Monday Meals: Mongolian Chicken

What we're about to say is going to blow your mind. Seriously, guys... please sit down for this one. Prepare yourselves. Maybe get a glass of cold water, or a paper bag to breathe in and out of? 

We'll give you a minute. 

Ready? 

Ok. The Wisconsin Test Kitchen just made THE BEST chicken dish ever in the slow cooker. Seriously. THE BEST. As a rule, we try not to cook chicken too much in the slow cooker; chicken breasts turn out dry and have the texture of a rubber band. Most recipes just don't seem to get the cook time right, and we always end up with a dinner that's just so-so. 

Until last week. 

We've been on a Chinese food in the slow cooker kick lately (seriously guys, have you tried the Beef & Broccoli? It's stupid good); so we thought we'd try a new chicken recipe for a change. Change is good. It's real good. 

Mongolian Chicken
Recipe courtesy of: Carlsbad Cravings

INGREDIENTS
1 1/2 -2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs
1 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch

Mongolian Sauce
1/2 cup low sodium soy sauce
1/2 cup water
1/3 cup brown sugar, packed
2-4 tablespoons Asian sweet chili sauce (like Mae Ploy)*
2 tablespoons sweet Japanese rice wine or dry sherry
1 tablespoon quality hoisin sauce like Lee Kum Kee or Kikkoman**
2 teaspoons freshly grated ginger
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1-2 teaspoons sriracha/Asian hot chili sauce for more heat (optional)***

INSTRUCTIONS

Add chicken to the bottom of your slow cooker.

Whisk together all of the Mongolian Sauce ingredients and pour 1/2 cup over chicken. 

Refrigerate the rest of the sauce. Cook on low for 5-7 hours or on high for 3-4 hours, or until chicken is tender enough to shred.

When chicken is tender, remove to a cutting board and shred.
Meanwhile, add reserved Mongolian Sauce to a small saucepan and whisk in 1 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch followed by all the liquid from the slow cooker. Bring to a boil then reduce to a simmer until thickened. Add shredded chicken back to slow cooker along with thickened sauce. Toss to combine.

Let cook an additional 30 minutes on low to absorb sauce. Taste and add additional Asian Sweet Chili Sauce for more sweet heat, Sriracha for spicier, brown sugar for sweeter if desired. Serve with rice and garnish with sesame seeds and green onions.

Do yourself a favor, and add this to your weekly dinner rotation ASAP. Your family will thank you! 

Stay Cool,

The Cool Dads Crew

Friday Fun: Slow Cooker Bolognese

We've talked before about how convenient and helpful batch cooking is. Some of our favorite batch recipes are:
Beans & Rice
Whole Chicken in a Crockpot
Stuffed Meatballs

And we now The Wisconsin Test Kitchen has a new favorite batch recipe to add to the list: Slow Cooker Bolognese sauce. For those not familiar, Bolognese is a thick, meaty tomato sauce that pairs well with linguine or penne pasta. We made enough for dinner (and a few lunches) throughout the week, and 2 large containers to throw in the freezer for dinners later on. This was one of those meals all three members of the house agreed on: SB even cleaned her plate, and she's not typically a fan of red sauce. 

The recipe does require some prep work, and is the perfect Saturday or Sunday afternoon project. But it will save so much time and hassle later on, when you're scrambling to find something that resembles dinner. We made the sauce, along with four pounds of the stuffed meatballs. With football season right around the corner, you can never have too many homemade meatballs, right?? 

Slow Cooker Bolognese
Recipe courtesy of: Little Spice Jar

INGREDIENTS
2½ pounds fresh tomatoes (see note)
3 tablespoons oil
1 medium yellow onion, finely diced or coarsely grated
2 stalks celery, finely diced or coarsely grated
2 medium carrots, finely diced or coarsely grated
3 tablespoons minced garlic
¼ cup tomato paste
21/2 - 3 pounds ground beef (I used 85% lean) (see note)
salt and pepper, to taste
1 teaspoon italian seasoning, 1 pinch red pepper flakes
3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1-28 ounce can San Marzano tomatoes
1-14 ounce can diced tomatoes, drained
2 bay leaves
1-2 parmesan rinds
¼ cup parsley, roughly chopped (plus more for serving)
¾ cup half and half (or heavy cream!)

