Friday FUNdamentals: Scalloped Potaotes & Ham

The Wisconsin Test Kitchen is both frugal and thrifty: and our number one pet peeve is wasting food. This is why we turn left over bread and buns into breadcrumbs, we save chicken carcasses and freeze them to make stock for soup, and we throw A LOT of food into our freezer to be used at a later date.

Some Sundays we go to the Italian deli near our house for hot ham and rolls- and we usually end up with WAY too much ham. We don't want to throw it away; so it's the perfect excuse to make scalloped potatoes and ham! Note: hold onto this recipe around Easter time! This is an easy weeknight meal to throw together, and with a side dish of vegetables (we like our ham and potatoes with a side of fresh green beans).

Cool Dads Scalloped Potatoes & Ham

1 box scalloped potatoes
1-1.5 cups diced, cooked ham (you can use lunchmeat if you have it, or buy a pre-cooked ham steak from the meat department of your grocery store and dice it up).
Ingredients called for on the scalloped potato box: usually milk, butter and water

Pre-heat oven according to package directions (usually 350-400 degrees).

Dice ham. We recommend 1-1.5 cups of ham, depending on how you prefer your ratio of meat to potatoes. In the Wisconsin Test Kitchen we like a lot of meat. What can we say... it's been a long winter.

Also? When we made this, we doubled our recipe, so don't panic if our pan looks bigger than yours.

Prepare potatoes according to package directions. If you're making one box, use an 8"x8" pan; if you're doubling, use a 9"x13" pan.

Stir in ham. Bake according to package directions (usually 35-40 minutes). The ham and potatoes will be done when the cheese has turned a golden color, and the consistency of the cheese sauce is thick.

This is seriously one of the easiest casseroles you'll ever make, and your family will love it. Thanks for checking out another week of Friday FUNdamentals; we hope we're making you look like a Rock Star in the kitchen.

Stay Cool,
The Cool Dads Crew

Kids in the Kitchen Wednesday: Indoor S'mores

Yes, you read that right: s'mores are no longer just for campfires. With the cold, wet weather we've been having all over the country; you're about to love us for this one. Not only is it a delicious snack; it's also a craft you can make with your little ones!  

One of the best part about being a parent is getting to spend quality time with your little ones, and this week in the Arkansas Test kitchen it was less about cooking and more about building the s'mores maker.
 

Here are the supplies you need for the s'mores maker:
(1) 7 1/2" grilling plank (the ones that I purchased was 15", so I cut it in half)
(4) 1/4"-20X2 1/2" flat head screws
(4) nuts for above screw
(4) cap nuts for screws
(1) metal 2 oz. condiment cups like these at amazon (you can also find them in the cookware section of your grocery store)
(1) can high heat spray paint

Adult Instructions:
1. Measure your board to find the center
2. Cut a hole in the center of the board approx. 1/4" smaller than the cup. I used a 2" hole saw
3. Measure 1/2" from the bottom of the board and the side of the board on both sides and mark these locations
4. Measure 1/2" from the top of the board and the side of the board on both sides and mark these locations
5. Using a 1/4" drill bite drill all four marks
6. After all 4 holes are drilled out, spray paint the board with high heat spray paint on both sides
7. Spray at least 2 coats of paint per side
8. Allow the paint to dry for one hour between coats

 

Cool Dads Tip: any time you use power tools- wear the appropriate protective equipment! For this project, you'll need safety glasses.

 

 Kid Instructions:1. After the board has completely dried, place screws in all four corners of the board, and tighten the nuts
2. Place the cap nut on the end of the screw
3. Place metal cup in the center hole.

 
How to use the indoor s'mores maker:
1. Break 5 - 10 toothpicks in half and place in the cup
2. Use a lighter to light the toothpicks on fire
3. Roast marshmallow to your preference (burned is a totally acceptable way to eat s'mores)
4. Place roasted marshmallow on a graham cracker with a piece of chocolate.
5. Eat and enjoy.

  

Notes from the Test Kitchen
1. It's best to do this on the stove under the exhaust fan
2. If at all possible, use locking nuts for the screws
3. The toothpicks will burn quickly- you'll only be able to roast one marshmallow per cup of toothpicks. Have plenty on hand.

We hope you enjoy this craft and snack and much as we enjoyed sharing it with you. Feel free to take pictures of your s'mores makers and your little chefs- we'd love to see your results!

