15 comforting meals Business Insider editors and reporters are cooking at home - plus the cookware and tools we use to make them perfect

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15 comforting meals Business Insider editors and reporters are cooking at home - plus the cookware and tools we use to make them perfect
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Ellen Hoffman/Business Insider

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  • As a result of the coronavirus pandemic, we're spending more time at home. For the cooks and bakers of Insider Reviews, that time is concentrated in our kitchens, where we're making new recipes and falling back on old favorites.
  • We're making hearty dinners, melt-in-your-mouth pastries, and everything in between and showing you the best kitchen tools to make them (hint: Dutch ovens feature prominently).
  • We hope our pictures and recipe recommendations can give you some inspiration as you get well-acquainted with your stove and oven.

There's a special feeling of satisfaction that comes with making your own food. Maybe it's the knowledge that if you follow the authoritative steps of a recipe, you'll probably end up with an appetizing dish. Or if you prefer to play the process by ear (and taste), it's the creative and experimental liberties you can take with any type of food and cuisine. Either way, for many of us, cooking is as much about the process as it is about the final product.

During the coronavirus situation, many of us, like you, are indoors abiding by social distancing and stay-at-home rules. We're doing what we can to make the best of this stressful period in our lives, from keeping busy with productive activities to taking the time to take care of ourselves.

Cooking and baking are a couple of pastimes that help you do both - after you chop, knead, stir, and simmer away, there's a tangible and delicious result to satiate you, and then there's also the undeniable comfort of digging into a saucy pasta dish or warm, melty cookie.

Many of us at Insider Reviews have been cooking and baking more at home, and we want to share our recipes and creations with you. We'll show you how we make these entrees, desserts, and pastries, and we'll also highlight for you the essential products that helped make them shine.

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My biggest takeaway? Get a Dutch oven. Dutch ovens feature prominently as the must-have piece of cookware for many of our resident home cooks, and as you'll see, they can be used in many different ways. If the enthusiasm below is any indication, you won't regret the investment.

Join Insider Reviews in cooking and baking these 15 delicious recipes:

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Disclosure: This post is brought to you by the Insider Reviews 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 reviews@businessinsider.com.

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Caramelized shallot pasta

Caramelized shallot pasta
How to make it:

Get the recipe from Alison Roman at NYT Cooking here

It's an easy, delicious pasta dish that's mostly made of pantry staples. Caramelized shallots, anchovies, and tomato paste come together to make a sticky red sauce that's layered with flavor. It's super simple to make but was a major crowd-pleaser. The recipe makes more than enough sauce, so we repurposed the leftovers to make shakshuka the next morning. —Remi Rosmarin, reporter

What you'll need:

Garlicky Cuban pork

Garlicky Cuban pork
How to make it:

Get the recipe from Melissa Clark at NYT Cooking here

Delicious pulled pork dish that's great served in tortillas or over rice and beans (we did both!). The recipe itself is pretty easy — just set aside some time earlier in the day to make the marinade. Otherwise, the Instant Pot does most of the work. —Emily Cohn, deputy editor-in-chief

What you'll need:
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Summer corn with chorizo and scallops

Summer corn with chorizo and scallops
How to make it:

Get the recipe from Antoni Porowski at Today.com here

I reviewed Antoni's entire cookbook when it first came out, and this is the dish I just keep going back to because it is so easy and delicious (it only takes about 15 minutes). I've made it as a side, put it in wraps, and even used it as a simple bed and topped with seared scallops — which seems like an odd pairing, but was actually delicious. —Hannah Freedman, associate editor

What you'll need:

Berry crinkle cookies

Berry crinkle cookies
How to make it:

Get the recipe from Adrianna Adarme here

These cookies are the perfect sweet bite. They're pink, thanks to freeze-dried strawberries, and deliver a powerful berry punch. The recipe is easy to follow and includes mostly ingredients you'd already have at home (besides freeze-dried strawberries). —Ellen Hoffman, executive editor

What you'll need:
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Bubble tea

Bubble tea
How to make it:

I miss bubble tea, so my husband and I started to make our own at home. It's surprisingly easy — just boil these tapioca pearls for a few minutes in water and some sugar or honey and then drop them into a glass with your milk tea of choice. —Jada Wong, senior editor

What you'll need:

Chocolate chip muffins

Chocolate chip muffins
How to make it:

Find the recipe at All Recipes here

Chocolate chip muffins are one of my favorite snacks, desserts, and breakfast meals, so I decided to try a new recipe while stuck inside. These chocolate chip muffins were so quick and easy to make and were perfectly moist and delicious. My only suggestion would be to bake for 18-20 minutes rather than 20-25 minutes (or until a toothpick comes out clean). —Victoria Gracie, social media associate

What you'll need:
  • Cuisinart Easy Grip 12-Muffin Pan, available at Walmart, $18.29 | Making moist muffins and cupcakes is easy with this pan. Recently, I had to throw out my old muffin pan and I knew it was time for a little bit of an upgrade, which is why I chose this one. I also love the two side grips made from silicone, which make it easier to remove the pan from the oven.
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Brothy beans

Brothy beans
How to make it:

Get the technique from Carla Lalli Music at Bon Appetit here

I've been watching a lot of Bon Appetit videos on YouTube lately and have been riffing on quite a few recipes from the site. One of my go-tos right now is a simple pot of beans, simmered for a very long time with basically anything you want.

