Happy Thanksgiving!

This year we're thankful for bacon, totchos and of course, our faithful readers. We love you guys- we love your words of encouragement, your recipe ideas and your feedback. It brings us incredible joy when we hear you're trying our recipes out in your own kitchens. Thanks for being the greatest fans a couple of Cool Dads could ever ask for. We might even love you more than bacon. 

And now some football picks! Dad #1 still has a 12 point lead over Dad #2, putting him at 113 correct picks, and Dad #2 has 101 correct picks. Here are our Turkey Day picks!

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

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

Seahawks vs. 49ers
Dad #1: Seattle
Dad #2: Seattle

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

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

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

Chargers vs. Ravens
Dad #1: Baltimore
Dad #2: Baltimore

Jaguars vs. Giants
Dad #1: New York
Dad #2: Jacksonville

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

Raiders vs. Rams
Dad #1: St Louis
Dad #2: St Louis

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

Panthers vs. Vikings
Dad #1: Carolina
Dad #2: Minnesota

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

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

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

Dolphins vs. Jets
Dad #1: Miami
Dad #2: New York

We hope your Thanksgiving holiday is full of food, family and laughter.

Stay Cool,
The Cool Dads Crew

Sorry. And some football picks

Sorry to our loyal fans... we've been so busy picking recipes and prepping for Thanksgiving that we didn't have a Football Friday blog for you. The Cool Dads Crew is taking the week of Thanksgiving off, but we'll be back after the holidays with some delicious new recipes for you that we know you'll love.

We still have football picks for you, because it's personal between our two test kitchens! Dad #1 is still in the lead with 103 correct predictions, and Dad #2 has 91 correct picks. 

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

Falcons vs. Browns
Dad #1: Cleveland
Dad #2: Atlanta

Bears vs. Buccaneers
Dad #1: Tampa Bay
Dad #2: Chicago

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

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

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

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

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

Chargers vs. Rams
Dad #1: San Diego
Dad #2: St Louis

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

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

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

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

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

Saints vs. Ravens
Dad #1: New Orleans
Dad #2: Baltimore

We hope you have a wonderful holiday week with family, friends and food. Please know the Cool Dads Crew is especially thankful for all of our readers- we wouldn't be here without you.

Stay Cool,
The Cool Dads Crew

Monday Meals: Buffalo Chicken Quinoa

Who doesn't love chicken wings?

Well, Rebecca in the Wisconsin Test Kitchen. After a traumatic experience (not food related!) at a Buffalo Wild Wings, she's been unable to eat chicken wings again. Think: post traumatic stress disorder, involving chicken wings. But we digress.

Despite her recently acquired dislike for the humble chicken wing, she still loves the flavor of a good spicy wing sauce, creamy ranch dressing and some blue cheese. Yum. So, the Wisconsin Test Kitchen tried to recreate all the flavors of chicken wings without the actual, well, wings. 

Buffalo Chicken Quinoa

2 cups cooked, chopped chicken breast meat
2 cups cooked quinoa
3 stalks celery, diced
3/4 cup wing sauce of your choice (we prefer Uncle Dougie's)

1/4 cup ranch dressing
Blue cheese crumbles

Combine chicken and celery, adding wing sauce until well coated.

Stir in the quinoa and ranch dressing. 

Adjust seasonings (add more wing sauce if you like heat, add more ranch dressing to tone down the heat). 

Serve topped with blue cheese crumbles. 

From start to finish, this recipe took about 20 minutes (most of the time was dedicated to cooking the quinoa): and it was a dinner the adult members of the test kitchen enjoyed (too spicy for the youngest member). But when you're craving wings, this is a healthy alternative and fast to prepare. It doesn't get any better than that!

Stay Cool,
The Cool Dads Crew

Football Friday: Twinkie Cake

Ah, the humble Twinkie. One of the people nearest and dearest to the Wisconsin Test Kitchen's Heart (Rebecca's mom Jody) has an unnatural love for these strange yellow cream filled cakes. There was a serious period of mourning when Hostess went bankrupt. And there was an equally serious level of celebration when they were available again. 

When we found a recipe for Twinkie cake (in time for Jody's birthday no less!), we knew exactly what we needed to make. Apparently this is some kind of Southern delicacy. While we can't speak to the roots of this recipe, we can agree that it's pretty delicious. And strange. 

Twinkie Cake
Recipe courtesy of: http://www.southernplate.com/2010/07/miss-mary-annes-twinkie-cake.html


1 box (of 10) Hostess Twinkies
4 large bananas, sliced
1 large can (20oz) crushed pineapple (drained, but not pressed dry. Keep a little of the juice for moisture.
1 large box Vanilla instant pudding (mixed with milk according to directions on box)
1 - 12 oz. Cool Whip
Maraschino cherries and pecans for garnish (optional)

Instructions
Remove Twinkie cakes from wrappers. Cut each in half lengthwise from top to bottom. Place Twinkie halves in 9 x 13 baking dish with cream side facing up. 

