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<ul class="summary-list"><li>I'm a <a href="https://www.insider.com/best-things-to-make-in-air-fryer-culinary-judge-recipes">culinary judge</a> who leans on shortcuts that pack a ton of taste and texture into my dinners.</li><li>Premade spice blends and pre-portioned frozen meats save a lot of time in the kitchen.</li></ul>As a culinary judge, I love spending time developing and <a href="https://www.insider.com/easy-dinners-that-are-impressive-2019-2">layering flavors in my home cooking</a>. But when I'm in a rush or just don't have the time, I rely on cooking shortcuts to help make dinner a pinch.Here are eight cooking shortcuts I use when I'm trying to <a href="https://www.insider.com/i-ate-the-same-dinner-every-night-for-two-weeks-2023-1">make a quick dinner</a>.<h2>Dried ingredients save time</h2><div type="image" title="Dried Van Van herbs" height="3008" width="4000" msid="104733603" hostid="261"></div>Like many cooks, I used to start most recipes with the time-consuming process of chopping onions, garlic, or ginger, as the powdered versions aren't a proper substitute.But finding flavorful dehydrated savories has been an <a href="https://www.insider.com/useful-cooking-tricks-from-chef-everyone-should-know">amazing dinner hack</a>.I prefer using Vân Vân's single-origin spices, specifically the purple shallot, northern mountain garlic, and sparrow ginger. The ingredients, grown in Vietnam, take only a minute to reconstitute in water or a pot with the rest of my ingredients.<h2>Repurpose lunch leftovers instead of making a new sandwich</h2>When I find myself with half of a sandwich or a whole one that's been in the fridge for a day or two, I <a href="https://www.insider.com/reheating-leftovers-taste-better-2018-8">give my leftovers new life</a> in a skillet on medium heat.I simply brush the outside of the bread with a little butter or avocado oil and smush it into the pan with a cast-iron press. In a few minutes, the bread will be crisp, the cheese will be melted, and any vegetables sticking out of the sides will be caramelized.<h2>Spice blends do the work for you</h2><div type="image" title="Spice blends on a kitchen counter" height="3008" width="4000" msid="104733605" hostid="261"></div>Measuring dried herbs and spices takes time, as I typically find myself digging in my pantry, opening a few jars, tasting, and repeating the process for each ingredient. But lately, I've been minimizing the time I spend on figuring out what to add by using fresh spice blends.Spice blends already contain rich, complex flavors and may even list some of the dishes they can be used in on their labels.I prefer using spice blends from <a href="https://affiliate.insider.com?h=a98a3569724ddba85f709d9e444e2114c3ad9fbafa3c4dfce470021ec4730687&amp;postID=653806afb5f87e160e0ef1f4&amp;postSlug=best-time-saving-dinner-shortcuts-from-culinary-judge-2023-10&amp;site=in&amp;u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.burlapandbarrel.com%2Fpages%2Fabout-us" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Burlap &amp; Barrel</a> and <a href="https://curiospice.com/pages/our-mission" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Curio Spice Company</a> because they directly source ingredients from small farms and cooperatives. If you're looking for something mouthwatering and unique, I recommend the Curio Spice Company Edo spice blend, which includes sansho pepper, yuzu peel, and pickled cherry blossom.<h2>Pre-portioning food and freezing it can help you quickly get dinner on the table</h2>My biggest time-saver is buying high-quality pre-portioned steaks, fish, and chicken from delivery services. For example, I usually go with Omaha Steaks, FreshDirect, or ButcherBox, which offers antibiotic-free meat.I also keep a colorful variety of frozen produce like spinach, peppers, butternut squash, carrots, bananas, and mixed berries on hand. I stash homemade stock and fresh herbs frozen into ice or olive oil cubes for fast flavor boosters.Just be sure to label and date everything, and you'll avoid going on last-minute runs to the grocery store and worrying about not having anything to cook. <h2>There's no need to waste time boiling a big pot of water</h2><div type="image" title="Ceramic pans" height="900" width="1200" msid="104733606" hostid="261"></div>With a bit of oil, well-made nonstick pans are better and faster for cooking ravioli, pierogi, gyoza, and almost any dumpling you'd usually boil. Occasionally, I'll add a few drops of water near the end of the cooking process and cover the pan for a little steam.Forget about boiling a big pot for lasagna noodles, too. As long as you add extra sauce or water-releasing veggies, like tomatoes or summer squash, they can go from the box right into the casserole.<h2>Save time and energy on a meal by opting for a 'girl dinner'</h2>There are two kinds of people on TikTok: Those who discovered "girl dinner" in 2023, and those of us who've been enjoying it for years.Sometimes referred to as grown-up Lunchables, "girl dinner" can be odds and ends from the refrigerator and pantry that, when thoughtfully plated, look pleasing and taste good together.If I don't feel like making an entire meal from scratch, I grab whatever seems tasty and fix my own plate. If you love crackers with salami, olives, and cheddar cubes, try a swift upgrade with dollops of fig or apricot jam, grainy mustard, or relish.<h2>I turn to hybrid products to serve multiple purposes</h2><div type="image" title="Sandwich with Slawsa on it" height="2046" width="2728" msid="104733607" hostid="261"></div>Specialty foods offer a combination of flavors and textures and make delectable dinner shortcuts, so I put them on everything.For example, Slawsa adds the crunch of coleslaw and the <a href="https://www.insider.com/chefs-reveal-the-best-store-bought-salsas-2019-12">high-impact flavor of salsa</a> to chicken, chili, and barbecue. Truff, a truffle-infused hot sauce, balances heat and umami flavors and goes great on egg dishes and vegetables.I can no longer eat tomato soup unless it's drizzled with the Blank Slate Kitchen Sichuan chile oil, as the crispy chiles give the oil an exquisite color and bring a hint of smoke to its fire.<h2>The humble saltine is a shortcut all its own</h2>At a recent dinner, chef Ricky Moore served a piquant appetizer of fried saltines dabbed with potted smoked fish. It reminded me of the versatility of this unassuming cracker.When quickly fried in oil, saltines are great with any spread or used as a substitute for croutons in soup and salad. Saltines can also be pulverized for pie crusts or casserole toppings, or buttered and <a href="https://www.insider.com/the-best-chocolate-pie-recipes-from-your-favorite-chefs">baked into a dessert with chocolate</a>, toffee, and nuts.

I'm a culinary judge. Here are 8 time-saving dinner shortcuts I swear by.

I tried 27 of Trader Joe's seasonal summer products, and there are only 6 I wouldn't buy again

<ul class="summary-list"><li>The first time I breastfed someone else's baby was in 2010. He was my godson.</li><li>I've fed my children and other babies at the same time, alternating them from breast to breast.</li></ul>I nursed someone else's baby for the first time in 2010 when my oldest son was about 6 months old. I'd offered to help my best friend, who'd hit that ugly wall of motherhood with her 2-month-old. She felt tired, and she was tired — of everything. <a href="https://www.insider.com/benefits-of-breastfeeding">Nursing</a> someone else's baby hadn't really crossed my mind. But when it looked like a good solution, I met it with a shrug. <a href="https://www.insider.com/celebrity-moms-talk-breastfeeding-2018-8">Breastfeeding</a> had always been important to me. I cherished the sheer closeness of <a href="https://www.insider.com/how-long-should-you-breastfeed">feeding a child</a>; I loved those quiet moments drawn down to nothing but two people bound by milk, freely given, greedily taken. There's a magic there, a trick of love or hormones, of perfect baby scent and full arms. I miss nursing my sons the most, of course. But I also miss those other babies that were handed off to me. I miss the trust their mothers had in me, and I miss that little extra bit of love I had to give. As I nursed that handful of other babies, they became, for a moment, strangely mine; the moment of nursing narrows everything to quiet intimacy. <a href="https://www.insider.com/tricks-to-make-breastfeeding-easier-2018-8">No matter how acrobatic</a>, fussy, or rushed, for what might be just a slivered moment, <keyword id="11908489" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="breastfeeding" source="Orion">breastfeeding</keyword> touches something primal. It's a deeply human act, one that crosses cultures, traditions, and time. When I shared that moment with someone else's baby, I shared something precious. That's not a connection I will ever forget. <h2>The first time I nursed someone else's baby</h2>That first baby I breastfed was my godson. His mother was <a href="https://www.insider.com/things-no-one-tells-you-about-breastfeeding-2018-9">touched out</a> and miserable; we told his father to bring him over. If he needed to eat, I said, I could nurse him, and if he wouldn't nurse, the father could simply take him home since they lived close by. After a bit of narrow-eyed suspicion — it's amazing how suspicious of a look a 3-month-old can muster — he latched on happily. I cradled him on an old Boppy pillow, his head on my arm, my hand on his back. He nursed on one breast; my 6-month-old son woke and nursed on the other. I switched them back and forth all evening while my friend took a much-needed breather from motherhood. My godson nursed differently, but it wasn't strange. He was a baby, like any other baby, like my own son. My son didn't appear to mind sharing boob space with his future buddy. I kept one breast for my godson and one for my son. Everyone had enough. Years later, I breastfed his younger sister. She was the last baby I nursed who I didn't birth myself. Our kinship ran so deep that my sons could not marry her, I thought. Milk bonds could be that strong. They were now like brother and sister because they had drank the same milk, nursed from the same breast. <h2>My babies were also fed by my friends</h2>My friends nursed my children for the same reasons I nursed theirs: I needed help. Once my oldest had a near-anaphylactic reaction and had to be rushed to the emergency room; my godson's mother nursed my younger son while we were at the hospital. If I had a doctor's appointment, a date night, a work commitment — friends stepped in and took care of my children. We shared a special kind of unity, trust between women, love between a woman and a child not her own. It's the kind of unity that binds people together and stitches up societies. It sends you running with a casserole when someone's got the flu; it brings you to a child's dance recital. You care, long after the deed is done. Those babies have stayed special. I'm grateful for their mothers' trust. And years later, I can't help but remember them with love. And a little wistfulness. But mostly with love.

