Meatless Monday: Cedar Plank Salmon

If you're getting tired of the same-old, same-old protein on the grill (chicken and burgers); then maybe it's time to try something different! And we have just the Cool Dads approved recipe for you to try. Last week the Wisconsin Test Kitchen celebrated one of the first warm weekends of the year by attempting cedar plank salmon. 

It was a win/win/win all the way around:

1) The salmon was delicious, with a nice, smoky flavor the plank helped to infuse. 
2) It was easy (literally- soak a plank for a few hours, put the salmon on it and grill. Boom). 
3) You get to grill. What Cool Dad doesn't love a grilling recipe?

*For this recipe, you will need a cedar grilling plank (you can find them at Home Depot, Lowe's, or your local hardware store near the grilling section. Amazon has a nice selection as well: 
http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_ss_c_0_12?url=search-alias%3Dgarden&field-keywords=cedar+planks&sprefix=cedar+planks%2Caps%2C290
You will need to soak the plank for an hour to two hours before grilling. The soaking is what prevents your plank from starting on fire, and ruining your fish. We know of what we speak. 

Cedar Plank Salmon

1lb. fresh salmon, lightly seasoned with salt and pepper, or seasonings of your choice (you don't want to add too many seasonings, since the plank is going to impart most of the flavor)

Set the grill up for medium heat. 
Place the plank directly over the coals, and place the salmon on- skin side down. 

Grill for approximately 12-15 minutes, depending on the thickness of your salmon. Don't worry about turning the fish over, or anything like that while grilling. You'll know it's ready when the "cream" (or the white stuff) starts to rise out of the fish). 

Serve with your favorite grilled vegetables. We went with fresh zucchini and roasted potatoes. It was a perfect light, spring dinner. 

And we're suddenly glad we have a stockpile of more cedar planks! 

Stay Cool,
The Cool Dads Crew

Family Friday: Burrito Bowls

Are you caught up in the burrito bowl craze like everyone else in the country? Are you in love with those tasty bowls filled with beans, cheese, rice and meat, but are slightly scared by the ingredients (and the calories!) going into them? Yeah, us too. So, the Wisconsin Test Kitchen decided to try making our own burrito bowls. Let's just say Q-Doba has nothing on us, these days...

Cool Dads Burrito Bowls
Recipe inspired by: http://www.number-2-pencil.com/2014/10/01/slow-cooker-chicken-burrito-bowl/


1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, about 2 large breasts
2 tablespoons of olive oil
3 teaspoons of onion powder
2 teaspoons of garlic powder
3 teaspoons of chili powder
2 teaspoons of cumin
1 teaspoon of kosher salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
3 cups of low-sodium chicken broth
1 15 oz can of diced tomatoes, drained
1 14 oz can of black beans, drained and rinsed
2 3/4 cups of instant whole grain brown rice (we used white)
1 1/2 cups of shredded colby jack cheese

Instructions
Place chicken breasts in slow cooker.
Pour chicken broth over chicken breasts and stir in canned tomatoes, olive oil, onion powder, garlic powder, chili powder, cumin, salt and pepper.

Cook on low for about 4 hours, until chicken reaches 165 degrees.
Remove chicken breasts from slow cooker.
Turn slow cooker to high and stir in instant rice and black beans.

Let cook 30-45 minutes on high, or until rice is tender.

Add chicken back in, top with cheese and let cook a few minutes longer until cheese is melted.

Serve with fresh diced tomatoes, sour cream, green onions, avocados or guacamole.

We LOVED this dinner! It was hearty, full of flavor and relatively low calorie. And bonus: it made enough for lunches for the next few days. Try making your own burrito bowls at home this weekend; the guac doesn't even cost extra.

Stay Cool,

The Cool Dads Crew

Family Fridays: Kale & Sausage Pasta Bake

We've had roughly one week of spring weather here in Wisconsin. The rest of March and most of April has been cold, blustery and even snowy. Ugh. So much for breaking out the grill or trying some summery recipes. We're still in comfort food mode. Hence, the desire for pasta with cheese, and sausage and... kale. Onward, April! 

Despite the kale, this recipe is awesome. It's easy to make, only calls for a handful of ingredients and is a warm and hearty dish to keep you comforted until summer finally shows up. 

Kale & Sausage Pasta Bake
Recipe courtesy of: http://www.gimmesomeoven.com/5-ingredient-italian-sausage-kale-baked-ziti-recipe/

12 ounces ziti (or any pasta shape)
1 lb. ground Italian sausage (I strongly recommend using "spicy" Italian sausage)
4 cloves garlic, minced
3 large handfuls roughly-chopped kale leaves, stems removed
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
optional additional toppings: shredded Parmesan cheese, crushed red pepper flakes

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Heat a large stockpot full of well-salted water for the pasta.

In a large skillet, saute the Italian sausage over medium-high heat until browned (about 8-10 minutes), breaking the sausage up with a spoon into bite-sized pieces while cooking. When the sausage has browned, add in the minced garlic and saute for 1-2 additional minutes or until the garlic is fragrant. Remove pan from heat and set aside.

While the sausage is browning, cook the pasta al dente in the stockpot of boiling water according to package instructions. Drain.

Return pasta to the stockpot and add the sausage, garlic and kale. Gently toss to combine until the kale is dark green and slightly wilted.

Pour half of the pasta into a greased 11x7-inch or 9x13-inch baking dish. Sprinkle evenly with 1 cup of cheese. Layer the remaining half of the pasta evenly on top. Sprinkle evenly with the remaining 1 cup of cheese.

Bake for 20-25 minutes until the cheese is melted and just barely starts to turn golden. Remove and serve immediately, sprinkled with additional toppings if desired.

