Kids in the Kitchen Wednesday: Chocolate Brigadeiros

**Disclaimer: Cool Dads Cook was not contacted or compensated by Little Passports; the opinions reflected below are our own. But seriously: these boxes rock. 

For Christmas, SB in the Wisconsin Test Kitchen received the gift of Little Passports. Little Passports is a subscription service that allows kids to get a box from a different state or country every month. SB gets the international boxes, so every month we have a new country to explore together. It's a great hands-on learning tool that includes geography and cultural facts, as well as souvenirs from the different locations being highlighted. 

SB's first box came from Brazil, and she really enjoyed learning about amethyst geodes, rain forest conservation efforts and Red Uakari monkeys. The kit included lots of fun hands-on activities, puzzles and even an on-line portal that allowed us to learn even more about Brazil. The kit also included a recipe for a Brazilian dish; Brigadeiros, which are delicious chocolate truffles. 

SB has been asking to make the Brigadeiros for a few weeks, and she had a few friends sleep over Friday night, we thought it would be a fun project for the girls. We thought they'd like taking home chocolate truffles to their families right before Valentine's Day. We were right, the truffles were a hit. So much so, we're hoping Little Passports includes a recipe every month!

The adults in the test kitchen completed the first half of the recipe, and let SB and her friends roll and top the brigadeiros themselves. 

Chocolate Brigadeiros

3 tablespoons butter
8oz can condensed milk
3 tablespoons cocoa powder
1/2 cup water
2 dozen mini cupcake papers
chocolate sprinkles 
shaved coconut

Put the butter in a frying pan over medium heat. Once the butter melts, add the condensed milk. 

In a small bowl, dissolve the cocoa powder in water. 

Add the cocoa water to the pan and stir for 15-20 minutes until the mixture thickens. Check the thickness with a wooden spoon (when you drag your spoon through the middle of the pan, the mixture should stay separated for a moment before coming back together).

Once thick, spread the chocolaty mixture onto a plate or glass pan, and place in the fridge to cool for about 20 minutes. 

Once chilled, use a spoon to scoop small amounts of the dough into your hands to form balls. Don't handle them too much or your body heat will make the dough sticky. 

Roll the balls in the sprinkles and/or coconut and set them in the mini cupcake papers to chill in the fridge. 

Chill the balls for about 15 minutes, and they'll be ready to eat. 

The girls had a blast making brigadeiros, and really enjoyed sharing them with their families. It was a fun activity we wouldn't have tried had it not been for Little Passports. We can't recommend the product enough. If you have a little one in your life, consider looking into Little Passports: it's a fun, educational gift they will continue to appreciate all year long.

Stay Cool,
The Cool Dads Crew 

Monday Meals: Chicken Tortilla Soup

It's been stupid cold in Wisconsin lately. We were treated to two days of 40 degree weather; and then a whole week of temperatures below zero. We're thinking spring in a serious way. Speaking of spring, mad props to the groundhog for not seeing his shadow; we've got our fingers crossed dreaming of an early spring!!
But until that happens, we need food to warm us up... and nothing warms quite like a hearty batch of Chicken Tortilla Soup! This soup was SO easy to make (dump a bunch of ingredients into the slow cooker); and all three members of the test kitchen loved it. SB loved customizing her soup; she tried it with a few squirts of fresh lime juice, extra tortillas and some sharp cheddar cheese. The adults added a little hot sauce for an extra kick. Perfect for a cold Thursday night.

Slow Cooker Chicken Tortilla Soup
Recipe courtesy of All Recipes


1 pound shredded, cooked chicken
1 (15 ounce) can whole peeled tomatoes, mashed
1 (10 ounce) can enchilada sauce
1 medium onion, chopped
1 (4 ounce) can chopped green chile peppers
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups water
1 (14.5 ounce) can chicken broth
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 bay leaf
1 (10 ounce) package frozen corn
1 tablespoon chopped cilantro
7 corn tortillas
vegetable oil

Additional toppings: cheddar cheese, lime, sour cream and hot sauce

Place chicken, tomatoes, enchilada sauce, onion, green chiles, and garlic into a slow cooker. Pour in water and chicken broth, and season with cumin, chili powder, salt, pepper, and bay leaf. Stir in corn and cilantro. 

Cover, and cook on Low setting for 6 to 8 hours or on High setting for 3 to 4 hours.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).

Lightly brush both sides of tortillas with oil. Cut tortillas into strips, then spread on a baking sheet.

Bake in preheated oven until crisp, about 10 to 15 minutes. Our look dark, but they're not burned. They were perfectly crispy.

To serve, sprinkle tortilla strips over soup.

YUM!!! Give this a try next time you're looking for an easy meal to warm you up, while dreaming about summer grilling and cold beers.

Stay Cool,
The Cool Dads Crew

Valentine's Day Meal

Notice to all our Cool Dads: Sunday is Valentine's Day!! While we're not promoting expensive jewelry, overpriced floral bouquets, or stale boxes of chocolates; we do think it's important to celebrate the special person/people in your life. What better way to show your love than with a homecooked meal? Food is love, people!

We have an easy to follow (and affordable) menu guaranteed to show your loved ones how much you care... as well as your mad skills in the kitchen. 

Cool Dads Valentine's Day Menu

-Green Salad -Penne a la Vodka with Shrimp 
-Cheesy Garlic Dinner Rolls
-Dark Chocolate Panna Cotta

We've provided the step-by-step recipe directions below; as well as a timeline; to ensure all elements of your meal are completed at the same time. 


Penne a la Vodka with Shrimp
Recipe inspired by: Julia's Album

The name of this dish only sounds fancy; vodka sauce is incredibly easy to make, and the end result is a rich, creamy tomato sauce that pairs perfectly with shrimp and fresh Parmesan cheese. 
If your Valentine isn't a fan of shellfish, you can easily substitute cooked chicken, or omit meat all together. 
Also, if you're making this dish for the family, don't worry about the vodka; the alcohol burns off making it a family friendly meal. 

1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 medium onion, diced
4 garlic cloves, minced
14 oz canned tomatoes
3/4 cup vodka
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1 teaspoon basil (if you have fresh basil - use more)
1/2 teaspoon oregano
1 cup mushrooms, sliced
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup half & half
3/4 teaspoon salt or more
8 oz penne pasta 

1 lb cooked shrimp, tails removed
Parmesan cheese, freshly grated

In a large skillet, saute onion and garlic in olive oil on medium heat, until onion softens.

Add tomatoes, vodka, crushed red pepper, basil, oregano - break tomatoes if necessary.

Bring the mixture to boil. Reduce to simmer and simmer, covered, occasionally stirring, for about 20 minutes or until sauce thickens. During the last 10 minutes, add mushrooms, and continue to simmer for 10 minutes.
While on low heat, add heavy cream and half & half to the sauce and stir
everything to ensure even consistency. Add 3/4 teaspoon of salt or more to season the sauce.

In the meantime, cook pasta according to package instructions. Rinse cooked pasta with cold water and drain (this stops pasta from cooking and prevents it from being too mushy). Add cooked and rinsed pasta and shrimp to the sauce. Reheat the sauce on low heat to heat everything through.
Serve each plate topped with freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Cheesy Garlic Dinner Rolls

Recipe courtesy of Tasty

1 can Pillsbury biscuit dough

3 tablespoons melted butter

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees. 

Cut each piece of biscuit dough into quarters and place in a medium sized bowl. 

Add the melted butter, garlic powder and mozzarella cheese; combine well with your (clean!!!) hands or a large spoon. 

Spray a muffin tin with non-stick cooking spray. Place 3 pieces of biscuit dough into each muffin tin.

Bake for 15 minutes or until golden brown. 

Let cool slightly before serving. 

Dark Chocolate Panna Cotta

The Wisconsin Test Kitchen attended a cooking class a few weeks ago; and one of the things we learned was how easy and delicious Panna Cotta can be. Panna cotta is a simple, Italian custard dish that can be made a variety of different ways. Since it's Valentine's Day, we opted for a chocolate version. 

2/3 cup skim milk, divided
2 teaspoons unflavored gelatin powder
1/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
4.4 ounces dark chocolate (60% cacao), finely chopped
1½ cup plain, non-fat Greek yogurt
Topping (optional):
whipped cream
dark chocolate, coarsely chopped

Pour 1/4 cup of milk into a small bowl, and sprinkle the gelatin on top. When the gelatin softens, after about 10 minutes, stir the two together until combined.
In a medium saucepan bring to a gentle simmer the remaining milk, vanilla and sugar.

Add the gelatin, and whisk until the gelatin has fully dissolved into the hot milk.
Melt the chocolate in a bowl over simmering water. 

Pour the warm milk mixture into the chocolate. 

Stir until the chocolate has melted then stir in the Greek yogurt until fully combined.

Pour the final mixture into small glasses, bowls, or ramekins. Refrigerate for 3- 4 hours or overnight.

Serve the chocolate panna cotta with whipped cream, coarsely chopped chocolate and a sprig of fresh mint.

Cooking Timeline

The Night Before

- Prepare Panna Cotta and refrigerate overnight.

- If you're serving white wine, champagne or beer, make sure it's in the fridge and chilling. 

An hour before dinner

- Prepare the dinner rolls, set off to the side.

-Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees  

- Make dinner salads. Use fresh lettuce (bagged is fine, just make sure you rinse) and salad toppings of your choice.

- Set the table. Light candles, use the nice china- go all out! It's a special occasion!

45 minutes before dinner

- Start preparing the pasta dish. 

- Once the sauce is set to simmer, start boiling water for the penne pasta.

20 minutes before dinner

- When the pasta sauce only has ten minutes left to simmer, put the dinner rolls in the oven to bake for 15 minutes. 

And there you have it! An easy to prepare, impressive Valentine's Dinner. Please let us know if you try these recipes, and what you think. We love our loyal readers; and we're proud to have you as our Valentines!

Stay Cool,
The Cool Dads Crew

Monday Meals: Turkey Tacos

Yep, this is pretty much life in the Wisconsin Test Kitchen. Tacos are our diet kryptonite. But last week we found a low-calorie, tasty and quick taco recipe the whole family loved. Low calorie, tasty and quick... that's like the trifecta of dinner awesome, right there! 

