With a toddler and preschooler (I have a 2 year old and a 4 year old), I’m often looking for ways to keep them entertained–but not requiring us to entertain them. While we are by no means an anti-screen family, we tend to only offer TV or the iPad in small amounts at home and/or as a last resort when traveling. My husband and I decided early on that we would not allow screen time anywhere near where we’re eating—either at home or at a restaurant. And we go out to eat at least once or twice a week… so that means many meals out where we need to keep our kids occupied. Not to mention, my son and daughter have very different interests, which means we have a lot of experience in trying out different toys and activities. 

So, countless meals out and many car and plane trips later, I’m sharing our favorite restaurant and travel toys and activities for little kids, especially toddlers and preschoolers (ages 1-5 years old). (Disclosure: All links below are affiliate links for which I earn a commission) 

Best Restaurant and Travel Toys for Young Kids

Magnetic blocks

Magnetic cubes have become a recent hit with both kids. We picked up a set of 35 mini magnetic blocks for a recent trip, and my 2 year old son has been obsessed. He played with them for almost 2 hours on the long plane ride. I love the magnetic tin case it comes in to keep everything together.  

We also have a small Tegu magnetic block set which is compact and high quality, but I find that it’s not enough blocks for too much money. We do sometimes mix them with other magnetic blocks and tiles for more interesting builds. 

Mini magnetic tiles

We actually have two sets of mini magnetic tiles, one for each kid, because they are so good for independent play and both kids love them. While our sets are different brands, they work with each other and allow for bigger builds.

• MAGNA-TILES microMAGS: This 26-piece set is my favorite because of the convenient magnetic tin they come in for storage and building. It’s easy to throw the tin in my bag for an easy on-the-go activity. 
• CreateOn Crayola Mini Magnetic PIP-Tiles: The 24-piece Crayola set has slightly bigger tiles and comes in a cardboard box, so it’s not quite as travel friendly but it still offers loads of entertainment. I love how the fun color options, like this glitter set that we got for my daughter. 

Sketch pad and coloring items 

Drawing is by far my daughter’s favorite activity, especially since she turned 3. Blank paper and coloring utensils allows her imagination to flow versus coloring books. Depending on the outing or trip, we bring a mix of markers, crayons or colored pencils and keep them all conveniently stored in a mesh zippered pouch. My daughter prefers drawing on actual paper because she likes to treasure her masterpieces; but LED pads are nice lightweight reusable alternatives. 

• Sketch pads: I highly recommend Melissa & Doug mini sketch pads. They lie flat, pages tear out easily, and are small enough to fit in a pouch. 
• Markers: These Crayola Clicks retractable markers are perfect for travel. No cap to be lost and they don’t dry out easily. It takes a bit of strength to push the markers open, but my 4 year old can do so by herself easily (2 year old needs help still). And I can attest that they are, in fact, washable. 
• Colored pencils: We have a complete Crayola twistables colored pencils set at home, so I just bring a handful of them in a smaller mesh pouch with us since they don’t require sharpening. 
• Crayons: Crayola also sells similar twistable crayons, but we actually prefer this set of Faber-Castell beeswax crayons for our toddler since they’re sturdier and come in a hard plastic case that’s perfect for travel.

Lego Duplos

My 2 year old toddler can play with Duplo legos for ages. I put a small Duplo base plate along with a variety of Duplo blocks in a mesh pouch and he can make and break down multiple builds for hours. And they’re big enough for little hands to manipulate and so you don’t have to worry about choking hazards. 

Magnetic puzzles

As you can sense, I love magnets for travel. They help keep things together, especially when you’re dealing with loose parts like a puzzle. My kids love puzzles–my toddler still needs a bit of help putting them together, but my 4 year old can easily do so. These two-sided Melissa & Doug magnetic puzzles are my favorite since they’re set up well where you can keep the pieces on the side but still see the image; they have farm, princesses, and vehicles options. Mudpuppy has some cute designs (like this unicorn one!) but I don’t like their set up quite as much where you can’t see what the final image looks like when you’re putting together the puzzle. 

Road tape and small cars

My son loves cars and trucks and all sorts of vehicles. Layout some road tape, hand him some cars, and he has a blast. This PlayTape road tape works great for airplane trays, tables, and floors–just don’t keep it on wood for too long, otherwise the adhesive could cause some damage. We always carry a few Hot Wheels cars in our bag because they’re always guaranteed to provide entertainment. 

Scratch art

Confession: I don’t allow scratch art at home because it’s too messy. But that makes it a fun activity when we’re out. While this activity doesn’t capture my son’s attention for quite as long, my daughter can go through countless scratch papers in one sitting. The blank scratch art papers holds my 4 year old’s attention much better the type that you scratch off to see a picture underneath. We’ve used both Melissa & Doug and ZMLM rainbow scratch paper, and liked both. Melissa & Doug’s was slightly thicker and bigger, but ZMLM still held up well and is slightly cheaper and includes more styluses (easier to share!). 

Stickers and window clings

Toddlers love to stick and restick items. Of all that we’ve owned, these have been our favorite sticker activities and window clings: 

• Melissa & Doug puffy sticker sets are great to throw in a diaper bag and are reusable for multiple uses. We prefer the spiral-bound page books like this Pet Place version, since they offer more variety and take about the same amount of space. Some of the stickers can be quite small, so best used with supervision for young toddlers.
• Gel window clings for the plane window. These are much better quality than others we’ve tried, since they stick and restick easily and hold up well to toddler abuse–making them worth their slightly higher price tag. There are multiple themes available from animals to cars to mermaids.
• Melissa & Doug Sticker WOW! are great for young toddlers to use, with stickers that stay on paper but aren’t too sticky on other materials. But it’s single use and older preschoolers might get bored quickly.
• Usborne dress-up activity sticker books are good for older kids (ages 4+) but I don’t find them very reusable.

Playdoh

I’ve tried the more “natural”/cleaner versions of playdough and I find they always end up getting too sticky and messy, especially for travel. So, I always end up going back to the Play-Doh brand modeling compound. I like this 9-piece Play-Doh starter set, although I don’t usually bring the whole kit with me out–just a can or two, with a couple of tools and/or toys like mini construction vehicles. My kids also really enjoy these dinosaur dough molds–which even toddlers can use–they lay flat which makes them easy to pack. 

Honorable mentions

This list of travel toys have provided a decent amount of entertainment, but either didn’t hold my kids’ attention as much as the above, needed too much supervision/caused too much mess, were single use, and/or may be better suited for older kids. 

• Skillmatics Dot It Sticker Art – Kids have to place dot stickers to help “color” in images. This definitely keeps my kids engaged for a while, but it’s more of a single use activity as it was difficult to remove the stickers after. 
• Crayola Mess Free coloring set – Good for young toddlers who like to color like the big kids, but you don’t want to worry about markers getting everywhere. Despite being clear, the markers appear with the designated color on the special Mess Free activity pages.
• Just add water painting books – These watercolor painting books are better suited for ages 3+
  —my daughter likes them, but I found the paper tends to pill quickly. Younger toddlers do better with these Water WOW! books where water unveils preset colors, but both of my kids never were interested in these for very long.
• Etch A Sketch Mini – My daughter likes to play with this so I sometimes bring one as a travel toy, but it doesn’t hold her attention quite the same way as drawing on paper does. 
• Magnetic men toys – My kids like playing with these for a short while, and sometimes will even add to their magnetic blocks or tiles. But I find magnetic blocks and tiles hold their attention for much longer. 
• Clixo magnetic toys – I love the flexible nature of this toy, which allow for more unique builds, but it’s best for ages 4+. Also you need a lot to be interesting; I recommend having 18+ pieces to do much. But they lay flat so are super easy to pack as a travel toy.  
• Skillmatics Foil Art – This is a fun activity best suited for preschoolers and above but I found that I ended up having to help my daughter more than expected and it created a lot of little pieces of trash as you peel off the sticker backing, which wasn’t fun for plane rides. It’s also a single use activity, which I didn’t think justified the cost. 

Organization

To keep all my travel toys organized in my bag, I keep almost everything in labeled mesh pouches so I can easily identify what’s what. These are my favorite travel organization products:

• Colorful zipper mesh pouches in a variety of sizes so you can find a pouch that fits whatever you need. From holding colored pencils and markers to organizing Lego Duplo blocks to snacks, these pouches are perfect to keep your items together in one place.
• See-through mesh pouches with a handle are great for activities that can be brought out on their own as needed. For instance, I use these to keep our sketch book and coloring utensils all together.
• Label maker to help you identify contents of each pouch. The one I linked has held up well to many, many labels being made over the past year. It’s rechargeable, small, and allows you to print various lengths (unlike many other label makers on the market).

Hope these restaurant and travel toys help you as you embark on your trips and/or dining excursions so you can get some screen-free peace and quiet on the go! Also be sure to check out my post on must-have items when traveling with babies and toddlers, including a tutorial on how to use WiFi cameras like Nanit in hotels.

The post The Best Restaurant and Travel Toys for Toddlers and Little Kids appeared first on VC in the Kitchen.

Updated Apr 2025: We now have two young kids and are still using the same travel set up for both of them! The only difference is that our youngest is still in the travel crib, while we moved our daughter to an inflatable bed. We’ve brought and used our Nanit cameras and Hatch sound machines on many trips and in many hotels now, and I can confirm that this is the best setup for traveling with Nanit or other WiFi cameras on public hotel networks or no password WIFi networks.

Traveling with a baby or toddler is not easy. But it’s always worth it to see the world in their eyes. However, when traveling, we aren’t willing to sacrifice our sleep or peace of mind — and so it’s important that we can keep an eye on our kids using a Nanit WiFi camera even while in hotels, and help provide a dark sleeping space so they don’t wake up early.

There are a few things that make our lives easier when on the go, like blackout curtains or tent, travel crib or inflatable bed, and travel sound machine. Sharing some of our favorites (Note: all are affiliate links) below; I also share how to use your Nanit while traveling in hotels (works for other WiFi based cameras too)! 

Our favorite baby/toddler travel items:

• Slumperpod – A blackout tent that goes over almost all travel cribs or playpens. Essential for us if sharing a room with a baby since you don’t have to go hide in the bathroom or stumble around in the dark! We bought a separate small USB fan to be used since the Slumberpod brand was out of stock at the time, and it fit perfectly in the fan pouch. We have two; one for our youngest and we still use this for our 4 year old with an inflatable bed, esp. if we don’t have a separate room for our eldest to sleep in. Alternatively, you can bring suction travel blackout curtains to darken the room, but we prefer the Slumberpod so we can still use the space while the kids sleep!
• BabyBjorn Travel Crib – Pack and plays are too heavy for plane travel, so invest in a travel crib. The BabyBjorn and the Guava Lotus are probably the most popular options around. We chose this since we’ve loved our other BabyBjorn gear and read that the crib mattress is slightly thicker than the Lotus. Although I know some parents prefer the Lotus due to the side door. Regardless, we love this crib and our kids have slept well in them.
  • For older kids, you can graduate them to an inflatable travel bed instead, which still fits a Slumberpod. Our daughter now uses this one from Hiccapop due to the lifetime warranty. It packs down pretty small and comes with a plug-in air pump and patches in case of holes (which we haven’t had to use yet despite multiple trips). Slumberpod also makes a similar one (the Slumbertot) but it’s shorter so I felt like it wouldn’t last us as long.
• Hatch Rest / Hatch Rest Go Sound Machine – We use the Hatch Rest at home all the time for both kids, and love the different white noise sounds and customization. Our default is the rain sound, which we’ve used with both kids since birth. They used to make a Hatch mini which can be plugged in, and we still travel with ours. But we sometimes bring our full Hatch Rest because we like to be able to control the volume of the Hatch via WiFi (e.g. if we’re packing and making a lot of noise, we turn up the volume). Otherwise, we bring the portable Hatch that allows us to use the same rain white noise that we use at home for our kids to get a good night’s rest while traveling. While it lasts all night on a single charge, we charge it during the day just in case.
• Travel nightlight – Especially when our kids were younger, this dimmable touch nightlight was helpful for middle of the night feeding sessions, diaper changes, or anything in between. Several years later, we still travel with this light and sometimes use it as a nightlight for the hotel bathrooms if needed.
• Extension cord/power strip – This has been such a lifesaver in hotel rooms where there are limited outlets in weird places. We’ve used this power strip multiple times to plug in our Slumberpod fan, Hatch Mini and Nanit camera without any issue.
• Nanit Pro cameras – We always travel with our Nanit cameras for peace of mind, especially to keep an eye on our kids in their Slumberpods/rooms. You could also bring a non-WiFi baby monitor, but found it less good quality, and I didn’t like the option to keep track if we hired a babysitter or stepped away from the hotel room. Also, pro tip – if you travel with an iPad, you can use that for when you have babysitters so they don’t need to download the app on their phone. We always travel with an older iPad for the kids and use it as our Nanit monitor.
  • Note, Nanit cameras need a Flex multi-stand when traveling, and if you’re planning on using them in a hotel with public WiFi, you will need to bring a travel router as well. Read more about how to set up Nanit cameras in hotels or on public WiFi networks below.

Using a WiFi camera such as the Nanit while traveling with non-password protected WiFi

Nanit Pro cameras – and other WiFi based cameras like Wyze, Lollipop, and Nest – don’t typically work on public WiFi networks that aren’t password protected like what many hotels have. But I thankfully found a workaround so you can bring and use your Nanit at any hotel while you travel and encounter no password WiFi networks… all it requires is a travel router. This travel router set up also supports connecting Hatch sound machines as well!

IMPORTANT: Before you go, purchase a travel router to bring along your trip, such as one by TP-Link or GL.iNet. I found this TP-Link one to work just fine but there are fancier versions out there like this one that promise better speeds. (affiliate links)

How to connect your WiFi camera on a public hotel network: 

What you have to do is to connect the travel router to the public wireless network using the Hotspot/WISP mode – this essentially turns the router into a hotspot with a password-protected WiFi network. I generally connect everything using my mobile device, but I’ve used my tablet before without issue with the following instructions on WiFi. 

Hot tip: Connect your travel router first to the hotel WiFi before any other device in case the hotel has any limits to how many devices can be connected to the WiFi from your room at a time. You can connect multiple devices to the travel router (but which will only count as 1 device as far as the hotel knows!)

Set up instructions

• Plug in your travel router: Most will need to be plugged in to operate, usually via USB. 
• Connect to the travel router: On your cell phone/tablet/laptop, pull up available wireless networks. Select the name of the router network, which can usually be found listed on the back of the travel router itself. You’ll likely be asked to enter a password, which should be provided with the router instructions. You’ll be able to change the router network and password at a later point.
• Connect the router in WISP/Hotspot mode: Log in to your router and follow the router instructions to connect to the public hotel network in Hotspot/WISP (Wireless Internet Service Provider) mode. For instance, using this TP-Link router, you’ll be able to do the following:
  • Using a web browser on your device, visit http://tplinkwifi.net and follow the Quick Setup Wizard instructions, selecting WISP/Hotspot Router Mode.
  • Select the WAN Connection Type. When using the router with a hotel network, select Dynamic IP. 
  • Select the public hotel network from the list of available wireless networks (if there are multiple, choose the one with the highest signal strength at the top of the list), click Connect
  • Go to the router’s status page to check if you’ve successfully connected to the hotel network. 
  • Note: For some hotels, you may need to open up a new browser and login the hotel WiFi network (for instance, using your last name and/or room number) to actually connect to the Internet. 
• Plug in your WiFi-based camera: Plug in and set up your camera. If you’re using a Nanit camera, it will only work when traveling if you have a Nanit multi-stand (sold separately). 
• Connect your camera to the wifi: You’ll have to pair your camera to the new travel router WiFi network.
  • If using the Nanit, you can do so via the Nanit app by clicking [Baby’s] Settings via the top left navigation menu, then scrolling down to Network > “Pair Nanit with our network”. Follow the instructions on how to pair your Nanit to the network – which will involve you pressing the small WiFi button on the back of the camera until the light flashes, selecting your travel router network, and making sure the Nanit is connected. 