Notes from the Test Kitchen

-This is a great recipe to add more vegetables to. We had a few fresh tomatoes in the fridge, so we diced them up and added them. Sauteed mushrooms or peppers would also be a delicious addition. If you find the taste of kale too overwhelming, spinach would be a great option as well. 

We found this dish to be extremely comforting. But tell us, what's your favorite comfort food dish? What do you turn to on cold, bleak days?

Stay Cool,
The Cool Dads Crew

Meatless Monday: Kale Citrus Salad

Disclaimer: This may be a meatless Monday post, but the salad we're about to discuss was consumed along with five pounds of glazed short ribs, and au gratin potatoes, full of dairy. We like meat. And dairy. But we figure the kale totally offsets that, right?

Kale. It keeps frickin appearing in our refrigerator like some kind of evil magic trick. Every time the Wisconsin Test Kitchen opens the fridge... there it is again! Another bunch, waiting to be used in some, new creative way. Ugh. 

We stumbled upon a recipe from The Pioneer Woman for a kale citrus salad; she claimed it was the most delicious salad she had ever had. Whaaaa? A salad with kale was the most delicious thing ever? We called shenanigans. Hard core.

But then we ate it. And we were sad there wasn't more. We really liked it! We're talking, clean bowls all around. The spice from the jalapeno, and the sweet citrus, along with the creamy goat cheese partnered perfectly with the kale. And the dressing? We're in love. 

So we challenge you, fellow kale sufferers. Give this salad a try. We're actually looking forward to the next bunch of kale we find in our fridge. No shenanigans. 

Kale Citrus Salad
Recipe courtesy of:  http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2014/05/kale-citrus-salad/


1 bunch kale, leaves torn off the stalks
1 whole jalapeno, seeded and sliced very thin
3 whole tangerines Or clementines (or 1 orange), peeled and cut into chunks
4 ounces goat cheese
1/4 cup orange juice
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 clove garlic, pressed or grated
1 teaspoon sugar
Salt to taste
Black pepper to taste
1 tablespoon (heaping) sour cream or plain Greek yogurt

Grab bunches of the kale leaves and use a sharp knife to thinly slice them. Keep going until you have a big pile of finely shredded kale.

To make the dressing, combine the orange juice, olive oil, garlic, sugar, salt and pepper in a small mason jar. Shake vigorously until all combined, then add the sour cream or yogurt and shake again until it's nice and creamy.

Toss the kale in half the dressing for a minute or so, then add the jalapeno slices and citrus pieces. Toss again until combined. Add a little more dressing if it needs it (extra dressing can be stored in the fridge and used for any salad.)

At the last minute, break the goat cheese into chunks with a fork and toss it into the salad. Serve!

(Note: because they kale holds up well, the salad can be tossed 15 minutes before serving.)

Stay Cool,
The  Cool Dads Crew

Kids in the Kitchen Wednesday: Cheesecake Quesadillas

We really have the greatest readers in the whole world. Seriously, you guys rock. Last week, one of our awesome readers, Erin, was kind enough to pass along a recipe for Cheesecake Quesadillas that had our mouths watering (especially since we knew we had cream cheese and tortillas already in the kitchen!). We filed the recipe away under 'We'll try these one night when we have time'- and that time came sooner rather than later!

It was just another Friday night in the Wisconsin Test Kitchen; there were little girls running around shooting each other with Nerf guns, making homemade pizzas, and singing along to Katy Perry songs (yeah, all at the same time). Once they were exhausted from Nerf gunning and Katy Perry-ing, they wanted a snack. Time for quesadillas! 

We were gathering ingredients together, and noticed we didn't have ground cinnamon. We had cinnamon sticks, but no ground cinnamon. We ended up grinding them up in the coffee grinder and voila! Fresh cinnamon. Side note: our kitchen smelled AMAZING for 2 hours after this 'Necessity is the mother of invention' moment. But we digress.

Cheesecake Quesadillas

Recipe courtesy of: http://www.pbs.org/food/fresh-tastes/cheesecakedilla/


1/4 cup cream cheese, at room temperature
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon granulated sugar
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
2 small (7-inch) flour tortillas
1 teaspoon butter, at room temperature


Put the cream cheese, sugar and vanilla extract in a bowl, and use a silicone spatula to combine the mixture together until smooth and uniform in color.

Stir the cinnamon and remaining 1/2 teaspoon of sugar together in a small bowl and set aside.

Spread a 1/2 teaspoon of butter onto one side of each tortilla.
Flip one of the tortillas over (so that the buttered side is facing down), and then spread the cream cheese mixture onto the non-buttered surface.

Top this with the other tortilla with the buttered side facing up. You want to sandwich the cream cheese between the two tortillas with the buttered surfaces facing outwards.

Heat a cast iron skillet over medium heat until the pan is hot, and then add a cheesecakedilla. Fry pressing down gently with a spatula to flatten it (but not enough to squeeze the cream cheese out of the sides) until it's browned and crispy on one side, and then flip.

Brown the other side, and then transfer it to a cutting board before dusting it with the cinnamon sugar. Slice into wedges and serve with your favorite toppings.

Note from the Test Kitchen

-Don't attempt to make this in a panini grill. Your toppings will ooze out the side of the quesadilla, and you'll have a big mess on your hands. Use the frying pan. The extra dishes will be worth it, we promise.

-As far as toppings go, we served our quesadillas with salted caramel chocolate sauce, but fruit would be delicious too. 

Thanks to Erin for this fun recipe, and we'd love for more of our readers to share recipe ideas with us!

Stay Cool,
The Cool Dads Crew