It's actually not so much a recipe as a technique Carla learned about from the chef of Brooklyn's own Marlow and Sons restaurant; you soak some dry beans, cook them with a lot of water and a thick layer of olive oil or other fat, and you toss in anything else you like and salt it like hell. I've been using halved lemons, a whole head of garlic, and whatever herbs are in my fridge (usually oregano or bay leaves). If you make the beans, don't skip the fat! —Sally Kaplan, senior editor

What you'll need:

No-knead bread

No-knead bread
How to make it:

Get the recipe from Mark Bittman at NYT Cooking here

I've never been big into baking or cooking, but this has been the perfect entry-level experience: simple instructions, minimal ingredients and tools, and delicious outcomes — even if the ratios are a bit off. If you're having trouble finding yeast locally or online, never fear! There are workarounds for that too, like this one from Quartz. Pro tip: Add walnuts for crunch. —Mara Leighton, senior reporter

What you'll need:
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New York-style bagels

New York-style bagels
How to make it:

Get the recipe from Joshua Weissman here

As a desperate New Yorker with frequent bagel cravings, I decided to give Joshua Weissman's take on the New York City bagel a try. His detailed directions made it easy to follow, and to my surprise, fun to do. This recipe yields anywhere from eight to a dozen bagels and takes less than three hours to make. Throughout the video, he thoroughly explains the fundamentals to achieve a New York City-style bagel from the comfort of your kitchen. —Alexa Bleustein, e-commerce analyst

What you'll need:
  • KitchenAid Professional 5-quart Mixer KV25G0X, available at Target, $280 | To get the dough started, I used my KitchenAid to expedite the process. Not only does the stand mixer make for timeless kitchen decor, but it is built to last. Because this recipe calls for a smooth, stretchy dough, I used the hook attachment. From there, I let the dough knead for roughly 10-15 minutes at medium-high speed.
  • Staub 6-quart Dutch Oven, available at Williams Sonoma, $250 | Boiling the bagels in a pot that can retain heat is a crucial step to ensure they develop a crust and chewy texture before going into the oven. I used my Staub Dutch oven for this because there's nothing quite like it. It retains and distributes heat throughout, not to mention it's a helpful pot to have if you're interested in making soup, bread, braising meat, and sauces. Dutch ovens have you covered from A to Z, and rest assured, are worth the investment.
  • Everything But the Bagel Seasoning, available in stores at Trader Joe's, $2 | Before putting the bagels into the oven, I transfer them to a cooling rack and brush each one with egg wash. After, I generously sprinkle the seasoning and pop them into the oven for 20 minutes. Then I transfer them back to the cooling rack for about 15 minutes before they're ready to eat.

Tater tot chicken pot hotdish

Tater tot chicken pot hotdish
How to make it:

Get the recipe from Molly Yeh here

Molly Yeh's Tater Tot Chicken Pot Hotdish is quintessential comfort food. The recipe is pretty straightforward (you can follow along with Yeh as she makes it) and uses ingredients most of us have on hand or could easily find at the grocery store. —Ellen Hoffman, executive editor

What you'll need:
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Zucchini quiche

Zucchini quiche
How to make it:

Prepare one sliced zucchini, four eggs, 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, 1 cup Bisquick, 1/2 cup olive oil, 6 ounces melted butter, 1 cup mild cheddar/Monterey Jack cheese, and two pinches of salt and pepper. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Mix all ingredients, adding the zucchini last. Pour the mixture into a greased 9-inch Pyrex pie plate. Cook for 35-40 minutes or until it's golden brown. Let cool before cutting and enjoy! —Victoria Gracie, social media associate

What you'll need:

Buttermilk pancakes

Buttermilk pancakes
How to make it:

Get the recipe from Deb Perelman at Smitten Kitchen here

I swear by this pancake recipe from Smitten Kitchen. It's great served with fresh fruit, or with Stonewall Kitchen's Wild Blueberry Jam if you don't have anything fresh on hand. The recipe is simple even for beginners and only requires a handful of ingredients, most of which people usually have at home. The buttermilk can easily be swapped with plain yogurt too. If I'm feeling fancy or hosting brunch, I sprinkle the finished pancake stacks with confectioner's sugar. —Ellen Hoffman, executive editor

What you'll need:
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Banana chocolate chip muffins

Banana chocolate chip muffins
How to make it:

Get the recipe at All Recipes here

I love to bake, but I typically stick to the basics. I have a sweet tooth that will be satisfied by pretty much anything, and because I use baking as a stress reliever, I don't often push myself beyond my comfort zone of chocolate chip cookies and banana bread. —Emily Hein, story production fellow

What you'll need:
  • Bradshaw Good Cook Nonstick Pan, available at Walmart, $7.95 | This banana bread recipe has been my go-to for years, but I didn't have the appropriate pan at home, so I made it in a muffin tin this time! I followed the recipe exactly (plus some dark chocolate chips), and while I do miss the classic loaf, the muffins are equally delicious.

Sausage and veggie sweet potato hash

Sausage and veggie sweet potato hash
How to make it:

Saute your protein of choice and various veggies (I used shiitake mushroom, creamer potatoes, sweet potatoes, mini bell peppers, and zucchini) in a pan over medium heat with oil and your favorite spices. Parboil the potatoes first so they cook faster. When all the veggies are almost fully cooked, add two eggs in the middle and cover with a lid. Finish with a seasoning or hot sauce. —Connie Chen, senior reporter

What you'll need:
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Protein pancakes with chia, hemp hearts, and strawberries

Protein pancakes with chia, hemp hearts, and strawberries
How to make it:

I learned this recipe when my husband and I visited Banff a few years ago, and it's become our go-to weekend breakfast. We stayed at an Airbnb and our host made delicious pancakes with chia seeds and hemp hearts. —Jada Wong, senior editor

What you'll need: