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My Greek parents tried Ina Garten's Greek orzo salad, and now they can't stop making it

22 May 2025 at 17:18
Ina Garten's Greek Orzo Salad
I made Ina Garten's Greek orzo salad, and it got my Greek parents' stamp of approval.

Anneta Konstantinides/Business Insider

  • I made Ina Garten's Greek orzo salad for my Greek parents. 
  • The light and refreshing salad features feta, orzo, chickpeas, kalamata olives, and red bell pepper.
  • My parents loved the delicious dish, and now they can't stop making it for dinner. 

I love reviewing Ina Garten's recipes, and often have my parents help test them with me.

When the pandemic hit and the US went into lockdown, Garten inspired me to finally improve my skills in the kitchen. And when I briefly moved back in with my parents, they were more than happy to sample my creations.

It's since become a tradition, and I whip up new "Barefoot Contessa" dishes for my parents every time I come for a visit.

When I saw that Ina Garten had a Greek orzo salad, I knew my Greek parents had to try it.
Anneta's parents with Greek Trader Joe's products
I've also made my parents taste test all the Greek items at Trader Joe's.

Anneta Konstantinides/Business Insider

My parents immigrated to the US from Greece in the 1980s, and they made sure to teach me about Greek culture through food. My dad made his delicious pastitsio (like lasagna, but better) every week, and whipped up avgolemono soup whenever one of us was sick. Every Christmas was celebrated with a big pan of baklava, and youvetsi was a dinner staple. 

But my parents are always willing to try something new — they tested 15 different "Greek" products from Trader Joe's to see which tasted authentic! So, when I told them Garten had a Greek orzo salad, they were super excited. 

Garten's Greek orzo salad is packed with fresh ingredients.
Ingredients for Ina Garten's Greek Orzo Salad
Ingredients for Ina Garten's Greek orzo salad.

Anneta Konstantinides/Business Insider

To make Garten's Greek orzo salad, which serves six, you'll need: 

  • 1 cup of orzo (about 8 ounces) 
  • 1 cup of canned chickpeas, rinsed and drained
  • 2 cups of baby arugula 
  • 4 ounces of Greek feta, ½-inch diced (not crumbled) 
  • ½ cup of good olive oil 
  • ½ cup of diced red bell pepper (¼-inch) 
  • ½ cup of diced red onion (¼-inch) 
  • ½ cup of kalamata olives, pitted and halved lengthwise 
  • ¼ cup of freshly-squeezed lemon juice, plus extra for serving 
  • 3 tablespoons of capers in brine, drained 
  • 3 tablespoons of minced fresh dill 

Garten's Greek orzo salad appears in her most recent cookbook, "Go-To Dinners," and was inspired by Round Swamp Farm, a third-generation family farm in East Hampton. 

"Their prepared food and baked goods are simply outstanding," she writes. "This recipe was inspired by one of their salads; it has all the Greek ingredients that I love — orzo, olives, feta, lemon, and dill." 

The first step to making Garten's salad is prepping the orzo.
Boiling water for Ina Garten's Greek Orzo Salad
Boiling water for the orzo.

Anneta Konstantinides/Business Insider

I brought six cups of water to a boil in a large saucepan.

I added the orzo and one tablespoon of salt to my saucepan.
Cooking orzo for Ina Garten's Greek Orzo Salad
Cooking the orzo.

Anneta Konstantinides/Business Insider

Once you've added the orzo, Garten says you should return the water to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer for eight to 10 minutes.

You'll know it's ready when the orzo is al dente. 

While my orzo cooked, I began cutting my veggies.
Chopping veggies for Ina Garten's Greek Orzo Salad
Prepping the veggies.

Anneta Konstantinides/Business Insider

I diced the red onion and red bell pepper, per Garten's instructions.

I prepped my chickpeas and capers.
Prepping chickpeas and capers for Ina Garten's Greek Orzo Salad
Prepping the chickpeas and capers.

Anneta Konstantinides/Business Insider

I rinsed and drained the chickpeas and made sure to drain my capers.

I also halved my kalamata olives, minced the dill, and diced my feta cheese.
Cutting olives for Ina Garten's Greek Orzo Salad
The halved kalamata olives.

Anneta Konstantinides/Business Insider

Garten's Greek orzo salad comes together quickly; the only real work is cutting all the veggies and herbs. I had my dad helping me, so it took even less time. 

It didn't take long to make the dressing.
Making the dressing for Ina Garten's Greek Orzo Salad
The dressing for Garten's Greek orzo salad.

Anneta Konstantinides/Business Insider

I just whisked together the lemon juice and olive oil with two teaspoons of salt and one teaspoon of black pepper, and voilà! It was ready. 

When the orzo was ready, I drained it and transferred my pasta to a large bowl.
Cooked orzo for Ina Garten's Greek Orzo Salad
My cooked orzo.

Anneta Konstantinides/Business Insider

It was time to build the salad!

First, I poured the vinaigrette over the warm pasta.
Pouring the dressing onto the orzo for Ina Garten's Greek Orzo Salad
Pouring the dressing onto the orzo.

Anneta Konstantinides/Business Insider

I made sure to stir it well so the orzo would absorb all that delicious flavor. 

Then, I added the chickpeas, onion, and bell pepper.
Adding the veggies to Ina Garten's Greek Orzo Salad
Adding veggies to the orzo.

Anneta Konstantinides/Business Insider

Everything was already looking so colorful.

I topped it off with the capers, dill, olives, and feta and gave everything a big stir.
Adding the dill to Ina Garten's Greek Orzo Salad
The salad was almost ready!

Anneta Konstantinides/Business Insider

I used two spoons to help me carefully combine all the ingredients. 

I stirred in the arugula just before serving.
Ina Garten's Greek Orzo Salad
Garten's Greek orzo salad is colorful.

Anneta Konstantinides/Business Insider

Garten says you can enjoy her salad either warm or at room temperature, but hold off on adding the arugula if you're making it the day before — no one likes soggy leaves in their salad. Once you're ready to serve, add a squeeze of fresh lemon juice and taste for seasoning. 

I should also note that Garten advises serving this with sliced lemon. My parents didn't love the idea of whole lemon pieces in the salad, so we decided to nix them. 

Garten's Greek orzo salad looked fresh and vibrant.
Ina Garten's Greek Orzo Salad
My parents were impressed with Garten's Greek orzo salad.

Anneta Konstantinides/Business Insider

I always love serving a salad full of color, and Garten's Greek orzo salad has plenty. 

The pop of red from the bell pepper, the fresh green from the arugula, and the bright purple from the onion all worked together to make a beautiful plate. 

My parents looked impressed as I brought the salad to the dinner table. But would it taste as good as it looked? 

Garten's Greek orzo salad was super delicious — and now my parents can't stop making it.
Anneta's parents with Ina Garten's Greek Orzo salad
My parents now love making Garten's Greek orzo salad at home.

Anneta Konstantinides/Business Insider

The orzo soaks up so many delicious Mediterranean flavors that are familiar to any Greek — salty chunks of feta intertwining with the rich kalamata olives, the texture of crisp bell pepper and red onion dancing together, that pop of fresh lemon brightening every bite. Even though there were so many different components to the salad, everything was perfectly balanced. 

The light and refreshing dish is also easy to make and still tastes great the next day. It's perfect as a barbecue side dish or a main dish on a hot summer night. My dad recommends pairing it with some grilled meats or fish.

My parents now love whipping up Garten's Greek orzo salad, and I'm not surprised. The dish tastes like something we would've eaten while watching the turquoise waves of the Aegean Sea during our summer trips to Greece

"Ina must've been Greek in one of her previous lives," my mom declared. 

Read the original article on Business Insider

I tried Guy Fieri's and Gordon Ramsay's quick burger recipes, and the best one was easier to make

22 May 2025 at 17:04
Guy Fieri and Gordon Ramsay
We had the ultimate burger showdown with Guy Fieri and Gordon Ramsay's recipes.

Jesse Grant/Getty Images/FOX via Getty Images

  • I made both Gordon Ramsay's and Guy Fieri's 10-minute burger recipes. 
  • Fieri's recipe is simpler than Ramsay's, which features far more ingredients and steps. 
  • I loved both recipes, but Fieri's burger took the top spot in my celebrity-chef showdown.

Guy Fieri and Gordon Ramsay both have 10-minute burger recipes, so I decided it was time for a little showdown in honor of the holiday weekend. 

I discovered Ramsay's bacon cheeseburger recipe in his cookbook "Ramsay in 10," which includes 100 recipes that only take 10 minutes. And it was Fieri himself who gave me his burger recipe when I asked for his top burger tips

"This may be a more complicated answer than you bargained for, because it's not just about a burger recipe," Fieri told me. "It's about the execution of the whole deal. You can get down with whatever toppings you want, but the basics have to be covered." 

I whipped up Ramsay's and Fieri's recipes at home to decide who truly had the best — and quickest — burger. Here's how it all went down.

Fieri's burger is all about the classic ingredients.
Guy Fieri's Perfect Burger ingredients
Fieri's burger includes brioche buns, pickles, and American cheese.