INSTRUCTIONS
Bring a large stockpot of water to boil. Core the fresh tomatoes and mark an "X" on the top and bottom so it's easier to peel. Add the tomatoes and allow the tomatoes to boil for 15 minutes. Drain and submerge the tomatoes in cold water to immediately stop from cooking further.
In a large dutch oven, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onions, celery, and carrots and allow to cook for 8-10 minutes or until the onions are translucent. Drain any unnecessary grease with the exception of about 1-2 tablespoons. Add the garlic along with the tomato paste and let cook for 30 seconds.
Increase the flame to medium-high, add the ground beef, 1 teaspoon of salt, ½ teaspoon of pepper, the Italian seasoning, and the red pepper flakes. Allow the meat to brown, add the apple cider vinegar and allow the met to cook for another 3-4 minutes.
Add the ground meat to the crockpot along with the diced tomatoes, san marzano tomatoes, bay leaves, parmesan rinds, and parsley. Add a big pinch of salt and pepper, and allow the Bolognese to cook for 8 hours on the LOW setting of your crockpot. Add the half and half and adjust salt and pepper to taste. Serve over pasta sprinkled with parmesan cheese and additional parsley.

Do you have a batch cooking recipe you rely on? We'd love to hear from our readers! 

Stay Cool,
The Cool Dads Crew

Monday Meals: Pork Chop Stroganoff

As we've mentioned before, the Wisconsin Test Kitchen usually gets a whole butchered hog every year for Christmas. It's a very generous gift that keeps us in tasty, tasty (locally grown and organic) pork all year long. It allows us to feed smoked pig butt to our entire fantasy football league on draft day, Easter ham for the whole family, and ribs and cutlets all summer long. 

We usually have a TON of pork chops and have been burned out on the same recipes we've been making week after week. So, we took to the trusty Pinterest to find a new recipe. We're adding this one into our rotation immediately! The creamy, mushroom gravy paired well with the juicy, tender chops. We served this with roasted potatoes, and with a side of broccoli rabe. It was an easy, delicious weeknight dinner we'll be making again soon.

A few notes from the Test Kitchen: the recipe we followed called for thick cut pork chops... we have thin cut. As a result, we didn't brown the chops, because we didn't want them to get dried out. If you're using thick cut- follow the directions and brown them- it will seal the juices in, and add more flavor. If you're using thin cut- place the chops in the slow cooker, and cook on low for 3-4 hours. 

Pork Chop Stroganoff
Recipe courtesy of: Cooktop Cove

4 large bone-in rib pork chops
1 tbs butter
8 oz sliced mushrooms
1 can (10.75 oz) cream of mushroom soup
1 envelope pork gravy mix
½ cup water
⅓ cup sour cream

Instructions
1. Combine the soup and gravy mix in a bowl, add to the slow cooker and place the mushrooms on top.

2. Melt the butter in a large skillet and brown the pork chops on both sides, in two batches if necessary, before placing in the slow cooker on top of the mushrooms.

3. Deglaze the skillet using the water, scraping up any meaty or fatty cooked-on bits from the pan using a wooden spatula and pour the contents of the skillet over the pork chops before covering and cooking on low for 6 - 8 hours. 

4. Remove the pork chops and stir the sour cream through the mushroom gravy until smooth, then pour over the chops and serve with steamed rice.

With the kids heading back to school, sports and social leagues starting back up, life is hectic- no doubt. So do yourself a favor, and let the crock pot cook dinner for you tonight! 

Friday Fun: Blueberry French Toast Casserole

The Wisconsin Test Kitchen had friends in from out of town for brunch a few weeks ago; and were trying to think of a quick, but impressive meal to serve. Additionally, some of the guests were vegetarian; so we wanted to avoid any casseroles or bakes with meat. Disclaimer: of course we served bacon on the side... 

Kevin suggested we try a Blueberry French Toast Casserole. Since we had leftover hamburger buns from a cookout the weekend before, and a pint of fresh blueberries from our recent Door to Door Organics delivery- we were set. 