Stay Cool,
The Cool Dads Crew

Monday Meals: One Dish Enchilada Pasta

So allow us to pull back the curtain in the Test Kitchens. We scour cookbooks and Pinterest for recipe ideas; we decide on a recipe that sounds delicious, and we prepare it while taking copious pictures and notes. Simple enough, right? Not always.

This past week we had decided today's Monday Meals post was going to be a cheeseburger skillet meal. We prepared the meal on Saturday night while taking pictures and making notes. The meal was finished; and the best way to describe it was, 'gloopy'. It was a thick mess of noodles, hamburger meat and thick, gluey cheese sauce. Needless to say, it wasn't Cool Dads worthy.

However, the Enchilada Pasta we prepared last week (and of course took no pictures of) was delicious and is now added into our regular recipe rotation. So we're sharing that one instead. Sans pictures, of course. We did include a link to the original recipe if you're visual and need the pictures.

One Dish Enchilada Pasta

2 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil

2 cloves of garlic, minced

1/2 of a small onion, diced

1.25 pounds of taco seasoned ground turkey meat or 1.25 pounds of lean ground beef and packet of low-sodium taco seasoning

2 cups of low-sodium chicken broth

1 19oz can of red enchilada sauce

8oz (about 2 1/2 cups) of dried rotini pasta

2 cups of freshly shredded Colby Jack cheese

green onions

black olives

 

Instructions

1. In a large skillet or sauté pan, sauté garlic and onions in olive oil over medium low heat until softened.
2. Add ground turkey meat and cook, breaking meat up with a wooden spoon until browned.
3. Once turkey meat is cooked through, add pasta, chicken broth and enchilada sauce to pan.
4. Bring to a boil, then reduced heat to low and cover.
5. Cook on low, with pan covered for about 15 minutes.
6. Then remove lid and let simmer for additional 5 minutes until pasta is tender and sauce has reduced.
7. Remove from heat and stir in 1 cup of cheese.
8. Top pasta with additional cup of cheese and melt under broiler for a minute or tow, or place lid back on pan and let heat from the pasta melt the cheese.
9. Garnish with black olives and green onions.

Recipe courtesy of: http://www.number-2-pencil.com/2013/12/09/one-pan-enchilada-pasta/

 

Notes from the Test Kitchen

 

Is this the most authentic Mexican meal you're ever going to have in your life? Of course not- it's made in one pan! But, if you're looking to avoid the hassle of stuffing enchiladas and you want to get dinner on the table in under an hour- this is your meal.

 

That being said, it's really, really delicious. It has all the spicy, cheesy flavors you'd expect from enchiladas, just without all the work that goes along with it. If you're craving Mexican food, this is the perfect weeknight meal for you and your family.

 

Stay Cool,
The Cool Dads Crew

 

Friday FUNdamentals: Meatloaf

It doesn't get much more 'all American' than meatloaf. Meatloaf is kind of a blank slate- you can use whatever kind of ground meat you want (beef, pork, lamb); and can add everything from cheese, to bbq sauce to vegetables. There are even adorable little meatloaf cupcakes you can make with mashed potato 'frosting' on top.

That's too cutesy for the Cool Dads Crew. We just want to give you a solid meatloaf recipe that will impress others. This is a basic, tried and true recipe that will satisfy the pickiest of palates. Sawyer in the Wisconsin Test Kitchen even announced, "I love when you make meatloaf- it's my favorite meal of the week!" We don't know where this recipe originated from, but we've been making it for so long we've just claimed the recipe as our own.

Mama's Meatloaf

2 eggs

1/2 cup ketchup

1 cup bread crumbs

1 envelope onion soup mix

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1 Tablespoon minced garlic

2 pounds ground beef

1/2 cup ketchup for top

 

Preheat oven to 350. 

Wisk eggs and 1/2 cup ketchup. 

 

 

 

Stir in bread crumbs, soup mix, pepper and garlic. 

 

 

 

Add meat and mix. At this point, it's completely acceptable to mix in the meat using your hands (wash your hands first). Don't overwork the meat too much, or you're going to end up with dry meatloaf. Work all the ingredients together until they're well combined. Form into 8 loaves. 
Arrange in a 15x10x1 foil lined pan. Make sure to wash your hands really well after this step. Remember: one of the Cool Dads Rules is to prevent cross contamination!

 

 

 

Bake until internal temp is 160.  About 25 minutes. 

 

 

 Let stand 10 minutes.  This is important! When you initially remove the meatloaves from the oven, the texture might not seem right (it may still seem raw). This is why it's important to take the temperature and let the loaves rest for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes the meat will "firm up" a little. Spoon ketchup over meat loaf. 