Layer sliced bananas, pineapple, pudding, and Cool Whip over Twinkies in that order. 

Sprinkle chopped cherries (drained well on paper towels) and chopped pecans over the top. Keep refrigerated. 

This was a fun, quick recipe that was perfect for a busy weekend and didn't even require the oven or microwave. This is a perfect Football Friday recipe to make before the game starts. 

Now, time for some football predictions! Dad #1 is still in the lead with 94 correct predictions, and Dad #2 has 82 correct. 

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

Vikings vs. Bears
Dad #1: Chicago
Dad #2: Minnesota

Texans vs. Browns
Dad #1: Houston
Dad #2: Cleveland

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

Falcons vs. Panthers
Dad#1: Carolina
Dad #2: Atlanta

Bengals vs. Saints
Dad #1: New Orleans
Dad #2: New Orleans

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Hope your weekend is full of food and fun! And think warm thoughts for the brave members of the Wisconsin Test Kitchen traveling to Green Bay this weekend for the Packers Eagles game. Go Pack Go! 

Stay Cool,
The Cool Dads Crew

Kids in the Kitchen Wednesday: Bloomin' Apples

We're sure you've seen tons of pictures on Facebook and Pinterest of all different kinds of baked apple recipes. You know... the pretty pictures of the hollowed out, perfectly baked apples with a scoop of vanilla ice cream inside. If you're anything like us, you're immediately skeptical. Yeah, the pictures look pretty, but how do the apples taste? Does this actually work? 

The Wisconsin Test Kitchen vetted Bloomin' Apples for you. The verdict? Yes, they are delicious. Yes, they are easy. Yes, they're worth it. Truly, the hardest part of this recipe was cutting and coring the apples. This is also a kid-friendly recipe that your little chefs will love helping make.


Bloomin' Apples
Recipe courtesy of: http://www.thegunnysack.com/2014/09/bloomin-baked-apples-recipe.html

That's our tiny chef... counting out the caramels to go inside the apples. It's a nice opportunity to work on some math skills as well! 

2 Honeycrisp apples (or other crisp apples)
2 tbsp butter
3 tbsp brown sugar, packed
1 tbsp flour
1 tsp cinnamon
4 caramels
Optional toppings: vanilla ice cream, caramel sauce and cinnamon


Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
To get the blooming apple look, you need to cut the apples. Slice off the top 1/4 to 1/3 of the apples. Scoop out the core. I don’t have an apple corer so I used my metal 1/2 teaspoon measuring spoon. Then, use a thin knife to make two, deep circular cuts around the center of the apple. Next, turn the apple over and make narrow cuts all the way around the apple. Flip it back over and you can see all of the cuts.

Place the apples in an oven safe dish and put two caramels into the center of each apple.

Heat butter and brown sugar in the microwave for 30 second, stir and continue heating for an additional 30 seconds. Remove from the microwave and stir in flour and cinnamon. Divide the mixture over the top of the two sliced apples.

Bake at 375 for 25-30 minutes. (Check apples after 25 minutes and continue cooking until tender. Some apples can take 45 min to 1 hour to soften.)
Remove from the oven and use a large spoon to move the apples into bowls.

Top with a scoop of ice cream, drizzle with caramel and sprinkle with cinnamon. The ice cream will cause the caramel in the center to harden so eat quickly or put the ice cream scoop on the side.

We found the apples were most delicious when paired with a little salted caramel ice cream and a small dollop of whipped cream. An apple a day keeps the doctor away, right?

Stay Cool,
The Cool Dads Crew

Monday Meals: Samosas

Looking to add an Indian flair to your weekly meals? Our guest bloggers from the Brookfield, Wisconsin Test Kitchen tried making samosas (Indian pocket sandwiches) and were so excited with the results, they couldn't wait to tell the Cool Dads Crew all about it. Since we owe our vegetarian followers a new recipe, we thought this would be a good one to share.

Spinach, Butternut Squash and Feta Cheese Samosas
Recipe courtesy of: We Eat Together

Samosa Ingredients
1 cup frozen butternut squash
1 cup frozen chopped spinach
¾ cup feta cheese
a pinch of masala
a pinch of turmeric
a pinch of black pepper
red pepper flakes to taste

Nasoya egg roll wrappers

Dipping Sauce Ingredients

1 cup cubed mango
3/4 cup plain yogurt
1 T salt
1/2 t hot curry paste
Sriancha Hot Chili Sauce to taste

Samosa Instructions:

Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees
Steam cubed butternut squash until soft, add defrosted spinach, feta and spices and mix well.
Cut egg roll wraps in half diagonally.
Fill each wrap about 1 T of filling, and seal in a triangle shape, using water to seal the edges.

Place on greased cookie sheet or parchment paper, lightly spray each samosa with cooking spray.

Bake for 12-15 minutes, or until brown and crispy. Serve with dipping sauce.

Dipping sauce instructions: add all ingredients to blender and combine until smooth. 

These samosas are a full meal by themselves, but are also excellent served with a curry dish or basmati rice. With the holidays right around the corner, this would also make a festive appetizer at your next party.

Stay Cool,
The Cool Dads Crew

Football Friday: Bacon Dip

Cool Dads love few things more than bacon. And pairing football and bacon together seemed as natural as peanut butter and jelly. So, when the Wisconsin Test Kitchen found a recipe for bacon dip, it was on! 

Bacon Dip
Recipe courtesy of: http://kitchenmeetsgirl.com/gooey-cheesy-warm-bacon-dip/

8 ounces cream cheese, softened
2 cups sour cream (we used Greek yogurt)
1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
6 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
1/2 cup sliced green onion (we had some jalapenos left over from the stuffed jalapeno poppers we made a few weeks ago, so we chopped up 2 of them and used them instead of onions).


Preheat oven to 400 F.
Combine softened cream cheese, sour cream, cheddar cheese, bacon and green onion. 

Spoon mixture into a 1-quart baking dish

 Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until cheese is bubbling and hot.
Serve with bread slices, crackers, or veggies.

Now that your mouth is watering, it's time for some football picks!
Coming into week 10, Dad #1 is still in the lead with 85 correct picks, and Dad #2 has picked 72 correct picks. Here are this weeks predictions:

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

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

Dolphins vs. Lions
Dad #1: Miami
Dad #2: Detroit

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

49ers vs. Saints
Dad #1: New Orleans
Dad #2: New Orleans

Titans vs. Ravens
Dad #1: Baltimore
Dad #2: Baltimore

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

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

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

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

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

Bears vs. Packers
Dad #1: Green Bay
Dad #2: Chicago

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

Hope your weekend is full of food, fun and football.

Stay Cool,
The Cool Dads Crew

Kids in the Kitchen Wednesday: Bacon Ranch Tots

Remember when we introduced you to totchos (delicious nachos made with tater tots instead of tortilla chips)? Well, the Wisconsin Test Kitchen just took totchos up a notch. We found a recipe for bacon ranch tots and had to give them a try (remember: Rebecca has an unnatural obsession with ranch dressing. She stopped listening after hearing the word 'ranch' and immediately agreed to try them). Our small chef heard the word "bacon" and was in. And she kept chanting, "More bacon! More bacon!" while we were making the tots. That kid is a keeper, let me tell you...

Bacon Ranch Tots
Recipe courtesy of: http://www.madefrompinterest.net/2014/07/cheesy-bacon-ranch-tater-tots/

1 bag frozen tater tots
1 cup sour cream
½ cup ranch dressing
¼ cup milk
1 cup Shredded cheddar cheese or more if desired. I desired a little more!
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
½ cup real bacon bits
¼ cup green onions
Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions
Cook the tater tots on a cookie sheet per the package instructions.
Mix the sour cream, ranch dressing and milk until well blended.

Drizzle the sour cream ranch mixture over cooked tater tots.

Sprinkle the cheese, bacon bits and green onions all over the top of the tater tots.

Place the cookie sheet back into the oven until the cheese melts and serve immediately.

Can you say yum? Because that's pretty much all we were saying while devouring these tots. The ranch sauce drizzled over the tots really made the meal- and of course bacon makes everything better. It was a happy night in the Wisconsin Test Kitchen. We hope you love these tasty little bites as much as we do!

Stay Cool,
The Cool Dads Crew

Monday Meals: Manly Casserole

When you think casseroles you probably think church potlucks, family reunions, and manliness. Yes, you read that correctly: manliness. The Cool Dads Cook Crew firmly believe we can make anything manly, or at least we think we can.

Every Tuesday night the Arkansas Test Kitchen goes to their church small group where everyone brings a dish to pass (yes, like a church pot luck). There was Mexican Chicken Casserole, Cheese Broccoli Casserole, and then there was the Manly Casserole.

Manly Casserole

1.5 lbs ground beef
1 small onion, chopped
8 servings of instant mashed potatoes, prepared
A-1 steak sauce (optional)
steak seasoning (optional)
2 cups grated cheddar cheese
6 slices cooked and crumbled bacon
bread crumbs (optional)

1. Prepare mashed potatoes according to package directions
2. Heat oil in skillet and saute onion until soft
3. Add ground beef to onion mixture, season with steak seasoning of your choice and brown.
6. Once the ground beef is browned, drain off the grease.
7. Place 1/3 of the mashed potatoes on the bottom of a greased 9"x13" casserole dish

8. Top the mashed potatoes with grated cheese
9. Top the grated cheese with 1/2 of the ground beef mixture
10. Top the beef layer with another 1/3 of the mashed potatoes

11. Top potato layer with crumbled bacon
12. Top bacon with the second half of the ground beef
13. Top ground beef layer with the remaining mashed potatoes
14. Top with bread crumbs

15. Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes, or until warmed through.

We hope we've changed your perception of casseroles after this extremely manly dish. Warning: may inspire you to tackle other manly feats; exercise caution when eating this casserole.

Stay Cool,
The Cool Dads Crew