I breastfed other people's babies. I will never forget the connection I had with them.

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Insider's Herrine Ro tries three methods to upgrade boxed pancake mix.</li><li>She tries substituting water with ginger ale, a breakfast pancake casserole, and a copycat <keyword id="52676" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="60" keywordseo="recipe">recipe</keyword> of Clinton St. Baking Company's famous Maine blu berry <keyword id="669418" type="PERSON" weightage="60" keywordseo="Pancakes">pancakes</keyword> with maple butter.</li><li>Chef and owner Neil Kleinberg from Clinton St. Baking Company shares his tips and tricks in making perfect pancakes.</li><li>While Herrine thinks all three methods were successes, she says the breakfast casserole tasted the best.</li><li><a href="https://www.insider.com/?hprecirc-bullet">Visit Insider's homepage for more stories</a>.</li></ul>Following is a transcript of the <keyword id="21654" type="COMPANY" weightage="60" keywordseo="video">video</keyword>.Herrine Ro: Hi, guys. Welcome back to "<keyword id="9065955" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="best-at-home">Best at Home</keyword>," my trapped-at-home <keyword id="27178" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="60" keywordseo="cooking">cooking</keyword> show. Today we are taking a humble ingredient, the pancake mix, and dressing it up in the best way we possibly can with the help of a famous pancake chef.Neil Kleinberg: A key characteristic of a great pancake, it's gonna have that golden ring around it, and in order to get that, you have to put enough fat on the pan.Herrine: You're gonna see an unfortunate amount of egg drama. [gasps] No! Oh, no. I'm making a mess. How do I clean up an egg? Ah. Ah. Ah. We are going to end up with three amazing dishes. The first one has a surprise ingredient. I picked a submission that completely shocked me, and if it works, I will be blown away. Dish two is a sweet and savory pancake casserole. Oh, she's beautiful. And for the third dish, I'm making a home-cooked version of my favorite pancakes in New York City. The recipe with the surprise ingredient was one of your submissions. When I read it, I was skeptical, but my producer... It's just that, I feel like I only drink ginger ale when I'm sick or, like, have indigestion, so.Jake Gabbard: But it made you feel better when you drink it, so maybe the pancakes will be, like, medicinal. I think you gotta try it.Herrine: When you say medicinal and pancakes in one sentence, that should not belong together.Jake: It's two birds, one stone. Knock it out. You got it.Herrine: OK. So, instead of adding water into the pancake mix, I'm going to be subbing that with ginger ale. I'm curious to see how the ginger flavor and the sweetness and the smell will pair with the pancake mix. If I follow the instructions, I will be making six to seven pancakes with one cup of mix to 2/3 cup of cold water. Instead of the cold water, I'll be adding in the ginger ale. As you can see, I didn't overmix, 'cause there are still some lumps. Now we wait. So, it's been two minutes, and it is definitely a lot thicker, and there's so many bubbles. I don't have a cast-iron skillet, or a pan with, like, small shallow walls, which is what I would use if I were making pancakes at home, but what we do have is this giant saucepan with, like, you know, big, sloped sides, but we have to do with what we can, right? So, the instructions said to put the heat on medium-high and lightly grease the pan. I'm gonna grease the pan with butter, because pancakes and butter go hand in hand. The batter's very liquidy, which worries me, but I did follow it to instructions, and it's very foamy still. The batter smells like ginger ale and flour and yeast, and it's concerning 'cause it doesn't smell great, so I hope that it doesn't taste like how it smells. They are bubbling, and they have this nice little, like, golden brown underside, but I don't think they're ready to flip yet. I'm doing pretty well. Hopefully I don't jinx this, but they're a nice golden brown, and they don't smell like ginger ale anymore. I think these are ready to plate. Oh, my God. Why hasn't this blown up? So, for method two, I found a creative, out-of-the-box recipe that combines the savory and sweet and all of my favorite breakfast foods into one dish. So, the recipe that I found is on Averie Cooks and Krusteaz's main website, and it is a bacon cheddar green onion casserole, and it uses pancake mix as the bottom layer, I think, based off of reading the recipe. It sounds complicated, but we're here to try. Before I start everything, I think I need to prep the bacon and chop up the green onions, so let me do that first. The recipe calls for a half cup of unsalted butter, melted, and it requires a 9-by-9-inch pan, one cup of Krusteaz buttermilk pancake mix. So I'm just gonna use the remaining pancake mix that I used for method one. OK, so I have my cup of pancake mix. I put that in. Then I add half a cup of milk. [gasps] No! So, I have my quarter cup of melted butter that has kind of hardened because it's so cold here. I'm just gonna whisk it and then put it in that buttered pan. I wonder if, like, the overmixing applies here. I'm just gonna pour in my mix now. This looks very thin. Like, it's barely covering the pan, so I hope it rises. So, now I'm gonna make the rest of what's going in the casserole, which is half a cup of milk, three eggs. [gasps] No! Oh, [beep]. Oh, no. [oven beeping] Oh, and the bacon's done, this is a wreck. I'm making a mess. How do I clean up an egg? Ah. Ah. Ah. This was probably the worst way to clean up an egg. [groaning] No, milk! God, [beep]. I'll be right back. [beeping] OK, third egg. I'm just throwing in some green onions, and now I'm whisking. So, now that I have the batter done and the second liquid part done, the bacon chopped and separated, and the green onions chopped. Whew! Now it's just the assembly. So, one cup of cheddar cheese. So, I guess with this, the pancake mix on the bottom is kind of like, I don't know, like the crust of a pie, or the bottom part of, like, a, you know, blueberry bar or something. It's just supposed to be, like, a bready bottom. I'm just gonna add in the bacon. And it's time for this wet mix. The last remaining step is just to add in more cheese and more bacon. Yum. And now it's gonna cook for 35 to 40 minutes at 375. Ooh, wow. Oh, she's beautiful. Now that it is cooled off a little bit, I'm just gonna add some green onions. For the third method, I'm reaching out to chef Neil Kleinberg from Clinton St. Baking Company. This restaurant in New York City is famous for its pancakes. People normally wait hours just to get a taste. What should I make with the pancake mix?Neil: You should make our blueberry pancakes. We're famous for them. If you're gonna get a mix, get something that has the basic dry ingredients in a regular pancake mix that you're making from scratch. Flour, sugar, salt, baking powder, baking soda.Herrine: The only pancake mix that I was able to find, which was difficult in and of itself, was this one. Have you ever seen it?Neil: Oh, Krusteaz! [Herrine laughs] Never heard of it. Now, the key in making something delicious from a box of something is to add things to it, maybe some regular buttermilk, maybe enhance it because it has dried buttermilk in it, but if you put some fresh buttermilk in it, if the recipe calls for one cup of water and you wanna add buttermilk, you're gonna take half a cup of water and a half a cup of the buttermilk. If you can't add a little bit of fresh buttermilk, then take a little regular milk and a spoon of sour cream and mix it together, and you'll get, like, this thickened, sour milk.Herrine: I'm gonna put in half of the amount with buttermilk. That doesn't smell very good. Oh, my God, that tastes, that is...