weeknight dinner! 

Dutch Baby Pancake
Recipe courtesy of: http://altonbrown.com/dutch-baby-pancake-recipe/

Ingredients

3 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
2 1/2 ounces (72 grams) all-purpose flour, approximately 1/2 cup
3 tablespoons granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
2 large eggs, at room temperature
1/2 cup whole milk, at room temperature
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Powdered sugar, for serving
Lemon wedges, for serving

Instructions
Heat the oven to 375 degrees F.
Put 1 tablespoon of the butter in a 10-inch cast iron pan and heat the pan in the oven for 10 minutes. Melt the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter and set aside to cool slightly.

Pulse together the flour, sugar and salt in a blender of food processor. Add the eggs, milk, vanilla extract and melted butter, and blend the batter until smooth and frothy, 30 to 45 seconds.

Carefully remove the hot skillet from the oven and immediately pour the batter into the center. 

Bake for 20 minutes, do not open the oven while baking. The Dutch baby will puff up in the center and the edges will be dark and crispy.

Serve warm with a sprinkling of powdered sugar and lemon wedges for squeezing.

This was such an easy, delicious meal to prepare; and you best believe there wasn't any Dutch Baby left over! If you're looking for a new spin on Breakfast for Dinner; try this tasty, easy pancake recipe.

Stay Cool,
The Cool Dads Crew

Football Friday: One Pot Beef Stroganoff

When it comes to cooking on Football Sunday; the rules are simple:
1) The dish must be simple to prepare
2) The dish must feed a crowd of people
3) The dish must be delicious

The Wisconsin Test Kitchen tried a new recipe last week that fit all these requirements! We made a simple, one-dish Beef Stroganoff and it's the perfect dish to whip up before the games start on Football Sunday. The combination of beef stock, mushrooms and sour cream (we used Greek yogurt) made a rich, hearty dish we loved. And we only had one dish to wash after! 

One Pot Beef Stroganoff

Recipe courtesy of: http://www.tasteandtellblog.com/one-pot-ground-beef-stroganoff

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
8 oz crimini mushrooms, sliced
salt and pepper
½ cup diced onion
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 lb ground beef
2 teaspoons paprika
4 cups low sodium beef broth
8 oz dry rotini
½ cup sour cream
fresh parsley, for serving

Heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil over medium heat in a pot or large skillet. Add the mushrooms and cook until they are tender, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, then remove from the pot into a bowl and set aside.

Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil in the same pot. Add the onion, season with salt and pepper, and cook until translucent, 4-5 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook until fragrant, 30-60 seconds. Add the ground beef and continue to cook, breaking up the beef with a spoon as it cooks, until it is browned and cooked through, about 5 minutes. Sprinkle the paprika over the top and stir to combine.

Pour in the beef broth and the pasta. Bring to a light boil then cover the pot. 

Continue to cook, stirring often, until the pasta is al dente, 17-20 minutes. Remove the pot from the heat and stir in the mushrooms and sour cream.

Serve topped with fresh parsley.

We enjoyed this one-pot meal so much; we've actually made it twice in the time it took us to post this blog... which is great considering we forgot to take pictures the first time we made it! Stay tuned for more delicious, easy one-pot meals you'll love.

Stay Cool,
The Cool Dads Crew

Monday Meals: Slow Cooker Macaroni & Cheese

Happy 2016 Cool Dads Readers!! 

We're sure you've made some resolutions coming into the new year; and whether those resolutions are to eat healthier, cook more and eat out less, or stick to a budget; we have ways to help you with all of these goals.

What are your New Years resolutions? Studies show that writing your goal down and keeping it in front of you; as well as having accountability partners make you more likely to achieve your goals. Share your goals with us; and we'll help to keep our Cool Dad Community accountable!

Our first recipe of the year will help with your resolution to cook more, and stick to a budget. Our Crock Pot Macaroni and Cheese is quick to make, and budget friendly. The Arkansas Test Kitchen made it for Christmas dinner, and it was a big hit.

If you've been a long-time subscriber of our blog, you know how much we LOVE a good macaroni and cheese. If you're looking for something different, we have Mama's Mac and Cheese with three different kinds of gooey, melty cheese click here, we have a zesty green chili macaroni and cheese click here, and we have even done macaroni and cheese on the smoker click here.



Slow Cooker Macaroni and Cheese
Recipe Courtesy of http://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/slow-cooker-mac--n--cheese

Ingredients:
1 Package (16 ounces / 1 lbs) elbow macaroni
1/2 cup butter melted (1 stick)
4 cups shredded cheese (we used cheddar, but use your imagination)- divided
1 can (12 ounces) evaporated milk
1 can (10-3/4 ounces) condensed cheddar cheese soup, undiluted
1 cup 2% milk
2 large eggs beaten


1. Cook macaroni according to the package directions. We recommend cooking them slightly al dente, since they will be cooking longer in the slow cooker.
2. Melt the butter in the microwave.
3. While the macaroni is cooking, combine 3 cups shredded cheese, evaporated milk, condensed soup, 2% milk, and eggs.

4. Pour the cooked macaroni into a 5 qt slow cooker, then pour the cheese mixture on top and combine well.
5. Turn slow cooker on low for 3 - 4 hours, or until an instant read thermometer reads 160 degrees.

6. Top the cooked macaroni and cheese with the remaining 1 cup of cheese, cover and cook for another 15 minutes.
7. Serve immediately and enjoy

We can't wait to share more delicious meals with you in 2016!

Stay Cool,

The Cool Dads Crew

Monday Meals: Simple Stuffed Peppers

Green and red peppers are a staple in the Wisconsin Test Kitchen; SB loves to eat them chopped up in her lunch box every week. But last week our pepper inventory got a little out of control. We hadn't been paying attention to the produce we had been ordering; and we ended up with six green peppers. Not a bad problem to have; it just meant it was time for stuffed peppers!

We had all the ingredients in the house to make this super simple recipe; and we were able to prepare and get them on the table while quizzing SB on her fridge facts and sight words. Now that's multi-tasking!

Sorry for the lack of pictures this week; we had a slight syncing issue on our phones; and lost all our food blog pictures this week. Ugh. So, use your imagination, and take our word for it that these peppers are amazing, and really, really delicious.

Simple Stuffed Peppers
Recipe courtesy of Taste of Home

2 large green peppers
1/2 pound ground beef
1/4 cup chopped onion
1 can (15 ounces) tomato sauce, divided
1 cup cooked rice
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
1/8 teaspoon pepper

Cut tops off peppers and remove seeds. Place peppers in a large saucepan and cover with water. Bring to a boil; cook for 3 minutes. Drain and immediately place in ice water; invert on paper towels.

In a small skillet, cook beef and onion over medium heat until meat is no longer pink; drain. Remove from the heat. Stir in 1 cup tomato sauce, rice, salt, garlic powder and pepper. Spoon into peppers.

Place in an ungreased shallow 2-qt. baking dish. Drizzle with remaining tomato sauce. Cover and bake at 350° for 25-30 minutes or until peppers are tender. Yield: 2 servings.

Note: we doubled the recipe since we had so many peppers in our fridge; and it provided enough for leftovers the next day. Also- we substituted ground turkey for beef- it was a good way to cut some fat and calories from the recipe, and didn't compromise the taste. 

Again, sorry for the lack of pictures. Bear with us, and we promise to have more for you soon.

Stay Cool,
The Cool Dads Crew

Football Friday: Stuffed Meatballs

We're not sure why, but meatball subs have become the official Football Sunday food of the Wisconsin Test Kitchen. It's an easy meal to throw together, and we always make a double batch so we have enough to freeze for a meal later in the week. 

Recently, we found a recipe for cheese stuffed meatballs, and decided to put a new twist on Meatball Sunday. And bonus points for the fact the meatballs cook in the slowcooker- which gives us more time for football and less time for cooking. 

Stuffed Meatballs
Recipe courtesy of: http://lecremedelacrumb.com/2014/10/slow-cooker-mozzarella-stuffed-meatballs.html

1 pound ground beef (we used pork instead)
1 cup bread crumbs (panko or regular, Italian seasoned or plain)
1 egg + 1 egg yolk
1 teaspoon minced garlic (or 2 teaspoons garlic powder)
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
3-4 mozzarella cheese sticks (string cheese)
1 jar marinara sauce

Chop each cheese stick into half inch pieces (about 6-8 pieces for each cheese stick). Place on a plate and chill in the freezer until ready to use.