 

 

Notes from the test kitchen:

 

1) The original recipe calls for two pounds of ground beef. Feel free to mix it up- we use a pound of ground beef and a pound of ground pork. You can totally keep it simple and just use two pounds of ground beef.

 

2) Notice how the baking sheet we used has edges on it? This is important... if you don't pay attention to another detail, please pay attention to this one. Use a cookie sheet or baking dish with edges. Meatloaf creates a crazy amount of grease; and you DO NOT want to create a grease fire in your oven. Please, use a baking implement with edges.

 

3) For all you Sconnies out there... we used a super secret ingredient last time we made meatloaf. Instead of ketchup, we used Secret Stadium Sauce. It was absolutely delicious. We can't recommend that substitution enough.

 

4) We served our meatloaf with some of our cheddar bread, sautéed swiss chard and steamed green beans. You can go traditional and make mashed potatoes, or go a little healthier and serve it with steamed veggies- the choice is up to you.

 

No matter what you serve the meatloaf with; please know it's going to be the star of the meal. This is one of those easy, delicious meals that will satisfy everyone.

 

We hope you're enjoying Friday FUNdamentals as much as we are!

 

Stay Cool,
The Cool Dads Crew

Kids in the Kitchen Wednesday: Homemade Fruit Snacks

We trusted Doug in the Arkansas Test Kitchen with our Kids in the Kitchen blog for this week. Best believe he knocked this one out of the park!

Doug says: What's the one thing that my son will eat? that's right GUMMIES (or, fruit snacks). The problem is, sometimes you don't know what the actual ingredients are, how much sugar are in one little pack, or a thousand other questions. There is a simple way to answer all of these questions: just make them yourself! Even better: make them with help from your little chef! As Tristan said it's "Tristan in the Kitchen Day".  I will tell you the only negative aspect of making your own gummies: the wait time! 

 

Gummies
6 oz of your favorite Jell-O flavoring (we used Berry Blue)
3 packets Knox Gelatin
2/3 Cup of Water
Favorite Candy / Jell-O Mold
 

1. Pour Jell-O, gelatin packets and water into a sauce pan
2. Allow it to sit for 10 minutes

3. Place sauce pan on stove over medium high heat for 5 minutes stirring constantly

4. Pour syrupy mixture into a measuring cup (this makes it easier to pour into the molds)
5. Pour syrupy mixture into molds.
6. Allow to set up for at least 30 minutes- I allowed them to sit up for 1 hour.

7. They are a little difficult to get out of the molds. Take your finger and gently but firmly pull the gummy away from the mold
8. Place gummies on a sheet of parchment paper and allow to continue to sit for another couple of hours

There you have it- homemade fruit snacks without the list of strange sounding ingredients. This is one recipe your little ones are going to love helping with!

Stay Cool,
The Cool Dads Crew

 

Monday Meals: Chicken Parmesan Bake

The Wisconsin Test Kitchen is finally settling into the groove of having two working parents again. It's taken some time to adjust, but we think we're finally there. We've been blessed with a wonderful nanny, a cooperative child, and jobs with some scheduling flexibility. All and all- things could be a lot worse.

One of the things we're still struggling with is our evening schedule. We're trying to find meals that are quick to prepare and clean up after- so we can get teeth brushed, a chapter of Captain Underpants read; and Sawyer in bed by 8pm. Otherwise she's a cranky mess in the morning.

We made a one dish Chicken Parmesan a few weeks ago that met all of our week day meal requirements: quick to prepare, delicious, easy to clean up after, and yields enough for leftovers the next day.

Chicken Parmesan Baked Pasta
Recipe courtesy of http://traceysculinaryadventures.com/2013/03/chicken-parmesan-baked-pasta.html

1 (28 oz) can whole peeled tomatoes (we used fresh tomatoes instead of canned)
1 tablespoon olive oil
6 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
2 cups water
1 – 1 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
12 oz. pasta (we used shells)
2 oz. (about 1 cup) grated Parmesan cheese, divided
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
4 oz. (about 1 cup) shredded mozzarella cheese
1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cooked and cut into bite-sized pieces
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil

Preheat the oven to 475 F.
Add the tomatoes to the bowl of your food processor and pulse until coarsely chopped, about 10 pulses. Note: if you use fresh tomatoes like we did, just dice them up.

Take a large Dutch oven and place it over medium heat on the stove. Add the oil, garlic, oregano, red pepper flakes, and salt and cook just until fragrant, about 1 minute.