Juicy Turkey Tacos

Recipe courtesy of: Chili Pepper Madness

1 teaspoon olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
1 jalapeno pepper, chopped
12 ounces ground turkey
2 tablespoons taco seasoning
½ cup water
6 corn tortillas, lightly toasted
Fixings for toppings – we used fresh tomato, avocado, cheese and salsa


Heat a large pan to medium heat. Add olive oil and swirl.
Add onion, jalapeno pepper and ground turkey. Cook it all together about 8 minutes, or until the turkey is nearly cooked through.

Add taco seasoning and water. Stir. Reduce heat and allow to simmer about 10 minutes, until most of the moisture reduces and the flavorings thicken up. Leave just a bit of the liquid in the pan to keep the turkey nice and juicy and moist.

Serve onto toasted tortillas and top with your favorite fixings!

Notes from the Test Kitchen

-The recipe calls for a jalapeno; but the taco meat didn't turn out too spicy; SB took down two tacos without complaint.

-The extra step of letting the taco meat simmer with the water and taco seasoning really helped make the meat juicy and flavorful. These were some of the best tacos we've made! 

What are your favorite Taco Tuesday recipes? Any crazy toppings you love? Leave your ideas in the comments below!

Stay Cool,
The Cool Dads Crew

Football Friday: The Best Of Edition

It's almost Super Bowl Sunday! Yes, there's a game and half-time show and funny commercials; but we all know what everyone is most interested in... the food! We decided to compile a list of some of our most popular Football Friday blogs in order to make your game day snacking decisions easy.

One of our most iconic posts was Bachos; nachos made with bacon instead of tortilla chips. This was one of the smartest, tastiest recipes to even come out of the Wisconsin Test Kitchen. And so easy, we might be making it again this Sunday!

Still looking for more bacon? Try Bacon Dip. Because, well, bacon. 

Super Bowl Sunday isn't complete unless there's some kind of creamy dip, and buffalo chicken wings. Thankfully, we learned how to combine both of them into one delicious, satisfying dish. Try our Buffalo Chicken Wing Dip; and kill two appetizers with one chip. 

If you're looking to make sandwiches, we recommend our Melty Ham & Cheese Sliders. These ooey, gooey little sandwiches will feed a crowd of people, and use ingredients you probably have in your fridge right now!

If you're a crock pot fan, these Italian Beef Sandwiches are the bomb. Throw all your ingredients in the crock pot in the morning; and you'll have hot, tangy Italian Beef in time for kick off. 

Looking to make dessert? It's strange that this is one of our most popular blogs ever... but it speaks to the iconic nature of dessert snack food. Whip up a Twinkie Cake; and bask in the adoration of all your Super Bowl Sunday guests. 

We hope you've enjoyed our most recent Football Friday season; and we can't wait to start posting Family Friday meals: recipes designed to share with the whole family.

And, um, #gopanthers #keeppounding

Stay Cool,
The Cool Dads Crew

Monday Meals: Super Simple Beans & Rice

The Test Kitchens have taken to something called batch cooking: spending the weekends cooking a large batch of something, and eating it throughout the week. The Wisconsin Test Kitchen does this with soups and stews, and the Arkansas Test Kitchen just did it with a rotisserie chicken. Side note: if you're looking for an easy way to cook a chicken, check out our What a Crock post, that details how to cook a whole chicken in the crock pot. Easy peasy.

But one of the problems with batch cooking is you get a little bored with your food by mid-week. The Arkansas Test Kitchen fought off food boredom by pairing beans and rice with their chicken; and turning it into tacos!

Super Simple Beans and Rice
Courtesy of Graceful Little Honey Bee

2 cups cooked rice (you can use either brown or white)
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed (we recommend using a good quality black bean)
1 can corn, drained
1 medium onion, diced
1 bell pepper, diced (optional)
1 – 2 cups cooked chicken, shredded
¼ cup shredded cheddar cheese (we used more than this, see the Test Kitchen notes below)
Salt and pepper to taste
Taco or fajita seasoning to taste
Flour tortillas
Salsa (optional)
Sour Cream (optional)
Other taco toppings you enjoy

1. Saute the onion and pepper (if using)

2. Add the black beans, corn, chicken and spices (salt, pepper and taco or fajita seasoning) and warm through 

3. Add the cooked rice to the mixture, and combine well.

4. Warm the tortillas in the microwave (read the directions on the back)

5. Place a few spoonfuls of the bean and rice mixture in the warmed tortilla

6. Top with shredded cheese, salsa, sour cream or any other toppings you would like.

Notes from the Test Kitchen

1. Use good quality black beans; otherwise you get hard, tasteless beans, and no one wants to eat that.
2. Use your imagination on toppings; the sky is the limit! Avocado, black olives, lettuce and fresh tomato are all delicious options.
3. You could even use the rice and beans with tortilla chips, and make nachos.  

Does your kitchen batch cook? What are some recipes you like to make in bulk? Leave your comments in the notes section below!

Stay Cool,
The Cool Dads Crew