Add ground beef, bread crumbs, egg and egg yolk, garlic, onion powder, Italian seasoning and salt and pepper to a bowl. Mush the ingredients together with your hands until everything comes together.

Remove cheese from freezer. Scoop out about 4 tablespoons of meat mixture and roll into a ball. Gently push a piece of chilled mozzarella into the middle of the meatball. Roll the ball in your hands to cover the hole where the mozzarella cheese was pushed in. Place inside a greased slow cooker and repeat with remaining meat and cheese.

When all meatballs are in the slow cooker, pour a jar of marinara sauce over the top of meatballs, cover and cook on high for 1-2 hours or on low for 3-4 hours until meat it cooked through (no longer pink). The cheese may start melting out of the meatballs, that's okay.

Serve on warm hoagie rolls with extra marinara sauce. 

And now for some Football Friday picks! We've been off a few weeks, but Tristan is still holding onto his 4 point lead with 56 correct predictions this season.

Minnesota vs. Arizona
Sawyer: Cardinals
Tristan: Cardinals

Buffalo vs. Philly
Sawyer: Eagles
Tristan: Eagles

Tennessee vs. NYJ
Sawyer: Jets
Tristan: Titans

Pittsburgh vs. Cinncinati
Sawyer: Bengals
Tristan: Bengals

Indy vs. Jacksonsville
Sawyer: Jaguars
Tristan: Jaguars

San Diego vs. KC
Sawyer: Chiefs
Tristan: Chiefs

Washington vs. Chicago
Sawyer: Redskins
Tristan: Bears

Atlanta vs. Carolina
Sawyer: Falcons
Tristan: Panthers

New Orleans vs. Tampa Bay
Sawyer: Buccaneers
Tristan: Buccaneers

Detroit vs. St Louis
Sawyer: Rans
Tristan: Lions

San Francisco
Sawyer: 49ers
Tristan: Browns

Seattle vs. Baltimore
Sawyer: Ravens
Tristan: Seahawks

Oakland vs. Denver
Sawyer: Broncos
Tristan: Broncos

Dallas vs. Green Bay
Sawyer: Packers, baby
Tristan: Packers

New England vs. Houston
Sawyer: Patriots
Tristan: Patriots

NYG vs. Miami
Sawyer: Dolphins
Tristan: Dolphins

Here's hoping for a weekend full of football, fun and family!

Stay Cool,
The Cool Dads Crew

Monday Meals: Spaghetti Squash with Meat Sauce

We're back from a brief break, and we hope you and your families had a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday! The Arkansas Test Kitchen spent some time in Nashville visiting family, and sightseeing.

The Wisconsin Test Kitchen stuck close to home, but did take a day trip  to Chicago to visit the Shedd Aquarium and the Field Museum. If you get a chance to see the Mammoths and Mastodons exhibit- DO IT!!! Our little chef loved it. 

But now we're back with new recipes for the rest of 2015! After a week of eating leftover stuffing, macaroni and cheese and mashed potatoes; we were ready for something a little healthier. We felt like we needed to de-carb a little bit after our Thanksgiving feast and leftovers. Substituting squash for pasta seemed like a good place to start. 

Spaghetti Squash with Meat Sauce

1 medium sized spaghetti squash
1 jar marinara sauce
1 lb. ground turkey

Pre-heat oven to 450 degrees. Cut spaghetti squash in half, and scoop the seeds out of the inside. Bake the squash- skin side down until soft (30-45 minutes, depending on the size of the squash). Once tender, remove from the oven and let cool slightly.

While squash is cooling, brown turkey in a large frying pan. Once the meat is cooked through (no pink), drain the grease and combine with marinara sauce and let simmer until warmed through.

Once the squash is cool enough to touch, use a fork to scrape the flesh out of the skin and into a bowl. The squash should resemble spaghetti noodles. 

Combine the squash with the ground turkey and marinara sauce. Serve while still warm. 

This was a light, tasty new take on spaghetti and meat sauce, and a meal the whole family enjoyed. We served it with a kale salad and warm dinner rolls. It was a great way to sneak more produce into a meal. Give it a try next time you're looking to cut pasta out of your meal.

Stay Cool,
The Cool Dads Crew