[sniffs] That is horrible by itself. [sniffs] Is there anything else other than buttermilk I should add into the batter?Neil: You could add a cap of vanilla extract, you can add an extra egg, it will make it much richer.Herrine: I hope that it doesn't make the pancakes more thin, just because I feel like it adds in a lot more liquid than the package instructions.Neil: Don't overmix it. As we all know, we don't overmix pancake mix because then it'll be come glutinous and stretchy.Herrine: I can see little bubbles forming. I think that's the reason why I'm not supposed to overmix, is because these bubbles give it that extra fluffiness.Neil: And then you let it rest.Herrine: What's the purpose of letting it rest?Neil: Well, you're letting it rest so you can pull the flavors together and you can actually form a batter. And if you go too quick in the pan, then the molecules of the liquid and the dry won't have a chance to meld.Herrine: How should I start cooking the pancakes?Neil: So, get the large saucepan hot by turning on the flame and then lowering the flame so it's hot to the touch, like, a bead of water would bubble up on it. [sizzling]Herrine: I think it's definitely hot enough.Neil: Then, at that point, add a generous amount of butter, like a pat of butter, maybe a half a tablespoon or something like that, and swirl it around the pan till it starts to get foamy, but not brown. That's the point at which you're gonna put a spoon or a ladle full of pancake mix in the pan. A key characteristic of a great pancake, it's gonna have that golden ring around it when you first flip it, and in order to get that, you have to put enough fat on the pan. If you have a large pan like you're describing at home, kind of use that large pan as a clock. Start the first pancake at 12 o'clock, then the next one at 3 o'clock, then the next one at 6 o'clock, and then the next one at 9 o'clock. Don't make them too big, 'cause then they're gonna run into each other. Then let it cook, medium heat. You'll start to see the bubbles come up, that's the point at when you add your filling. And we use wild Maine blueberries that have a very short season, but we get them frozen, and they're wonderful frozen because they're tiny, and they pack full of flavor. If you can't find those, then cultivated regular frozen blueberries are really good. Actually, frozen fruit is really good in a pancake because they don't overcook, and they cook into the batter, and they hold their shape really well.Herrine: Definitely sweeter than your regular blueberries.Neil: And then with a spatula, just flip each one.Herrine: [groans] No. [beep] I can see why he didn't want a pan with sloped sides.Neil: And then don't push it down. Never flip them more than once. They're gonna become tough. In about a minute or two, they should be cooked on the bottom.Herrine: I got four golden rings. [celebratory music] Is there any other way that I can make this pancake meal even more delicious?Neil: Yeah, we're gonna make maple butter. That's our trademark syrup, and there's a very easy, great technique of how to make it. Take a small saucepan, take a half a cup of really good maple syrup, and then have a little whisk and take a quarter, a stick of butter, or a half a stick of butter sliced in some pats, and then as the maple syrup is getting warm, one pat at a time, whisk the butter into the maple syrup until it melts.Herrine: I've never made an emulsification before. I am alarmed at the amount of butter that is in this.Neil: You can't go wrong. Even if the pancakes suck, this maple butter will make them delicious.Herrine: I'm gonna give it a taste. Ooh, that is good. Throughout this whole process, it was a journey. I had a lot of skeptical moments. It definitely is a lot more porous and bubbly and fluffy. It should not taste this good. You can't smell the ginger ale at all, and the only thing that it did was provide, like, fluffiness, but also, like, this sweetness that you wouldn't have gotten from cold water. And compared to, like, seltzer, the sweetness here, it's, like, so subtle and fluffy. Oh, my God. Why hasn't this blown up? The bottom looks exactly like how I predicted. It's, like, pancake on the bottom, and then like a frittata on top. This is exactly how I imagined it to taste. I love everything about this, and I wouldn't change a single thing. I mean, the cheese is melty, that pancake bottom is nice and fluffy, even if it was cooked in a casserole dish. To make this casserole without the pancake mix, I feel like you would miss out on a lot because that pancake bottom not only provides, like, a spongy foundation to soak up all that goodness, but with the maple syrup I feel like all the flavors kind of, like, meld even better. Ooh, that looks so pretty. All right, I'm going in. Those are the best pancakes I've ever made for myself. [laughs] The texture of the pancakes is a lot fluffier and softer than the other two methods and pancakes you would just get from the box. The buttermilk, egg, vanilla all make the pancakes so much fluffier and, like, have more flavor to them. It's such a drastic difference. And this maple butter, I could literally put it on everything, but I'm not going to because I know just how much butter goes into this. So, here are my final thoughts. All three methods were so, so good and successful. With that being said, I feel like method two was the best. It blew me out of the water most, just because it used the pancake mix in a way I would've never have thought to do, and that recipe was so delicious, and I feel like I'll make it over and over again. Method one was impressive just because I never thought ginger ale and pancake mix would go hand in hand. I don't see how this hack hasn't blown up already. Like, everyone should try it. Chef Neil's tips and tricks for method three just made me into a better pancake maker. I have so much pancake mix left over, so I wanna try your tips and tricks and your secret ingredients. Please let me know in the comment section, and tell me what you would like to see me do next. All right, bye.Read the original article on <a href="https://www.insider.com/we-tried-three-recipes-to-upgrade-boxed-pancake-mix-2020-4">Insider</a>

I tried 3 ways to upgrade boxed pancake mix, and a simple swap blew me away

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Dutch ovens are built to last, and they make amazing pot roasts.</li><li>Of all the Dutch ovens you can buy, <a href="https://www.pntrac.com/t/S0BMQ0dMQERGRklFS0BLSkRJSA?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.lecreuset.com%2Fround-dutch-oven&amp;sid=biipgf_021318_best-dutch-ovens" target="_blank" rel="noopener nofollow nofollow">Le Creuset's Signature Enameled Cast-Iron 5-1/2-Quart Dutch Oven</a> is the best with its solid construction, many color options, and sturdy handles that are easy to grip.</li></ul><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/best-crock-pot" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Crock Pots</a> and <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/best-pressure-cooker-instant-pot" target="_blank" rel="noopener">pressure cookers</a> get all the headlines these days, but for centuries, people have been using Dutch ovens as the go-to, one-pot cooking device. No matter how hard the new-fangled instant pots of the world try, they have not been able to achieve the delicious, complex flavors Dutch ovens produce. One of the most common uses for Dutch ovens is searing a nice large roast to lock in the flavors and juices before popping it into a conventional oven for slow cooking. These cast-iron pots are indispensable when simmering a hearty stew. And, home chefs also use their Dutch ovens to steam side dishes, cook pasta directly in the sauce, craft artisanal breads, and much more.Most Dutch ovens are between 5 and 8 quarts and weigh up to 20 pounds. At this size, hand washing can be a bit of a workout. Although many manufacturers say their Dutch ovens are dishwasher safe, we suggest that you always hand wash high-quality cookware. This reduces the likelihood of chipping - a common problem with enameled cast iron Dutch ovens - and extends the lifespan of your pot.You should also avoid using metal utensils, scouring pads, or other abrasive elements on your Dutch oven since they may also cause damage (and potentially void the warranty). Instead, go with nylon pads or scrapers. Baking soda is also helpful for removing baked-on food and stains. Once you are done washing, dry your Dutch oven thoroughly. And, since it weighs a lot, you may want to let it live on your stove rather than constantly having to work on your lifting form.In our search for the best Dutch ovens, we closely examined dozens of ratings and reviews from experts and home chefs alike. We chose the four Dutch ovens in our guide based on their ease of use, durability, and performance.<h2>Here are the best Dutch ovens you can buy: </h2><ul class="summary-list"><li>Best Dutch oven overall: <a href="https://www.pntrac.com/t/S0BMQ0dMQERGRklFS0BLSkRJSA?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.lecreuset.com%2Fround-dutch-oven&amp;sid=biipgf_021318_best-dutch-ovens" target="_blank" rel="noopener nofollow nofollow">Le Creuset Signature Enameled Cast Iron 5-1/2-Quart Dutch Oven</a></li><li>Best Dutch oven for camping: <a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00008GKDW/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&amp;tag=biipgf_021318_best-dutch-ovens-20&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=9325&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;creativeASIN=B00008GKDW&amp;linkId=2ede574e7ac593b71f4147dabd852080" target="_blank" rel="noopener nofollow">Lodge Seasoned Cast Iron Deep Camp Dutch Oven</a></li><li>Best Dutch oven for stews: <a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0017HRLFC/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&amp;tag=biipgf_021318_best-dutch-ovens-20&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=9325&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;creativeASIN=B0017HRLFC&amp;linkId=ee4e191ce468b8ec09f12ed76437e827" target="_blank" rel="noopener nofollow">Cuisinart Chef's Classic Enameled Cast Iron Casserole</a></li><li>Best budget Dutch oven: <a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B013FDOXJC/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&amp;tag=biipgf_021318_best-dutch-ovens-20&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=9325&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;creativeASIN=B013FDOXJC&amp;linkId=221fbd0d2df87f5a29ca2bf4e367e0e3" target="_blank" rel="noopener nofollow">Lodge Enameled Cast Iron Dutch Oven</a></li></ul>Updated on 11/4/2019 by Caitlin Petreycik. Updated prices, links, and formatting. Added related guides. <a href="http://e.businessinsider.com/join/ci/insider-picks">Subscribe to our newsletter.</a> Find all the best offers at our <a href="https://coupons.businessinsider.com/">Coupons page</a>. Disclosure: This post is brought to you by the <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/insiderpicks">Insider Picks</a> team. We highlight products and services you might find interesting. If you buy them, we get a small share of the revenue from the sale from our commerce partners. We frequently receive products free of charge from manufacturers to test. This does not drive our decision as to whether or not a product is featured or recommended. We operate independently from our advertising sales team. We welcome your feedback. Email us at insiderpicks@businessinsider.com.

The best Dutch ovens

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Ami Neiberger-Miller is a writer, the founder of a PR and design services firm, and an advocate for gold star families.</li><li>She is the surviving sister of US Army Specialist Christopher Neiberger, who was killed in combat in Iraq in August 2007.</li><li>After her brother's death and a separate medical emergency with her husband soon after, Neiberger-Miller says she struggled to cope with the grieving process and pressure to return to work as a <keyword id="1014498" type="PERSON" weightage="60" keywordseo="self-employed">self-employed</keyword> business owner.</li><li>Neiberger-Miller found support in friends and family, and slowly began to ease back into her work routine. She says that although it's not always possible to prepare for <keyword id="6388475" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="tragedy">tragedy</keyword>, seeking help is an important part of the path to recovery.</li></ul>Picking up the pieces after a public tragedy is tough when you are self-employed. But it's doable. In August 2007, my husband and I were living the dream — just four years earlier, I'd founded my own public relations practice just outside of Washington, DC. A few years after that, my husband joined me in the business and added his graphic and website design skills to our offerings. Our business prospered and we were busy taking care of our 3 kids from his first marriage, and dreaming about buying a home and getting pregnant or adopting. Life was looking up, and we headed to the beach in Georgia for a week of much needed rest with some friends. We spent one idyllic day at the beach with the kids swimming and all of us in the sun and having fun. I remember riding a beach coaster bike with fat tires and the basket full of sandy magazines, and feeling like all of my DC stress was peeling off with the ocean breeze. I still remember the sound of those wheezy pedals as I headed back to the beach house to get ready for a big meal with the gang. <h2>Then our lives – quite literally – blew up.</h2>I realized on the way back that I'd missed a call from my mom, so I called her back and she didn't pick up. I then called my aunt, who told me that my brother, US Army Specialist Christopher Neiberger, age 22, was killed in combat that day when a roadside bomb exploded. It felt like my life also exploded in that moment. I remember dropping the phone. I remember hearing someone screaming. Then I realized that the person screaming was me. It was the moment everything changed.We hurried to my parents' home in Florida. A news release was issued by the Army after our family was notified, and soon I was managing reporters not for my clients — but on behalf of my humble and grieving parents. Only 24 hours after I'd been carefree and pedaling on that beach bike, I sat down alongside my two surviving brothers to talk with our hometown newspaper and tried to sum up what the legacy of my little brother would be. Those days in Florida were busy — our friends and family wanted to be with us, and we were also meeting with the military, planning a funeral for our hometown, and organizing a burial service at Arlington National Cemetery. <h2>Before long, one of my clients called. </h2>I had turned in a magazine story just before going to the beach and she needed me to check my interview notes and fix something. I paused, told her what had happened, and said I would try to find time to fix it later that evening.I sent the revised copy to her standing with the laptop at the end of the driveway using a neighbor's WiFi signal, as my parents were still on dial up. I also sent an email to our clients updating them on our situation and extending our time away to two weeks. I looked up at the stars and wondered how the hell we were going to survive this. But survive it we did. His funeral was held in the church my husband and I had married in — and it drew hundreds of people — including demonstrators, counter demonstrators, TV crews, and hundreds of people who just wanted to show they cared. It was touching, overwhelming, and so much more all at the same time.We flew home to DC the next day to get ready for the family to arrive for the burial service. I frantically vacuumed sand out of my living room carpet, bought towels because I had no time to do laundry, answered the door for floral arrangements and casseroles, and made a plan to get everyone to the cemetery on time in rush hour traffic with the army casualty officer. <h2>Ten days after Chris was killed in combat in Iraq, he was buried in section 60 at Arlington National Cemetery. </h2><div type="image" title="Ami Neiberger Miller Chip Somodevilla Getty Images ARLINGTON, VA - AUGUST 16: Brig. Gen. William B. Garrett (L) presents the flag to the family of U.S. Army Specialist Christopher Todd Neiberger during his burial ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery August 16, 2007 in Arlington, Virginia. Assigned to the 1st Infantry Division, 1st battalion, 18th infantry regiment, 2nd brigade combat team, Neiberger, 22, was killed by a roadside bomb August 6 in Baghdad, Iraq. Neiberger is the 360th military person killed in Operation Iraqi Freedom to be buried at Arlington. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)" height="1863" width="2485" msid="79478227" hostid="261"></div>The media covered the burial with our family's permission, so there was footage on the news and in newspapers around the country.I got up early the day after the burial service to say goodbye to my family and picked up the newspaper — there was a photo on the front page of the metro section of The Washington Post showing us getting our flag the day before at the cemetery. I made a mental note to pick up a few more copies and started to go back to bed — I was exhausted from the last 10 days.My husband and I looked at each other and it was like a light bulb went off in both of our heads. It was our wedding anniversary. We agreed on cards and dinner. Then my husband said his stomach still hurt, and he thought he should see our doctor. I always think he's a hypochondriac, since my dad is a doctor, so I joked, "I'll even drive you to the appointment since it's our anniversary." It was such a normalizing moment — a reminder that we were "us" and life could somehow start again.<h2>But even after all we'd just been through, life still had other plans. </h2>Our doctor told us to get back in the car and drive straight to the emergency room. Oh crap, I thought.In the hospital, they called a doctor out of surgery on someone else to look at my husband. Now anxiety began churning my stomach into ugly knots. I knew they wouldn't do that unless there was something really wrong.And he had emergency surgery that night for a condition that could have killed him — an incarcerated hernia that, thankfully, didn't go septic.We never got the cards. Or dinner. An evil nurse threw me out of his hospital room.I sat in the waiting room and wept into the same Washington Post I'd collected from my driveway that morning. In 11 days we went from being on vacation, to my brother dying, to that hospital waiting room. I was emotionally now at rock bottom. Hopefully nothing tragic ever happens to you. While my story might be unique to me, all of us face struggles in life. It's challenging to figure out how to start again, after tragedy strikes. Here's what I did to rebuild, and my advice:<h2>1. Start slow and take time off.</h2>My husband had a month long recovery, so we did not attend business meetings or networking events for a while — and thankfully much of DC shuts down in mid-August. Yet client emails kept coming in. I mowed the lawn and we ate some of the casseroles people had brought, and read our email. We took our time to ease back into the rhythm of business life.<h2>2. Continue to communicate with your clients and contacts.</h2>After a tragedy is when your clients and contacts need to hear from you. Some of them will legitimately care about you and want to know you are OK or how they can help. Others will be concerned about the ongoing work you do for them and how their work might be impacted by what you've gone through. <h2>3. Lean on people you trust.</h2>This is where having a network is a huge bonus. I had a friend who typically helped cover press calls for my clients while I was out town on vacation each year. She helped me beyond that first week, and knowing she was there to help my clients gave me one less thing to worry about.Read more: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/tips-help-small-business-owners-entrepreneurs-have-good-mental-health">7 ways entrepreneurs and business owners can better manage their mental health and wellbeing</a><h2>4. Keep your contact lists — not just your client lists — and communication systems up-to-date.</h2>While I had a list of our active clients, I didn't have a ready-made list of some of our other contacts, like the people we networked with or former clients. We didn't have a business e-newsletter (like we do now) that I could easily send a message out to or a business Facebook page. Having those would have made letting people know we were taking time off, and letting them know when we reopened, a lot easier.<h2>5. Signal when you are ready to start working again.</h2>Only you know when you are ready. Some of your contacts or current clients may want to offer new work or get started on a project, but be unsure of your availability and not want to bother you. So you have to signal that you are ready again for business — whether that means you write emails, or you make phone calls, or send out an e-newsletter and make a Facebook post.<h2>6. Remain open to new things.</h2>In those first couple of weeks back in the office, I was sent two proposals and invited to bid on them. I looked at them and thought, wow, these would be great. I wasn't hopeful I'd win the work, but I thought writing responses to them would get me back into my groove. Just the act of writing them, would let me dream about doing new work and get my creativity flowing. Amazingly, we won both of those jobs, and a few months later, I took on a gig managing public relations for an organization that assists families of fallen troops.Read more: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/entrepreneur-sold-agency-salesforce-psychotic-break-toxic-silicon-valley-2020-9">An entrepreneur sold his design agency to Salesforce after having a psychotic break in his early 30s. He recounts his experience in the toxic world of tech startups — and how he made it through.</a><h2>7. Have good insurance and know your risk exposure.</h2>Thanks to good health insurance, we didn't face a huge bill from my husband's emergency surgery. Because we are both self-employed, this event drove home how important it is to have good health insurance and to know what our risk exposure is financially if something happens. Every year, we use what my husband calls "the scariest spreadsheet ever" for open enrollment for work benefits during November and December, so we can evaluate the real financial impacts if a "major medical event" were to happen to one or both of us when we choose a health plan.<h2>8. Keep a cash reserve in the bank that you can easily access.</h2>We also had a cash reserve in the bank when our tragedy hit in 2007. We could afford to take some time off and not be stressed about paying our bills, but we also didn't want to dip too heavily into the kitty either. A good rule of thumb is to keep at least three to six months of what you need to pay the bills in easily-accessible accounts (meaning your funds are not tied up in IRAs, or investments with withdrawal penalties). <h2>9. Seek help when you need it.</h2>I began getting back "out there" at networking events and it wasn't all good. At a women in business networking event, everyone attending had to get up in front of the entire group and talk about their business and family. I did fine on the business part, but when I got to the family part I cried and felt embarrassed. The reality was that I had spent so much time tending to everyone else and their needs in all of this — that somewhere deep inside I had forgotten to take care of myself. I found help with a therapist and the peer support of other gold star families.Life can change in an instant and right now we may all feel like we are living in a state of perpetual crisis due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Making some preparations — whether it involves getting your finances or insurance in order, keeping your records and contact lists straight, or being flexible and taking care of yourself — can give you stability and boost your peace of mind.Ami Neiberger-Miller founded <a href="http://www.steppingstonellc.com">Steppingstone LLC</a>, an award-winning independent firm near Washington, DC in 2003 offering public relations, writing, graphic design and website design services. She is the surviving sister of US Army Specialist Christopher Neiberger, who was killed in combat in Iraq on August 6, 2007 and she remains an advocate for other gold star families. Connect with her on <a href="https://twitter.com/amazingprmaven">Twitter</a>, <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/amineibergermiller/">Linkedin</a> or <a href="https://www.facebook.com/SteppingstoneLLC">Facebook</a>.