Once you connect your Nanit or other camera to the travel router WiFi network, you should be set to go! Double check to ensure you can see the video of your crib clearly, but you should be able to use your Nanit when traveling now. As another bonus, since some hotels cap how many devices can connect to the Internet per room, using a travel router allows you to connect multiple devices to the hotel WiFi network without any restrictions!

One note: If you’re using the Nanit camera with a Slumberpod, they advise you to install the camera sideways in the camera pouch. I found it best for the multistand bottom to be on the left, so the cord comes out at the end closest to where the zipper is. Press the plastic up against the camera face for the best picture quality. It may take a bit of maneuvering, but I’ve found the picture quality on the Nanit to be quite good while traveling. Sharing a photo of what the picture quality is like taken from my Nanit app, with the camera in the Slumberpod while on hotel WiFi without a password protection.

Hope this helps you have additional peace of mind while traveling with your kid(s). To keep your children entertained while out and about, check out my post on the best travel toys for toddlers and young kids. Happy travels!

The post How to Use Nanit Cameras in Hotels and Other Baby & Toddler Travel Tips for a Good Night’s Rest appeared first on VC in the Kitchen.

Happy new year everyone! I missed my goal of sharing a final post of 2018, but here’s to new beginnings in 2019. After hosting a New Year’s Eve party last night at our place, we were left with most of the 5lb bag of “fancy” limes we bought from Costco. And with rest of the ingredients on hand in our pantry, it was a no brainer to make my husband’s favorite dessert – lime meringue pie (aka key lime pie). Because why not start the new year off right? It’s a fairly simple recipe with a limited number of ingredients but absolutely delicious and always a crowd pleaser.

As always, you can skip directly to the recipe below, but I’m sharing step-by-step instructions on how to make lime meringue pie below. Don’t forget to also check out my other dessert recipes.

Making the graham cracker crust

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F/176 degrees C.

Start by crushing 11-12 graham crackers into fine crumbs. I find one of the easiest ways to do this is by place graham crackers in a Ziploc bag and pounding them with a rolling pin, but you can also use your hands to crumble up the crackers (although this takes longer).

Combine 1 and 1/2 cups of the graham cracker crumbs, 1/3 cup sugar, and ¼ teaspoon salt in a bowl. Melt 8 tablespoons of unsalted butter in a separate bowl – either on the stovetop or microwave. If microwaving, start with 30 seconds high, followed by 15 second increments until fully melted. Add the melted butter to the graham cracker mixture and stir until combined. Press the crumb mixture evenly to the bottom and sides of a 9-inch pie plate. I find that using your hands is easiest to do this.

Bake for 10 minutes until lightly brown. Remove from the oven and let rest on a cooling rack.

Prepare the lime meringue pie filling

Finely zest about 6 limes to obtain 1.5 tablespoons of zest. (I love this Microplane zester.) Be careful not to overzest the lime to get into the white pith which is too bitter. Juice the limes to get about 2/3 cup of fresh lime juice – you may need to juice 1-2 additional limes. If you’re looking for product recommendations, I love these items:

Separate 3 large eggs into whites and yolks into two separate bowls – you’ll need 3 egg yolks and 4 egg whites. Set aside the egg whites. Using an election mixer, beat the lime zest and egg yolks until pale and thick, about 4-5 minutes. Add one can of sweetened condensed milk and beat until thickened again, about 3 minutes more. Beat 2/3 cup fresh lime juice into the zest yolk mixture until well combined.

Pour the lime filling into graham crust and bake for 15 minutes, until set but not browned. Let pie cool on the wire rack slightly while preparing the meringue.

Top off the pie with meringue

In a small bowl, stir together ½ cup sugar, ½ teaspoon cornstarch, and a pinch of salt. Beat the egg whites on medium speed until white and foamy, about 5 minutes. Increase mixer speed to high. Add the sugar mixture, a little at a time, to the egg whites, beating between additions. Continue to beat until the mixture turns glossy-white and forms stiff peaks. Spoon the meringue over the pie, using the back of the spoon to shape the meringue top and form peaks.

Brown the pie slightly using a kitchen torch or broil briefly. If broiling, be sure to watch it carefully – don’t leave it for longer than a minute, and it’s best to rotate the pie for even color.

Let cool on wire rack before covering lightly with plastic wrap and placing in the refrigerator to cool down. Chill for at least 2 hours, up to overnight. Slice and enjoy!

The post Lime Meringue Pie appeared first on VC in the Kitchen.

Given that it’s winter time, there’s something incredibly comforting about a big bowl of warm noodle soup. And I was excited to see how the Instant Pot could cut down the long cook time to get a rich flavorful broth, while still making the chicken nice and tender. After testing this recipe out twice (I had to make sure I got it right for you!), I am a massive fan of the Instant Pot. I highly encourage you to buy one of your own, if you’re not a proud owner yourself.

How to make your Instant Pot pho ga

Preparing the chicken broth

Start by peeling 2 onions and slicing in half. Cut a 4-inch piece of ginger into thin slices. Peel and lightly smash 2 garlic cloves.

You want to start by charring the onions and ginger to really develop the broth’s flavor. Select the sauté function on the Instant Pot and set cooking for about 10 minutes. Once hot, add 2 tablespoons canola oil to the pot, then carefully add the onions, cutside down, along with the ginger. Let cook without moving, until charred—about 4-5 minutes.

Add the garlic to toast slightly. Then add in spices – 2 teaspoons coriander seeds, 1 teaspoon fennel seeds, 4 star anise pods, 5 whole cloves, 1 cinnamon stick (split), and 3 cardamom pods (lightly smashed. Note, you can substitute with ground versions of these spices if necessary – not ideal, but certainly works in a pinch. Stir the spices and cook for 1 minute more. Pour in a small splash of cold water to fully deglaze the bottom of the pot with a wooden spoon.

Gently add in the chicken. A quick note on the chicken – I use anywhere from 2 to 3 lbs of chicken – depending on how heavy on the chicken you want your soup to have – and typically prefer a mix of thighs and breasts for dark and white meat. But be sure to use bone-in, skin-on chicken for the flavor.

Add in 4 tablespoons of fish sauce, 1 tablespoon brown sugar, 2 tablespoons salt and ½ of a bunch of cilantro. Carefully pour in cold water to cover at least 90% of the chicken.

Secure the lid of the Instant Pot. Select Manual/Pressure Cook and cook on high pressure for 15 minutes.

Prepare the other ingredients for the chicken pho

As the chicken cooks, place dry rice noodles in a large bowl and pour boiling water over them. Lightly season with salt. Let sit to cook the noodles until soft (30-35 minutes). Stir occasionally to prevent sticking. Once the rice noodles are cooked through, run them under cold tap water to stop the cooking process. Drain well.

Then thinly slice ½ a small white onion. Place the onion slices in a bowl of cold water to soften the taste for at least 10-15 minutes.

Thinly slice green onions, trim the ends of the bean sprouts, slice 2 limes into wedges, and strip cilantro, mint and Thai basil leaves from stems. If desired, you can also thinly slice a jalapeno pepper.

Finish off and serve the chicken pho

Once the chicken broth finishes pressure cooking, let sit for 10 minutes undisturbed so the pressure can natural release. After that time, use the manual release venting functionality to remove any remaining steam from the Instant Pot.

Use tongs to remove the chicken from the pot and place into a separate bowl. It should be nice and tender, and falling off the bone. Skim any fat and scum from the surface of the broth. Strain the broth. Season with salt and white pepper, to taste. Don’t be afraid to add in a good amount of salt to get this flavorful.

I know bok choy isn’t typical in chicken pho, but I do love adding in vegetables to my soup. Stir in about 1 lb of bok choy into the hot broth until cooked through – about 5 minutes or so.

To serve, place the cooked noodles into the bottom of bowls. Shred cooled chicken meat and add to the bowls. Ladle in bok choy and broth. Top with bean sprouts, scallions, cilantro, mint, lime, and sliced jalapeño (if using).

Serve hot and then enjoy your chicken pho!

No Instant Pot or pressure cooker?

If you don’t have a pressure cooker or Instant Pot, you could easily modify this recipe for a slow cooker. Simply follow the same steps as listed, but when it comes to cooking the chicken, you cook on low for 6-8 hours or high for 3-4 hours. Prepare the noodles close to when the soup is ready. The chicken pho will still be delicious!

The post Instant Pot Chicken Pho (aka Pressure Cooker Pho Ga) appeared first on VC in the Kitchen.

While the orecchiette and the sausage are delicious on their own, the vegetables really help balance out the dish. I realize that broccoli rabe (also known as rapini) is sometimes hard to find, so you can easily substitute for broccolini or just regular broccoli. Sometimes I actually prefer broccolini as I find it less bitter – not to mention easier to find in the grocery stores – so sometimes will do a mix of broccolini and broccoli rabe. To remove any bitterness, you should blanch the greens in a pot of boiling water (see instructions below); you can soak them in bowl of water to rinse prior to blanching

Also note that I suggest that you buy spicy Italian sausage for the most flavor, but you can easily sub with regular Italian sausage. You can often buy this uncased at the butcher’s counter in your local supermarket. If not, you can buy the sausage in casing form, but just be sure to remove the casings before cooking.

As always, the full printable recipe is below. But you can follow my step-by-step instructions for this orecchiette with sausage and broccoli rabe, if desired:

Prepping the ingredients

Preparing the bread crumb topping: I would highly recommend that you not skip this crunch topping as it really elevates the dish by providing great texture to the orecchiette. To prepare it, just melt 2 tablespoons of unsalted butter in a small pan over medium-low heat. Add about ½ cup each of bread crumbs (you can use store bought or homemade) and pine nuts (optional, but adds a nice nuttiness). Stir well to coat in the butter. Season lightly with salt. Continue to cook, stirring frequently, until the crumbs turn golden brown, about 8-10 minutes. Transfer to a bowl to let cool; set aside.

Blanch the broccoli rabe: While slightly more work than sauteeing the broccoli rabe directly, I find this is an important part of the recipe as blanching the greens removes any bitterness. Blanching just involves cooking the vegetables briefly in salted water and then “shocking” them in cold water. To do so — bring a large pot of water to boil. Once boiling, add a generous amount of salt and the broccoli rabe. Cook the greens for about 1-2 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the broccoli rabe to a large bowl of ice water to cool. Keep the cooking water in the pot, and bring it back to a boil. Once cooled, chop up the cooked broccoli rabe into small pieces (about 1/3-1/2 inch long).

Cooking the sausage and pasta

In a large skillet or sauté pan, heat 3 tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat. Add one pound Italian sausage and cook, breaking it up into pieces with the back of a spoon, until it starts to brown, about 5-6 minutes. Add 4 cloves minced garlic and ¼-1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes (depending on your level of tolerance). Sauté until fragrant, about 2 minutes.

Meanwhile, when the cooking water from the broccoli is boiling again, add 1 lb of dried orecchiette and cook until al dente, stirring occasionally, about 8-10 minutes.

Add the broccoli to the sausage mixture, along with about 5 ounces of arugula (optional). Stir to combine, cooking until the broccoli rabe is hot and the arugula is wilted, about 2-3 minutes. Season well with salt and pepper.

Serving the orecchiette with sausage and broccoli rabe

When the pasta is ready, scoop out and reserve about 1.5 cups of the cooking water in a measuring cup. Then drain the orecchiette fully. Add the drained orecchiette to the sausage and greens mixture, along with a couple tablespoons of the cooking liquid. Mix in ½ cup Parmigiano-Reggiano grated cheese and stir well. Pour in more cooking water, if needed.

Remove the pasta from the heat. Stir in lemon juice and zest, and adjust seasonings as necessary.

Serve the orecchiette with sausage and broccoli pasta warm with a spoonful of the toasted bread crumbs and pine nuts mixture, and some extra parmesan cheese on top.

The post Orecchiette with Sausage and Broccoli Rabe Pasta appeared first on VC in the Kitchen.

These Rolo stuffed cookies are perfect for pretty much any occasion – birthdays, potlucks, or just because. And I can attest to the extreme popularity of these salted caramel chocolate chip cookies; people have raved about them. But just be warned: they are extremely addictive. Bet you can’t have just one!

A printable version of the recipe is available below, but here’s a walkthrough of the steps to make these delicious, chewy sea salt Rolo stuffed cookies…

Important note: You’ll want the dough to get cold before forming into cookies – I recommend a minimum of 4 hours in the refrigerator, so plan accordingly. I often make the cookie batter a day in advance before baking the cookies so the dough is properly chilled.

Prepare the cookie dough

Take out two large eggs and bringing them to room temperature. You can also place them in warm water (not hot, you don’t want them to cook!) for about 6-8 minutes.

Melt butter either in the microwave (for about 30-40 seconds) or in a small saucepan over medium-low heat.

Meanwhile, in a medium/large bowl, mix together 2 and 1/3 cups of flour, 1 teaspoon baking soda, 2 teaspoons cornstarch and ½ teaspoon salt. (Note: the best way to measure flour is to spoon the flour into a measuring cup and then level it off, versus scooping with the measuring cup.)

Then in a separate smaller bowl, toss together the ¾ cup brown sugar and ½ cup white sugar. Drizzle in the melted butter and whisk well until the mixture is of a smooth consistency and no lumps remain. Whisk in both eggs, one at a time. Add in two teaspoons of pure vanilla extract and whisk until well incorporated.

Working in batches, transfer the sugar-butter-egg (wet) mixture into the dry ingredients and mix well using a rubber spatula. The dough will be fairly soft.

Mix in about half a cup of semi-sweet chocolate chips. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator for minimum 4 hours, or up to 2 days. If you’re going to keep the dough for longer, I recommend freezing it instead (per note below). Chilling the dough is crucial to make these cookies work. I typically recommend keeping in the fridge overnight for best results.

Note: At this stage, you can freeze the cookie dough. I recommend rolling into small balls (per steps below), and then freezing separately on a cookie sheet for about 20 minutes. You can then transfer the little dough balls into a freezer Ziploc bag; these will keep for about 3-4 months. When ready to use, simply remove the dough from the freezer, let sit at room temperature for about 15-20 minutes until softened and follow steps below.

Forming the Rolo stuffed cookies

Remove the dough from the refrigerator and let warm up slightly at room temperature for 8-10 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 325F degrees.

Line two or three large baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. I typically use three because I make my cookies smaller (more to share!).

Unwrap 23-28 Rolos (depending on how big you want your cookies) and place in a bowl. In separate bowl, prepare about 1 cups of semi-sweet chocolate chips.

Using a cookie scoop, take about 1 tablespoon of dough. Sometimes, if I want more cookies, I’ll make them slightly smaller. Roll it into a ball using your hands and place on clean cutting board or parchment paper. I usually end up with around 46-56 small dough balls.

Gently press a Rolo into one piece of dough. Cover with another piece and wrap the dough around the Rolo so there are no gaps and the candy is completely covered. Add a small sprinkle of sea salt on top. Then gently press in a few chocolate chips on top. I’ll usually go with 4-6 chocolate chips to really amp up these cookies. Repeat with the other pieces of dough.

Place the prepare Rolo stuffed cookie dough mounds on the prepared baking sheets, about 1-1.5 inches apart. I usually fit up to 11 cookies per sheet.

Baking and storing the sea salt Rolo stuffed cookies

Bake one sheet at a time in the oven for about 9-10 minutes. Place the other cookie sheets in the refrigerator or freezer as one bakes.

Remove the sheet from the oven even if the cookies look slightly underbaked – I prefer them this way. But if they bake too long, you’ll notice the cookies will start to burst and the caramel center will start to leak out.

Let the cookies cool on the cookie sheets for at least 15 minutes. Gently use a spatula to transfer the cookies to a wire rack, being sure to not rip the bottom.

These sea salt rolo stuffed cookies can be kept in an air-tight container for up to 1 week.

You can also freeze them once completely cooled. When you’re ready to eat them, take them out of the freezer and allow them to defrost at room temperature for about an hour to remove condensation. Then bake at 275°F for about 10-12 minutes, or until warm.

(for full disclaimer, this recipe was adapted from Sally’s Baking Addiction, with slight modifications.)

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And in case you’re wondering what I mean by umami — umami is listed as the fifth taste after sour, sweet, salt, and bitter. Best described as a complex, savory flavor, it’s hard to explain exactly what umami tastes like. But this flavor naturally occurs in foods like shellfish, mushrooms, vegetables, truffles and aged or fermented products like soy sauce or Parmesan cheese. And given that this risotto is packed full of shiitake and cremini mushrooms, leeks, aged Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese and topped with white truffle oil, it’s no wonder that this mushroom and leek risotto packs a delicious umami punch.

Before you get started

Risotto gets a bad rap for being tough to make but it’s actually not as much difficult as somewhat time consuming. Broth is added in increments and you should stir the rice often to achieve the perfect creamy consistency. But I promise you, the results are worth it. The one thing that I haven’t been able to prove makes a huge difference or not is keeping the stock warm before you add to the risotto. I tend to do so because it’s how traditional chefs to do so;they claim that cold stock will cool down the risotto too much as it cooks. But I’ve definitely made risottos without keeping stock warm but using it at room temperature (straight out of the box or can) with little difference.

This mushroom and leek risotto is great on its own. Or if you want to make this dish extra luxurious, top with some brown butter seared scallops. You can sauté the reserved leek tops (the green parts) and serve on top of this risotto with a poached egg on top. Serve with a crisp white wine for an extra special dinner. Now to get started on the recipe…

Prepping the ingredients

Wash 2 leeks well, make sure you separate the leaves as there tends to be a lot of sand that gets caught inside of them. Cut off the green parts of the leeks, which you can then discard or reserve for another use. [VC note: I love leek tops sautéed and cooked with proteins like sausage or chicken. I’ve even sautéed the green parts of the leek and served on top of this risotto before]. Keeping the white and pale green parts of the leeks, cut the stems in half to become half-crescent shapes and then thinly slice crosswise. Rinse and thinly slice 1 pound of shiitake or cremini mushrooms. I enjoy a combination of both types—and find the shiitake mushrooms add a richer umami flavor.

Mince 2 cloves of garlic and 2 shallots. Finely chop 2 teaspoons of fresh thyme leaves and ¼ cup of fresh parsley. The herbs can be set aside in a bowl together as they will be added in at the same time. Grate ½ cup of Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese.

A note about risotto rice: Be sure to use a short-grain special rice for risotto. I recommend Carnaroli or Arborio rice; long grain rice won’t work as a substitute. Arborio is typically the easiest to find, but without careful attention can start to turn mushier easily. Carnaroli is often proclaimed as the best risotto rice to produce the creamiest results with less likelihood of overcooking.

Cooking the mushroom and leek risotto

In a medium to large pot, pour in the stock and heat over medium-high heat. Once hot, reduce temperature and keep warm over low heat.

In another large saucepan or dutch oven over medium heat, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil and 1 tablespoon butter over medium heat until shimmering. Add the sliced leeks and mushrooms with 2 teaspoons of salt for about 5 minutes or until softened. Remove from the pan and set aside.

In the same pan, add another tablespoon of butter and sauté the minced shallots and garlic in the center until soft, approximately 3-4 minutes. Then stir in 1.5 cups of arborio rice and cook for 1-2 minutes. Add ½ cup of a dry white wine. I typically prefer a crisp Sauvignon Blanc for risotto but a Pinot Grigio would work as well. Stir in with the rice until the wine evaporates, about 3 minutes.

Then add 1 cup of the warm stock and stir until almost all the liquid has been absorbed. Repeat adding broth in 1 cup increments and stirring until the liquid is absorbed. Cook until rice is tender but still firm to bite and the risotto is creamy, about 20-25 minutes total.

Finishing and serving the risotto

Add the leek and mushroom mixture back into the risotto and stir until reheated – about 2 minutes. If the risotto thickens too much, add additional warm stock to loosen it up.

Just before serving, stir in 1 tablespoon butter, 1 tablespoon of fresh lemon juice, 2 teaspoons of lemon zest, the grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, chopped fresh thyme and parsley, and 1 tablespoon white truffle oil (if using). Season generously with salt and pepper, to taste. For reference, I use approximately 2 teaspoons of salt and 1 teaspoon of pepper.

To serve, transfer the mushroom and leek risotto into bowls, top with extra chopped parsley and grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese and drizzle with a couple more drops of white truffle oil. Enjoy!

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Preparing the sauce

Start by mixing the following ingredients together for the sauce in a medium bowl:

• 3/4 cup ketchup
• 7 cloves of garlic, peeled and minced
• 5 tablespoons fresh ginger, peeled and minced
• 2 green onions, white and green parts diced
• 3 teaspoons fish sauce
• 1/3 cup soy sauce
• 1/3 cup honey or brown sugar
• 1/3 cup seasoned rice vinegar
• 1/4-1/3 cup Sriracha or other hot chili garlic sauce, adjusted to your spice preference
• 3 teaspoons five spice powder
• 1/2 cup hoisin sauce

As noted, many of these ingredients can be found in the Asian/international aisle of your local grocery store, but I include Amazon links in case they are not available.

Reserve a third of the sauce in another bowl. Cover and refrigerate for later.

Cooking the Asian pulled pork

Start with a 4-5 pound roast of pork shoulder – also known as pork butt. Trim the pork shoulder of any easily accessible excess fat. Clearly the pork will have some fat within so only trim the exterior.

Dice a large onion – white or yellow will work. Spread the chopped onion on the bottom of the slow cooker. Add a few spoonfuls of the sauce on top of the onion – make sure you’re taking from the original 2/3 of the sauce (the non-reserved part). Place the pork on top of the sauced onions. Pour the remainder of the sauce over the pork (again, not touching the reserved bowl).

Cover the slow cooker and cook on low for 10-11 hours (or on high for 5-6 hours). The pork should shred easily with a fork. If the pork is still tough to shred, continue cooking longer until it softens and pulls apart easily.

Remove the pork from the slow cooker and place on a cutting board or large plate. Skim excess fat from the top of sauce. Shred the pork with two forks then return to the slow cooker. Add in the reserved third of the sauce. Cook for another 30 minutes, uncovered, on low to soak up all the sauces.

Serving the Asian pulled pork

I recommend serving the pulled pork with my sweet and spicy Asian inspired slaw on slider or hamburger buns. The fresh crunch really helps balance the sweet and savory flavors of the Asian-style barbeque sauce. You can also serve with my quick Asian cucumber pickles. Garnish with fresh sliced jalapenos, cilantro and sesame seed, if desired.

These Asian pulled pork sliders are perfect for game days or when you’re having a group over for dinner. Leftovers keep well for up to 5 days.

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You’ll see a lot of similarities to the jalapeno and apple slaw, but with more Asian ingredients. As noted, I’m not a big mayonnaise fan and I typically prefer vinegar-based slaws. And there’s something great about the balance of spice and sweetness with the sour tang of vinegar. I prefer to introduce some heat via sriracha and some freshness and crunch from fresh fruit. Of course, for those who can’t handle spice (or to adjust for kids), feel free to reduce or omit the heat entirely.

The Asian slaw dressing

In the same large bowl that you want to mix the slaw in, whisk together the following ingredients:

• 1/4 cup seasoned rice vinegar
• 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
• 3 tablespoons honey
• 2 teaspoons sesame oil
• 1 tablespoon canola oil
• 2 teaspoons soy sauce
• 2 teaspoons sriracha sauce, or to taste

Set aside as you prep the slaw ingredients.

Couple of things to note:

• Stick to non-flavored canola, grapeseed or safflower oils and avoid olive oil since it will change the taste of the slaw.
• Fresh squeezed lime juice is best, but feel free to use the bottled lime juice.
• Seasoned rice vinegar can usually be found in the vinegar or international sections of your local grocery store, or bought via Amazon.
• Sriracha sauce can also often be found in the international aisle or bought via Amazon. You can also sub out with similar chili garlic sauce.

Prepping the slaw ingredients

Gasp all you may like, but I’ve already spoken of my preference for prepackaged coleslaw mix bags with pre-sliced cabbage and carrots to save time and energy. But if you can’t find those, or if you prefer fresh cabbage, just finely slice a medium head of cabbage into thin slivers. Wash in a strainer and drain well, then set aside until needed. Peel and julienne 2 carrots and add into the drained cabbage.

For fresh fruit, you can use Asian pear or Fuji apple for a sweet and tart crunch. Thinly slice the fruit, discarding the core. Halve the slices for easier bite size pieces. Add the pear/apple slices to the dressing and toss to coat.

Finely chop only the green parts of 3 scallions. Coarsely chop 1/3 cup of fresh cilantro leaves. Add the coleslaw mix, green onions and cilantro to the dressing and mix well.

Cover with plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours, or up to 1 day. Drain most of the excess liquid from the slaw, if desired. Serve chilled.

Feel free to garnish with 2 tablespoons of sesame seeds for additional crunch. I recommend dishing up this sweet and spicy Asian slaw alongside my Asian slow cooker pulled pork on sliders for the perfect combination.

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This dish is easy and versatile. Feel free to substitute with vegetarian chorizo to make this dish vegetarian. Or beef up the plate with some refried beans, if desired. But I’ll walk you through how I make these huevos rancheros.

Making the chorizo salsa

Start by preparing the salsa: Empty a 14.5-oz can of whole peeled tomatoes with its juices in a blender or food processor. Add in the following:

• ¼ cup of fresh cilantro leaves
• 2 shallots, minced
• 2 cloves garlic, peeled and coarsely chopped
• 1 jalapeno pepper (seeded, if desired)
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt
• ¼ teaspoon ground cumin
• ½ teaspoon sugar

Transfer the sauce to a small saucepan. Simmer over medium-low heat until slightly thickened, about 10 minutes.

As the sauce simmers, cook a 1/3 pound of chorizo in a large skillet over medium-high heat until browned, about 6-7 minutes. I often just get ground chorizo from my local supermarket, but if you have a prepared chorizo, be sure to remove the meat from the casing. Add the chorizo to the sauce. Cover and keep warm over low heat as you fry up the tortillas and eggs.

Prepare the tortillas and eggs

Heat about 1 tablespoon vegetable oil over medium-high heat to the same skillet used for the chorizo. Add a tortilla (or two) in the skillet and cook until light golden on one side, about 20 seconds. Flip and cook on the other side for 20 seconds more to reach a similar golden consistency. I tend to do 2 at a time to save time. Transfer the tortillas to a plate lined with paper towels to drain. Repeat with the additional tortillas, adding a bit more oil to the pan if necessary. Cover with foil or a clean kitchen towel to keep warm.

In the same skillet, add a tablespoon of oil and swirl around. Crack four eggs into the skillet. Cook until the bottoms are cooked and the edges golden, 1 to 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Turn the heat to low, cover and cook until set, about 1 minute more.

Serving up the huevos rancheros

Place 2 tortillas per plate. Place two fried eggs on top. Spoon the warm tomato sauce over the tortillas and eggs, keeping the yolks exposed. Top with sliced avocado, shredded Monterey jack or cojita cheese and additional cilantro leaves. Serve with a dollop of sour cream and/or a lime wedge, if desired.

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