Blueberry French Toast Casserole
Recipe Courtesy of: Angelic Bakehouse

Ingredients
1 pack Angelic Bakehouse Sprouted Whole Grain Hamburger Buns,cubed

Butter, for greasing the pan

6 eggs
3 cups whole milk
¾ cup maple syrup, plus extra for serving
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon, plus 1 tablespoon
¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
1 lemon, zested
2 cups (12 ounces) fresh or frozen, thawed, and drained blueberries
3 tablespoons granulated sugar

Instructions
Place an oven rack in the middle of the oven.
Preheat the oven to 350° F.
Butter a 9 x 13-inch baking dish. Set aside.
In a large bowl, beat the eggs until frothy.

Add the milk, maple syrup, cinnamon, salt, and lemon zest.

Add the bread cubes and mix until coated.
Stir in the blueberries.
Pour the mixture into the prepared baking dish.

In a small bowl, mix together the remaining cinnamon and sugar.
Sprinkle the cinnamon sugar over the egg mixture in an even layer.
Bake for 40 to 45 minutes until the top is golden and the filling is set.

Spoon onto serving plates and drizzle with maple syrup. 

The french toast was a big hit; the combination of lemon and blueberry was delicious. And it helped that our guests just so happened to bring a large jug of real maple syrup with them! 

Next time you have a house full of people for breakfast or brunch- give this a try. It's easy to prepare and will impress your guests.

Stay Cool,

The Cool Dads Crew

Monday Meals: Creamy Sundried Tomato Chicken

We're back! Sorry it's been a few weeks since our last post: the Wisconsin Test Kitchen has been busy enjoying summer and soaking up as much sunshine as possible before the gloom of winter descends on us. 

We've crossed a few more items off our Summer Bucket List, including a trip to Bookworm Gardens and Kohler Andre State Park in Sheboygan. Bookworm Gardens is a MUST for all book lovers; the gardens are meticulously crafted to represent different children's books, and there are plenty of hands-on experiences kids will enjoy. Bonus: the gardens are FREE with a suggested donation. 

We also took a trip to Highway 18 Outdoor Theater to see Suicide Squad. While the movie was just okay; the outdoor theater experience was awesome! They have a fun indoor area with pool tables, pinball machines and Foosball; as well as food, and beverages. This was a fun way to spend time while we waited for the movie to start. 

And summer still isn't over yet! We have an upcoming trip to Bay Beach, as well as Labor Day weekend plans in the north woods. It's been a lovely summer so far, and we  really don't want to see it end. 

In addition to all our summer fun, we've still found time to cook. While we've relied on our crock pot, and cooked a lot of our favorite recipes, we have tried a few new recipes as well. Rebecca has been toying with the idea of trying the Whole 30; and wanted to test drive a few recipes before committing. We tried this easy one-dish meal on a Friday night, and even the non-Whole 30 enthusiasts enjoyed it. Even if you're not doing the Whole 30, this is a great meal for anyone looking to cut dairy out of their diet. The dish is creamy and indulgent, without all the lactose. 

Creamy Sundried Tomato Chicken
Recipe courtesy of: My Natural Family


1 T. salt
1 t. freshly ground pepper
8 chicken thighs, bone-in, skin removed (we used chicken breasts instead)
1 T. olive oil
1 yellow onion, sliced thinly
3/4 C. sliced sun-dried tomatoes (not packed in oil)
1 T. garlic, minced
1 t. Italian Seasoning (oregano, thyme, parsley)
Pinch red pepper flakes
1 can (13.5 oz.) coconut milk
1 C. chicken stock or broth
Basil, shredded, to top

Instructions

Add 1 T. of oil to the pan and heat to medium/high. Add the sliced onion and saute for 2 minutes. Add the sun-dried tomatoes, garlic, Italian Seasoning, and red pepper and saute for another 30 seconds.

Add the coconut milk and chicken broth and bring to a boil.
Add the chicken into the sauce, scooping the onions and tomatoes over the top of the chicken. Try to fit the chicken in a single layer, if possible.

Cover pan with a lid (make sure it is oven safe) and place it in the oven. Cook for 30-35 minutes at 350 degrees, or until chicken is cooked all the way through. 

Remove from the oven and top with shredded basil just before serving. We served the chicken over pasta, since we weren't adhering to Whole 30, but it would also be delicious served over zoodles (zucchini vegetable noodles, for those not in the know). 

We'll be back in the next few weeks with ideas for school lunches, batch cooking and fall (waaaah!) recipe ideas. Plus, the return of Cool Dads football predictions! 

Stay Cool,
The Cool Dads Crew