Add the chopped tomatoes, the water, 1 cup of the chicken broth, and the pasta to the pan, stirring to combine. Bring the mixture to a vigorous simmer, then cover the pan and continue simmering (you may need to reduce the heat slightly) until the pasta is tender, about 16-18 minutes. Stir the pasta frequently as it cooks.

Once tender, remove the cover and stir in 3/4 cup of the Parmesan cheese, the pepper, and the chicken. Season to taste with additional salt and pepper if necessary. If the mixture seems dry, mix in as much of the remaining 1/2 cup of chicken broth as needed to loosen it up (I didn’t add any of it).

Sprinkle the top evenly with the mozzarella cheese and the remaining Parmesan cheese.

Transfer the pan to the oven and bake for 5-10 minutes, or until the cheese has melted and bubbles around the edges. Garnish with the basil then serve.

The end result was an incredibly satisfying dinner we all enjoyed. It had all the cheesy, delicious elements you enjoy in Chicken Parmesan, and it only took a fraction of the time to make. It was such a quick meal we even had time for an extra chapter of Captain Underpants. Now that's a good night!

Stay Cool,
The Cool Dads Crew

Friday FUNdamentals: Crock Pot 101

As a Cool Dad who cooks; you have a lot of awesome tools at your disposal. One of the most helpful things you'll ever cook with is your crock pot.

We're about to share a secret with you.

Are you ready?

Ready?

It's almost impossible to screw up a crock pot meal. Seriously. I mean, you can try... but the Cool Dads Crew doesn't endorse that idea. Crock pot cooking is almost fool-proof; you dump a bunch of ingredients into it, set the timer and anywhere from 4-8 hours later- you have a warm, delicious meal for your family.

Seriously Cool Dads: make the crock pot your friend. If you don't own one, go out and buy one. They're fairly inexpensive, and you can buy them just about anywhere. Once you've  procured your new crock pot, you can make pork chops!

Cool Dad Creamy Mushroom & Onion Pork Chops
4-5 bone-in pork chops
2 cans cream of mushroom soup
2 large onions

Slice onions and place them in the bottom of the crock pot.

Place the raw pork chops on top of the onions.

Open the cans of soup. Using a spatula, spread the soup mixture over the pork chops (no need to add water).

Cover the crock pot, and set the timer to high for 3 hours, or low for 6 hours. No need to stir, combine or check the temperature. Seriously. Just leave it alone and let it cook. Note about the crock pot timer: you don't have to remove the food as soon as the timer goes off; the crock pot will have a 'warm' setting that will keep your food warm (but not continue to cook it), until you're ready to eat. So, start the crock pot in the morning before you leave for work; and you'll have dinner ready when the family gets hungry that evening.

 The end result of this recipe is pork chops that are fall-off-the-bone tender, and a delicious gravy that's perfect over rice or potatoes (remember the roasted potatoes we taught you how to make last week?). The end results looks something like this:

Mmm.... pork chop picture porn. This is a recipe the Wisconsin Test Kitchen makes at least once a month; because it's so easy and the results speak for themselves.
Here are some links to some crock pots we recommend, in case you need to purchase one:

http://www.amazon.com/Crock-Pot-SCCPVL610-S-Programmable-Carry-Cooker/dp/B004P2NG0K/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1392342602&sr=8-1&keywords=crock+pots

http://www.amazon.com/Crock-Pot-SCRP500-SP-5-Quart-Smudge-Cooker/dp/B005FSJ5Q2/ref=sr_1_10?ie=UTF8&qid=1392342627&sr=8-10&keywords=crock+pots

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00366O6TG?psc=1

Also, if you're looking for an easy clean up after dinner, we swear by crock pot liners:
http://www.amazon.com/Reynolds-Slow-Cooker-Liners-4-Count/dp/B002U0KKK8/ref=sr_1_3?s=home-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1392343611&sr=1-3&keywords=crock+pot+liners

You put them in the crock pot before adding all the ingredients in, prior to cooking. Then, when you're done cooking, you remove the liner, and throw it away. Bam. Done- no need to scrub out a grimy crock pot. 

We hope you make the crock pot your new best friend in the kitchen- the Cool Dads promise it's a tool guaranteed to make easy meals your family will enjoy.

Stay Cool,
The Cool Dads Crew

Monday Meals: Southwest Chicken Chili

Sometimes the greatest recipes happen by accident: a "what are we going to have for dinner?!" moment. And that's pretty much what happened with this recipe. The two test kitchens were texting back and forth; and Southwest Chicken Chili was created.  


Southwest Chicken Chili

3 lbs. boneless skinless chicken breasts
8 oz. corn salsa
8 oz. tomato sauce
1 onion, finely chopped
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
2 tbs. taco seasoning (could use chili seasoning instead)

Directions:
1. Trim all additional fat from chicken breasts
2. Rinse and pat dry chicken breasts, and place in the bottom of the slow cooker
3. Finely chop onion
4. Place onion, corn salsa, tomato sauce and taco seasoning into slow cooker and cook on low for 4 - 5 hours.

5. An hour before the chili is done, add the can of black beans
6. Prior to serving, shred the chicken and adjust seasonings as needed

This chili is delicious the way it is, otherwise you can serve it over chips with cheddar cheese on top.

We hope you enjoy our delicious collaboration as much as we did!

Stay Cool,
The Cool Dads Crew

Friday FUNdamentals: Roast Chicken

One of our loyal readers came to the Cool Dads Team a few months ago with a suggestion: break cooking down, and teach some of the other cool dads (and soon to be dads) how to make some easy recipes. We liked the idea so much we came up with Friday FUNdamentals: every Friday (until football season returns) we'll teach you how to prepare a simple recipe with step-by-step instructions.

We're starting with a staple in the Wisconsin Test Kitchen: roast chicken and vegetables. The idea of cooking a whole chicken can be overwhelming, but once you try it; it's pretty easy and will feed your family for a few days. We'll hold your hand through this one. Pinky promise.

Cool Dads Roast Chicken & Vegetables Tutorial

Here's the thing about making roast chicken. It can't be a game day decision. You need at least 24 hours to let the chicken defrost completely. This means no ice- the chicken has to be completely thawed out. Take it out the day before you want to make it, and let the bird sit in the fridge for 24-ish hours. It's tempting to let the chicken sit out on the kitchen counter until it's defrosted, but this is a big no-no: you'll end up with a chicken brimming with bacteria. Letting the chicken defrost in the fridge is just a safer idea.

The day you're ready to make the chicken, pre-heat the oven to 375 degrees.


Get a roasting pan. It's a large baking pan with an elevated rack. It should look something like this:

Take your chicken out of the fridge, remove the plastic wrapping, and rinse it off. This is the  potentially gross part. Reach inside the cavity of the chicken, and remove anything that doesn't belong there. This could be the heart, neck or other organs. Just scoop 'em out. It's going to look like this:

You can throw these pieces out. Or, you can keep the heart and fry it in butter. Sawyer in the Wisconsin Test Kitchen loves fried chicken hearts. We're not even making that up. #gross

Take the chicken and place it on the roasting pan. Take a piece of paper towel and pat it dry.

 

Take a basting brush, and brush olive oil all over the bird. You don't need to soak the chicken in it, just a light brushing. Then, take a seasoning of your choice (salt-free seasoning salt is an excellent choice) and sprinkle it on the bird. We got this awesome seasoning for Christmas, and have been putting it on everything.

Once you're done oiling and seasoning your bird, it should look something like this:

By now, your oven should be pre-heated. Go ahead and pop the roasting pan in the oven. Based on the size of your chicken, you're looking at approximately an hour and fifteen minutes to an hour and a half for the bird to cook. Start with an hour and fifteen minutes.


While your bird is cooking, you can prep roasted potatoes. Take five or six potatoes and dice them up. They should look like this:

Yes, my potatoes are purple. They come in all different colors, these were just the ones we happened to get from the farmers market.

Once the potatoes are diced, add a drizzle of olive oil and seasonings of your choice (you can totally use the same seasonings you used on the chicken. Keep it simple). Stir until the potatoes are well coated.

Spread the potatoes in a 9"x13" glass baking dish:

Once your kitchen timer reads 45 minutes; put the potatoes in the oven and let them cook along with the chicken. Half way through the cooking time, take them out and give them a good stir, so they don't stick to the bottom of the pan.

Once your timer goes off, it's important to check to make sure your chicken is completely cooked. Insert a meat thermometer into the breast and wait for it to reach a temperature of 175 degrees. Don't stick your thermometer too close to the bone- make sure you're getting the temperature of the meat and not the bones. Also, make sure you get an accurate reading from the thickest, meatiest part of the chicken. If the thermometer hits 175 degrees- your chicken is officially done! If not, pop the chicken back in the oven for another 15 minutes. Repeat until your hit 175 degrees.

It's a lot easier to check if the potatoes are done. They'll be tender and not crunchy. Crunchy potatoes are a bad thing.

Your finished products should look something like this:

Now, once your chicken is done; you need to carve it. Deep breath, you're almost done, we promise. Transfer the chicken to a plate (leg side up) and get an extra plate to put the meat on once you carve it. Get your electric carving knife plugged in, and start by cutting the legs off.

Next come the chicken wings, and then the breasts and thighs. Easy, right? It's ok if you hack it up a little bit, just try to get as much meat off the carcass as possible, and try not to splinter any of the bones in the meat. That's going to get messy. This is what your finished product should look like:

Congratulations! You just cooked, and carved your first chicken! Once you try it once or twice, you'll find it's an easy, delicious dinner. It's simple; but sometimes it's the simple things that are the most delicious.


Notes from the Test Kitchen:
Raw chicken and raw chicken juice will spread salmonella germs all over your kitchen. Make sure you are constantly washing your hands (every time you touch the chicken), and once the chicken goes into the oven, wash the counters down well. A happy kitchen is one without salmonella.

You can roast other vegetables like carrots or turnips instead of/along with the potatoes. Same rules apply.

We hope you enjoyed our first Friday FUNdamentals post! Please email or comment if you have any questions; we want your first roast chicken to be a success!

Stay Cool,
The Cool Dads Crew

Kids in the Kitchen Wednesday: Snow Cream

Winter is still around, and it looks like it's here to stay for a few more weeks according to the (not so) wise groundhog. In Wisconsin, they're even predicting winter is going to be colder and snowier than normal. So, therefore why not make something fun with the snow? That's right: make food with the snow. Here's a special blog from Doug in the Arkansas Test Kitchen.

As many of you may know, my mother passed away last year. But one memory I have and will always have is when my mother made snow cream for my son and I. Actually it was the last thing she ever made for us. I can even remember the exact day: it was the day after Christmas 2012. But like someone pointed out to me, these are the memories I will cherish. So what better snow day treat than to make a batch of snow cream?
First let's go over a few rules of collecting snow:

1. Never get yellow snow! This should go without saying, but still...
2. Only scoop up the top layer of snow
3. Only use the freshest snow possible

Snow Cream
1. Beat 1 egg with 1/2 sugar
2. Combine with 1/4 tsp vanilla, 1/2 can Eagle Brand Sweetened Condensed Milk and mix well
3. Add snow and stir to coat
4. Enjoy!

We look forward to someday providing you with recipes that don't involve snow, and aren't designed to warm you up on a cold day. Soon, right???

Stay Cool,
The Cool Dads Crew

Monday Meals: Slow Cooker Lasagna

Here's a little secret about lasagna. Are you ready?

It's a total pain in the butt to make.

Seriously.

Between the layering of the ingredients, the handling of hot noodles guaranteed to burn your fingers; and the mess it makes- it doesn't feel like it's worth the effort. It's almost a better idea to pack the family in the car and have dinner at the Olive Garden.

But don't despair. Cool Dads has your back. The Wisconsin Test Kitchen has been making a slow cooker lasagna for years that is easily their most requested recipe. You don't cook the noodles; and all you need to do is layer the ingredients in the slow cooker and let it sit all day. Five hours later- you have a delicious Italian dinner.

Cool Dads Slow Cooker Lasagna

12 lasagna noodles, uncooked
1lb. ground beef, browned and drained
1 teaspoon Italian seasonings
1 28oz jar spaghetti sauce
1/4 cup water
1 16oz carton cottage cheese
2 cups mozzarella cheese, grated

Break noodles in half. Place half of the noodles in the bottom of a greased 4-quart slow cooker. Stir Italian seasonings into the browned meat and spread half over the noodles already in the slow cooker. Then, layer half of the sauce and water; half of the cottage cheese, and half of the mozzarella cheese over the beef. Repeat layers. Cover and cook on low for 4-5 hours- do not cook more than 5 hours.

Recipe adapted from 101 Things to do with a Slow Cooker

Notes from the Test Kitchen
-This is a great way to get some vegetables into your diet- add some mushrooms, spinach or even kale after the ground beef layer.
-The recipe calls for ground beef, but you can use whatever type of meat you want- the Wisconsin Test Kitchen used ground pork. Boca crumbles or ground turkey would also be delicious.

There you have it- Italian food simplified. This is a recipe your entire family will love; and it's a perfect week night meal to make when life is hectic. We hope you enjoy it as much as we do!

Stay Cool,
The Cool Dads Crew