I run a PR firm for small businesses. After my brother died in Iraq, it felt like my world exploded — here are the 9 steps I took to rebuild my life and career.

I tried 40 of Trader Joe's holiday foods, and would buy at least 26 of them again

<a href="http://www.apimages.com/metadata/Index/Hot-Dish/c74ad4d89b774d198c27beb1fe47012d/1/0">Alex Brandon/AP</a>Amy Klobuchar's hot dish is seen in a 2011 hot dish competition on Capitol Hill.<ul class="summary-list"><li>Last week, The New York Times published a story on Amy Klobuchar's hot dish recipe, a casserole that she and campaign surrogates have been bringing to events in Iowa.</li><li>While it may seem like an innocuous story, political and gender bias experts told Business Insider the focus on Klobuchar's domesticity reveal some of the challenges women face in politics.</li><li>While women win races about as often as men, they are still underrepresented in politics and have a harder time getting voters to like them due to deeply ingrained gender stereotypes, the experts said.</li><li><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/?hprecirc-bullet">Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories</a>.</li></ul>In the days leading up to the <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/why-are-the-iowa-democratic-caucuses-important-how-do-they-work-2020-1">Iowa caucuses</a>, the most talked-about <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/who-is-amy-klobuchar-bio-age-family-key-positions-2019-3">Amy Klobuchar</a> story was not about her politics, but her cooking.On January 28, <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2020/01/28/dining/amy-klobuchar-hotdish.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The New York Times</a> published a story about the 2020 Democratic presidential candidate's hot dish recipe, a state staple that she and campaign surrogates have been doling out at Iowa campaign events to win over fellow Midwesterners.The story calls to mind another gendered campaign food moment. When Bill Clinton was first running for president in 1992, his wife Hillary faced backlash when she defended her decision to be a working mom."I suppose I could have stayed home and baked cookies and had teas, but what I decided to do was to fulfill my profession, which I entered before my husband was in public life," <a href="https://qz.com/762881/the-blatantly-sexist-cookie-bake-off-that-has-haunted-hillary-clinton-for-two-decades-is-back/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Hillary said at the time.</a>Are Klobuchar's hot dish parties a way to separate herself from the likes of Clinton, who was often described as "cold" when she ran for president in 2008 and 2016?Experts on women in politics and gender biases told Business Insider the hot dish story represents the gender stereotypes that female candidates have to face when they run for higher office, and how much deep-seated sexism still pervades society.The Klobuchar campaign didn't immediately respond to Business Insider's request for comment for this story.<h2>Women have to be both a candidate and a mom</h2>Princeton professor Lauren Wright, who teaches courses on women and politics, said Klobuchar's recipe, and the backlash Clinton faced over cookies, are "a good comparison" because they show that when women run, they're expected to be both a candidate and a wife and mother.She pointed to the questions that were raised when Clinton was running for president in 2016 over who would fulfill the typical "first lady duties." Clinton said she <a href="https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-election-clinton-white-house-idUSKBN0U305Q20151220" target="_blank" rel="noopener">would still pick out the the china and flower arrangements.</a>"I think it's very interesting how what ends up happening in these situations is women also maintain their traditional role of spouse and mother, and they also do all the other work of campaigning," Wright said. "So it's not that the responsibilities shift, it's just that they expand for women candidates."<a href="https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/news-photo/democratic-presidential-candidate-sen-amy-klobuchar-rep-news-photo/1141491144?adppopup=true">Chip Somodevilla/Getty</a>Sen. Amy Klobuchar, second left, samples hot dish entrants in the ninth annual Minnesota Congressional Delegation Hotdish Competition on April 9, 2019.In other words, they have to do it all.This makes it harder when women run for office, Wright said. "Women running for office have an uphill battle" already because "we associate power with masculinity and the collective image we have of a president of the United States in our head is male.""But of equal importance to voters is authenticity and relatability and genuineness. Women can't be inauthentic, but they can't be too feminine and they can't be too masculine," Wright said. "So they end up walking this tightrope that is frankly nearly impossible to accomplish."A quick Google search showed that no other candidate currently running had shared a recipe before, besides Sen. Elizabeth Warren's <a href="https://www.bostonherald.com/2012/05/17/pow-wow-factor-elizabeth-warren-touted-native-roots-in-84-cookbook/">submissions</a> to a <a href="https://www.politifact.com/article/2017/dec/01/facts-behind-elizabeth-warren-and-her-native-ameri/">1984 Native American</a> <a href="https://www.newyorker.com/news/news-desk/elizabeth-warrens-family-ties">cookbook</a>.During the 2016 Democratic primary, Sen. <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/politics/first-draft/2015/07/30/sanders-hosts-a-nationwide-house-party-for-over-100000-would-be-foot-soldiers/">Bernie Sanders whipped up a custom cocktail</a> for supporters at events, but <a href="https://www.foodandwine.com/drinks/how-make-bernie-sanders-official-cocktail">bartending</a> is markedly a more masculine activity.Back in May when Sen. Kamala Harris was still in the race, her <a href="https://twitter.com/douglasemhoff/status/1127379203949641728?lang=en">husband tweeted a photo</a> showing her at home, in an apron, whipping up a batch of jerk chicken marinade in-between events in Los Angeles.<h2>A tightrope walk</h2>Peter Glick, a sexism expert at Lawrence University, also compared the balance female politicians have to strike to a tightrope walk."There's higher standards for women's warmth. If you're going to go and confide in somebody, you probably seek out a woman. You expect more sympathy, more empathy. Women are socialized to be that way. So we have these very high standards for women."That's the problem when you're doing something like running for office, especially president. Women have to generally try to soften that image. They have to garner respect and show that they're tough enough. At the same time, they have to walk this tightrope where they've also got to combat this backlash that occurs on the warmth dimension. And one way to do that is baking cookies and making a casserole," he said.<a href="http://www.apimages.com/metadata/Index/Election-2020-Amy-Klobuchar/2e61d0a0789149a1bb0300a27840d3df/1/0">Gene J. Puskar/AP</a>Presidential candidate Amy Klobuchar, left, is seen at a campaign event in Iowa on February 1 with her daughter, Abigail, center, and husband, John Bressler, right.The hot dish parties may actually be in direct response to some of the critiques the Minnesota senator faced early on in the race, Glick said."We know <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/all-staff-mistreatment-abuse-allegations-amy-klobuchar-2020-2019-2">Amy Klobuchar got bagged early on in this cycle of maybe being mean</a>, or that cold thing. And so you know, I imagine a savvy politician is going to try to grab that warmth, and one of the ways to do it - especially for women - is to do something that fits in with these traditional stereotypes. Motherhood is subjectively one of the most positive, glowing things you can trade off of. So it's no surprise that female politicians would try to do that," he said.Former Houston Mayor Annise Parker, who now heads the LGBTQ Victory Fund, said "there are all sorts of things that female candidates have to navigate that male candidates don't.""From inordinate focus on our hairstyle, to our clothes, to the age of our children and who's taking care of them if you're not taking care of them, to 'Can you be a politician and a domestic goddess at the same time?' You can kind of roll your eyes and go along with it or you can be outraged about it" Parker said. "And I'm sort of the I'll roll my eyes and get along with it so long as it doesn't interfere with what I really need to do."<h2>'She's owning it'</h2>Not all of the experts we spoke to found Klobuchar's hot dish problematic.Debbie Walsh, director of the Center for American Women and Politics at Rutgers University, said the difference here is that Klobuchar is voluntarily sharing this part of her life with voters."I know there's been some comment about whether this is sexist in some way, but I think she put it out there herself. She's owning it," Walsh said. "Hot dishes in Minnesota in particular are in fact a staple. It's part of the culture and I think she's embracing that Midwestern culture that she comes from. It makes her very accessible and real."She added: "If it's the media, and we're going to her and not to men and asking, 'What's your favorite recipe?' That would be a problem."<a href="http://www.apimages.com/metadata/Index/Associated-Press-Domestic-News-Arkansas-United-/fb8e1067b9e5da11af9f0014c2589dfb/1/0">Mike Wintroath/AP</a>After facing backlash for saying that she wasn't the type of woman to stay at home and bake cookies, Hillary Clinton later competed against Barbara Bush in a cookie baking challenge. A batch of Clinton's winning cookies is seen at a 2003 Clinton event.<h2>Can a woman win?</h2>Whether or not Klobuchar's hot dish recipe plays into gender politics in the 2020 Democratic primary, there's no question that every Democratic candidate has faced questions of "<a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/elizabeth-warren-betting-on-electability-to-win-iowa-2020-1">electability</a>" this cycle.Warren confronted those questions head-on at the last Democratic debate, pointing out that she and Klobuchar - the only women on the stage - <a href="https://www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/2020/1/14/21066598/women-electability-elizabeth-warren-amy-klobuchar-debate">were the only candidates who have won every race they ran for</a>.This is reflected in politics in general, a fact experts mentioned to us multiple times."The amazing thing is that women actually succeed when we run, at least at the rates of male candidates," Parker said."For my own organization, lesbian candidates outperform our male candidates. I think there are a lot of reasons for that. One being that a lot of women wait until later in their careers, they have more experience before they run. So they're actually better prepared than their male opponents," Parker added.Wright pointed out that both Warren and Klobuchar "have great records legislatively.""They've done a lot more than Bernie Sanders has in their time as senators. And that really fits the general trend we see for women running for office there," Wright added. "They're very prepared and they tend to be elite candidates and that's why they do about as well as men on average at the congressional level."<a href="https://www.reutersconnect.com/detail?id=tag%3Areuters.com%2C1998%3Anewsml_RP1DRIFQZDAG%3A491571879">Reuters</a>Then First Lady Hillary Clinton is seen reading to children at the White House in 1998.<h2>Women have come a long way, but there's not parity in politics yet</h2>The experts we talked to were mostly optimistic when asked whether things are getting easier for women running for office, but they said we still have a lot of work to do as a society."If you look at the bigger longterm view, where we've come from and where we've gone to, there's certainly a ton of progress. I think that some of these remaining tricky kind of barriers are not as obvious and therefore they're in some ways pretty insidious," Glick said.He said we're "<a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/dating-successful-women-makes-many-men-uneasy-2018-3">kind of socialized to have a bit of distaste" for ambitious women</a>, but that this prejudice can be hard to acknowledge."It can be something where people are not very well aware of it. It sort of like, 'Well I just don't like her so much,'" he said."I think the gender issues are still there," Walsh said. "When the center was founded in 1971, I can tell you the exact number of women who were serving in Congress at the time. And the fact that we are where we are now when it comes to women's representation shows tremendous progress.""But still, we're not post-gender. There' still stereotypes that are used against women," she added. "There are still double standards. There's still far too much attention paid to appearance for women that's not for the men who are in office. There's still comments about women's voices and how they present themselves."<ul class="read-more-links"><li>Read more:</li><li><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/who-is-amy-klobuchar-bio-age-family-key-positions-2019-3">Amy Klobuchar is running for president in 2020. Here's everything we know about the candidate and how she stacks up against the competition.</a></li><li><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/amy-klobuchar-tax-returns-makes-spends-her-money-2019-4">2020 candidate Amy Klobuchar just released 12 years of tax returns - here's how she makes and spends her money</a></li><li><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/amy-klobuchars-supporters-are-the-biggest-fans-of-impeachment-2019-12">The Democratic candidates whose supporters are most pro-impeachment are not who you expect</a></li><li><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/why-amy-klobuchar-could-lose-2020-democratic-primary-2019-3">Amy Klobuchar is running as a pragmatic, moderate Democrat to take on Trump in 2020 - here's why she could lose the primary</a></li></ul> <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/georgetown-professor-reveals-people-wrong-mlk-martin-luther-king-jr-race-black-radical-racism-2017-5">A Georgetown professor explains how Martin Luther King Jr. 'has been severely whitewashed'</a></h3>

Amy Klobuchar's hot dish recipe shows how female candidates have to go to great lengths to prove they're likable

<ul class="summary-list"><li>I tried five entrées from the <a href="https://www.insider.com/trying-fan-favorite-trader-joes-food-review">12th annual Trader Joe's Customer Choice Awards.</a></li><li>Mandarin orange chicken <a href="https://www.insider.com/trying-fan-favorite-trader-joes-food-review">won for the seventh year</a> in a row, but it had some worthy competitors.</li><li>I thought the runner-up sweet-potato gnocchi was almost as delicious as the all-around winner. </li></ul>You could buy pretty much anything from <a href="https://www.insider.com/trying-trader-joes-best-dips-review-photos">Trader Joe's</a> frozen section and have an excellent <keyword id="6381468" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="dinner">dinner</keyword>, but shoppers have made their favorites clear.During the <keyword id="6372044" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="grocery">grocery</keyword> chain's <a href="https://www.traderjoes.com/digin/post/12th-customer-choice-winners">12th annual Customer Choice Awards</a>, consumers voted on a wide variety of dishes for the title of favorite entrée.In the end, the roundup of the best dishes included some exciting additions: diner mac and cheese, chicken Tikka masala, cauliflower gnocchi, and sweet-potato gnocchi. But the popular Mandarin orange chicken <a href="https://www.insider.com/trying-trader-joes-fan-favorite-snacks-and-treats-review">took home the prize</a> for the seventh year in a row. Determined to see if the iconic frozen dinner really deserved another win, I decided to review and rank all of the top contenders from this year's awards. Read on to see how the winner and runner-ups fared. <h2>The diner mac and cheese tasted like a grown-up version of a childhood favorite, but it was ultimately underwhelming</h2><div type="image" title="mac and cheese.JPG" height="2613" width="3484" msid="80697522" hostid="261"></div>Given the circumstances of this past year (including but not limited to a global pandemic), I'm not at all surprised that a classic comfort <keyword id="6181" type="COMPANY" weightage="100" keywordseo="Food">food</keyword> made it to the top of voters' lists.That said, Joe's Diner macaroni and cheese is not your average <a href="https://www.insider.com/recipes-box-of-mac-and-cheese-2019-6">instant mac in a box</a> with orange powder. It contains two full portions of elbow macaroni with a blend of four different kinds of cheese. <div type="image" title="mac and cheese 2.JPG" height="2700" width="3600" msid="80697523" hostid="261"></div>I opted to cook mine in the oven just to give it more of that traditional diner feel.After 20 minutes, I was met with a dish that looked like a golden, cheesy casserole. I took that as a good sign as I stirred it all together and eagerly took my first bite. As far as cheese-to-macaroni ratios go, this was a 10 out of 10. I can't even tell you how many instant macs I've tried that are either super dry or drowning in orange liquid.Every bite of this dish gave me a perfect balance of soft macaroni <a href="https://www.insider.com/trader-joes-fan-favorite-cheese-review-unexpected-cheddar">and gooey cheese</a> that melted in my mouth. <div type="image" title="mac and cheese 3.JPG" height="3024" width="4032" msid="80697524" hostid="261"></div>However, I had a hard time tasting <a href="https://www.insider.com/best-cheeses-according-to-cheesemongers-chefs-2019-2">all four kinds of cheese</a> that were supposedly included in the mix.I'm sure that's probably the result of stirring all of them together into a thick, creamy sauce. But the Gouda flavor was barely noticeable at all, and there was no way I would've known there was Havarti in this without looking at the box. The most pronounced flavors were the cheddar and Swiss. This isn't to say it tasted bad - it was at least 10 times better than the mac and cheese I ate as a kid - I just thought it was simpler and milder than I expected based on the description.Of course, for some people, that simplicity may be ideal. And to be fair, it did taste quite similar to rich <a href="https://www.insider.com/best-and-worst-things-to-eat-at-diners-2020-2">diner-style</a> macaroni and cheese. I'll give credit where credit is due.Overall, it was a pretty satisfying dinner. I think the addition of a sharper cheddar, black pepper, or other seasonings probably would've made this more of a standout dish for me, but I can totally see why others love it. VERDICT: The diner macaroni cheese deserves praise for being a reliably delicious, easy-to-make dinner, but it's arguably one of the least inspired entries on this year's runner-up list.Still, I'd recommend it to anyone who is looking for a <a href="https://www.insider.com/chefs-go-to-comfort-foods-2019-4">comfort-food dinner</a> without having to do the work of shredding all that cheese themselves. <h2>The cauliflower gnocchi earned high marks for its customizability, but it required some careful effort to cook it correctly</h2><div type="image" title="cauliflower gnocchi.JPG" height="2640" width="3519" msid="80697525" hostid="261"></div><keyword id="1641766" type="PERSON" weightage="60" keywordseo="Trader-Joes">Trader Joe's</keyword> cauliflower gnocchi is a simple dish that consists of small dumplings <a href="https://www.insider.com/low-carb-pasta-alternatives-2018-7">made of cauliflower.</a>Full disclosure, this is my second time taste-testing the highly-acclaimed frozen product, and my first experience wasn't exactly the best. Sheer laziness led me to boil the contents of the dish, which resulted in a soggy mess of bland cauliflower mush.This time, I was determined to get a better impression, so I opted to <a href="https://www.insider.com/alex-guarnaschelli-cooking-hacks-and-easy-recipes-2021-2">pan-fry them and toss them</a> with a simple olive oil, garlic, and pepper sauce.<div type="image" title="Cauliflower gnocchi on stove .JPG" height="2784" width="3711" msid="80697526" hostid="261"></div>After a few minutes in the skillet, I noticed the cauliflower gnocchi developed a nice golden color that I didn't get the first time I cooked the dish. I took this as a sign that this would be a much better experience.After this <keyword id="2178926" type="PERSON" weightage="60" keywordseo="taste-test">taste test</keyword>, I'll fully admit I was wrong about this stuff the first time I tried it, and I apologize for my past cauliflower-gnocchi slander. This stuff is the real deal.<div type="image" title="cauliflower gnocchi trader joes" height="3024" width="4032" msid="80697527" hostid="261"></div>I thought the cauliflower did a great job absorbing the flavor of the garlicky seasoning I coated it with, which made me momentarily forget that I was actually eating a vegetable.It also took on a much more enjoyable texture when pan-fried - honestly, I don't even think boiling should be listed as a viable cooking option on the package. It had a slight bite that gave way to a soft, chewy center that was pretty darn close <a href="https://www.insider.com/ways-to-make-your-pasta-healthier-2019-1">to homemade potato gnocchi.</a>Although I could still taste a subtle hint of cauliflower underneath the sauce, I immediately got used to it after a few bites. In fact, I really liked how I didn't feel super heavy after eating it.<div type="image" title="Cauliflower gnocchi 7.JPG" height="2325" width="3100" msid="80697528" hostid="261"></div>VERDICT: The cauliflower gnocchi is a clever way to <a href="https://www.insider.com/trick-to-make-mashed-potatoes-better-chef-alex-guarnaschelli">sneak some extra vegetables</a> into your meal without eating something that tastes deliberately like a side dish.It's also worth noting that it is the most versatile and easily customizable entrée on this list.You can enjoy it plain with salt, pepper, and olive oil or slather it in a cream sauce for a more traditional gnocchi feel. I recently learned it can also be added <a href="https://www.insider.com/trying-popular-air-fryer-recipes-from-desserts-to-dinners">to an air fryer</a> to make mock tater tots, or it can be dropped in soups to make them more filling.In any case, it's clear there many different dinners one can make with this single frozen entrée, and for that reason, it absolutely deserves to be on this list.<h2>The chicken Tikka masala's perfectly cooked chicken and yummy spices made it an automatic must-buy</h2><div type="image" title="chicken tikka masala.JPG" height="2678" width="3571" msid="80697529" hostid="261"></div>Chicken Tikka masala is a widely popular dish that normally consists of buttery chunks of chicken in a richly spiced, creamy sauce.I've tried it from a couple of restaurants in the past, but I've never attempted to make it at home because I've always felt I'd never be able to get that <a href="https://www.insider.com/best-ways-to-cook-chicken-2018-5">ideal chicken texture.</a><div type="image" title="chicken tikka masala 2.JPG" height="3024" width="4032" msid="80697530" hostid="261"></div>The first thing I noted about this dish was the size. It had noticeably less food than the other dishes I tried, but I personally didn't mind because I was the only person eating it.The entire dish cooked in less than four minutes in my microwave, and it filled my kitchen with a warm aroma that reminded me of a restaurant.As far as taste goes, I can't say enough good things about this chicken Tikka masala. Between its tender chunks of <a href="https://www.insider.com/ways-youre-cooking-chicken-wrong-2019-5">perfectly cooked chicken</a>, flavorful sauce, and fluffy cumin-spiced basmati rice, it had everything I could want in a comfort meal.<div type="image" title="trader joe's chicken tikka masala" height="3024" width="4032" msid="80697531" hostid="261"></div>I'm still shocked that I was actually able to cook this in my microwave and have the chicken taste as yummy as it did. This was some of the best tasting <a href="https://www.insider.com/trying-best-chicken-to-get-at-aldi-review-red-bag-chicken">chicken I've ever had in a frozen meal</a>. Every bite was juicy and buttery, with a noticeable presence of different spices.Then there was the creamy tomato sauce that was so flavorsome I'm literally salivating just thinking about it. It had a bold, spicy flavor - in that it contained an actual, noticeable presence of spices, not heat.I detected garlic, onions, and paprika, as well as some other seasonings I couldn't quite distinguish but tasted fantastic against the creamy tomato background.Either way, I really enjoyed how this lunch warmed me up during a rainy day spent inside.<div type="image" title="trader joes chicken tikka masala.JPG" height="3024" width="4032" msid="80697533" hostid="261"></div>By the time I finished my plate, I was scraping the sides of the tray looking for more. VERDICT: I have to agree with the shoppers who recognized the chicken Tikka masala as their favorite Trader Joe's entrée because this was hands-down one of the most delicious products I've ever purchased from the store.My only qualm would be that the single-serving-style dish isn't as economical as the gnocchi or orange chicken. But if you're a single person who wants to enjoy a great, easy dinner with a lot of complex flavors, this is a must-buy.<h2>If you love fall flavors, the sweet-potato gnocchi deserves a spot on your shopping list</h2><div type="image" title="sweet potato gnocchi trader joes" height="3024" width="4032" msid="80697535" hostid="261"></div>As I write this review, I'm daydreaming about when I'll be able to safely return to Trader Joe's to buy this delightful sweet-potato gnocchi again. It was seriously that delicious. I also appreciated that I didn't have to add anything to it to make it taste great. All of the ingredients - including the sauce - came premixed in the package.<div type="image" title="sweet potato gnocchi trader joes 2" height="3024" width="4032" msid="80697536" hostid="261"></div>The only cooking required was pouring the gnocchi into the pan with a couple of tablespoons of water, covering it with a lid for a few minutes, and waiting.After a few minutes of persistent stirring, a <a href="https://www.insider.com/chicken-nugget-dipping-sauces-2019-3">thin, buttery sauce</a> speckled with bits of sage formed around the gnocchi alongside a spattering of cheese clumps.It looked a bit questionable at first, but I was willing to give it a chance because it smelled absolutely incredible.It turns out looks can be deceiving because I couldn't help but let out an audible "Mmmm" while eating this gnocchi.<div type="image" title="TJ's sweet potato gnocchi" height="2707" width="3609" msid="80697539" hostid="261"></div>The use of sweet potatoes in lieu of regular spuds turned out to be a wise choice here because the combination of their natural, buttery sweetness with the peppery, earthy sage was absolutely divine.Eating this was like taking <a href="https://www.insider.com/best-and-worst-fall-foods-at-trader-joes-review">a literal bite of autumn</a>, even though it's currently mid-winter.But what really sold me on this dish was its fresh quality that tasted totally homemade.Had you served this to me without saying anything, I would've never guessed it was something that came premade from the frozen section.That reason alone is why I'd give it my vote for best entrée in a heartbeat, though I'm content with it remaining in indefinite runner-up status, so long as it means it won't sell out at my local Trader Joe's.<div type="image" title="tjs sweet potato gnocchi 2" height="2505" width="3340" msid="80697540" hostid="261"></div>VERDICT: Between its super appetizing herbal flavor, and delicate, silky smooth texture, everything about this sweet-potato gnocchi was top-notch.<a href="https://www.insider.com/best-breakfast-to-get-at-trader-joes">And at $2.99</a> for two servings, it makes for an excellent, reasonably priced dinner without having to leave the house.Seriously, add this dish to your shopping lists. I promise you won't regret it.<h2>The Mandarin orange chicken is one of the best-tasting <keyword id="66986" type="PERSON" weightage="60" keywordseo="meals">meals</keyword> you can make at home, so it deserves another win</h2><div type="image" title="trader joe's orange chicken" height="3024" width="4032" msid="80697541" hostid="261"></div>Having tried Trader Joe's orange chicken before, I knew what to expect with this dish.But this time, I went in with the knowledge that it's a <a href="https://www.insider.com/trying-fan-favorite-trader-joes-food-review">seven-time customer-choice winner</a> - which made me want to understand why it's such a hit year after year.The dinner comes complete with two tasty sauce packets and a portion size generous enough to feed a small family. Or if you're a single person like me, it's two to three meals with leftovers.<div type="image" title="trader joe's orange chicken" height="3024" width="4032" msid="80697542" hostid="261"></div>After tasting this a second time, I believe there are a few key qualities that make this dish stand out above the others.One of them is the chicken. A deep fryer is usually required to get that yummy, crunchy exterior without drying out the inside, so whatever magic Trader Joe's injected into this meat allowed it to crisp up nicely in an oven without turning them into totally dehydrated disasters.But the real reason it's so darn delicious is its signature sauce. I can confirm this because I've also tried <a href="https://www.insider.com/foods-vegans-buy-at-trader-joes-2019-5">the vegetarian version</a> of this exact same dish and it still tasted delicious.The use of California oranges gives it an added zing. It also has a sweetness to it without veering into that cloyingly sugary, artificial territory. <div type="image" title="trader joe's orange chicken" height="3024" width="4032" msid="80697544" hostid="261"></div>This flavor profile makes it an excellent companion to veggies, but it tastes just as good on its own.Best of all, at $4.99 for a 22-ounce bag, Trader Joe's Mandarin orange chicken is a reasonably priced dinner that's convenient to assemble and tastes as good as something you'd order at a restaurant.That's a pretty tough bargain to beat.VERDICT: At this point, I'm convinced that of all the fan clubs in the world, the most loyal has to be Trader Joe's orange-chicken fans.Seven years is a long time to be devoted to any food when there are so many other options at Trader Joe's. My only hope now is that Trader Joe's will branch out and finally attempt a similar dish with lemon chicken, which is usually my go-to takeout order. <h2>Some of the runner-ups were absolutely amazing, but I can see why the orange chicken is a 7-time winner</h2><div type="image" title="Runner ups photo 4" height="2887" width="3849" msid="80697546" hostid="261"></div>Trader Joe's <a href="https://www.insider.com/trader-joes-fan-favorite-food-to-buy-2021-consumers-choice">orange chicken has held its top spot</a> seven years running for a reason. Although the cauliflower gnocchi is a worthy competitor, it still requires a little something extra to make it taste great. Moreover, the equally flavorful chicken Tikka masala and macaroni and cheese entrées are only portioned out for one-to-two people, so they're not as good of a deal.If anything comes close to potentially cracking the pedestal where Trader Joe's fans hold this dish, it's the sweet-potato gnocchi.But even then, I'm still not sure it can compete with a product that's so well-loved by people of all ages. Maybe it's the glazed sauce that tastes like a symphony of citrus and sweetness. Or perhaps it's the perfectly crispy-on-the-outside, juicy-on-the-inside chicken.Whatever the reason for its popularity, it's clear the Mandarin orange chicken is a winner. Read More:<ul class="read-more-links"><li><a href="https://www.insider.com/trying-trader-joes-fan-favorite-snacks-and-treats-review">I tried Trader Joe's award-winning sweet and savory snacks, but the runner-ups were even better</a></li><li><a href="https://www.insider.com/trying-fan-favorite-trader-joes-food-review">I tried 18 of Trader Joe's award-winning foods, and would buy at least 14 of them again</a></li><li><a href="https://www.insider.com/trader-joes-fan-favorite-cheese-review-unexpected-cheddar">I tried Trader Joe's 7-time award-winning cheese, and it's the best $5 I've spent in a long time</a></li><li><a href="https://www.insider.com/trying-trader-joes-best-dips-review-photos">I tried 19 of Trader Joe's popular dips, and I would buy at least half of them again</a></li></ul>

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