Anneta Konstantinides/Business Insider

To make Fieri's perfect burger at home, you'll need: 

  • Ground beef (Fieri recommends 80% lean, 20% fat)
  • American cheese slices 
  • Brioche buns 
  • Lettuce
  • Tomato 
  • Onion 
  • Pickles
And there's very little prep.
Guy Fieri's Perfect Burger prep
First, I cut my tomatoes and onion.

Anneta Konstantinides/Business Insider

All you have to do is get the veggies ready. Fieri told me it's important to shred the lettuce, slice your tomato, and "cut those white onions so thin that they only have one side." 

Per Fieri's recommendation, I also buttered the buns and popped them into the oven so they could get nice and toasty. 

Then, I made my patties.
Guy Fieri's Perfect Burger prep
I seasoned my patties with salt and pepper.

Anneta Konstantinides/Business Insider

I seasoned my ground beef with salt and pepper, then shaped it into balls. 

Once my patties were ready, I threw one on the griddle and smashed it with a spatula.
Smashing Guy Fieri's Perfect Burger
Fieri recommends smashing the patties to half an inch thick.

Anneta Konstantinides/Business Insider

Fieri said it was essential that I cook my burgers "on the hottest griddle or cast iron pan you can get." 

"You smash it down hard, we're talking a half-inch thick," he added.

The Mayor of Flavortown also told me it was important to let my patty crisp up to "get all that delicious caramelization going." I waited until the sides of my patty got crunchy before I flipped it over.

After flipping my patty, I added the cheese.
Guy Fieri's Perfect Burger with cheese
Fieri told me American cheese melts really well on patties.

Anneta Konstantinides/Business Insider

Fieri loves using American cheese slices on burgers because "they melt really well," he told me. 

Then, it was time for Fieri's special cheese-melting trick.
Guy Fieri's Perfect Burger melting trick
I used a pie tin to help melt the cheese without overcooking my burger.

Anneta Konstantinides/Business Insider

First, I sprayed some water around my burger. Then, per Fieri's instructions, I had to place "some sort of dome or metal bowl" over my patty. 

"That steam will melt your cheese before you overcook your burger," he told me. 

I didn't have a metal bowl on hand, so I used an old Marie Callender's pie tin I found in my parents' kitchen. 

My cheese looked perfect.
Guy Fieri's Perfect Burger with melted cheese
The cheese melted perfectly.

Anneta Konstantinides/Business Insider

Less than 10 minutes had gone by, and it was already time to build my burger. 

Constructing my burger was super easy.
Guy Fieri's Perfect Burger with burger and veggies
I placed my patty in the bottom bun, then added all the veggies.

Anneta Konstantinides/Business Insider

I placed my patty on the bottom bun, then added the tomato, onion slices, and pickles. I placed the shredded lettuce on the top bun and voilà — I was done! 

Fieri's burger tasted just as good as it looked.
Guy Fieri's perfect burger
I couldn't believe how juicy Fieri's burger tasted.

Anneta Konstantinides/Business Insider

What impressed me most about Fieri's burger was how juicy it tasted, even without a single condiment. The patty, which was perfectly cooked, truly stood on its own. It had just the right amount of crispiness and was packed with flavor. 

The brioche bun added a nice hint of sweetness to the overall taste, and the beautifully melted cheese tasted almost buttery. The burger was pure perfection. 

Read my full review of Guy Fieri's perfect burger here

Ramsay's burger has quite a few more ingredients than Fieri's.
Ingredients for Gordon Ramsay's Burger
Ramsay's burger includes bacon, cheddar cheese, and red chile.

Anneta Konstantinides/Business Insider

To make Ramsay's cheeseburgers at home, you'll need: 

  • Ground beef
  • Brioche buns 
  • Bacon 
  • Cheddar cheese 
  • Egg yolks 
  • Frozen red chile
  • Tomato 
  • Onion 
  • Little Gem lettuce 
  • Mayonnaise 
  • Sriracha 
First, I prepped my burgers.
Making the patties for Gordon Ramsay's Burger
I added two egg yolks to my patty, plus the chile.

Anneta Konstantinides/Business Insider

I added 16 ounces of ground beef into a bowl — enough to make four burgers — along with two egg yolks. I then sprinkled salt and freshly ground black pepper on top, along with one grated frozen chile. 

I used my hands to mix everything together and made four patties that were each around 1 inch thick. 

"Remember that the thicker you make the patties, the longer they will take to cook," Ramsay writes in his book. "So if you want these on the table in under 10, press your burgers until they are a little thinner for a quicker cooking time."

I drizzled some vegetable oil on my griddle and threw my patties on top.
Making patties and toppings for Gordon Ramsay's Burger
I cooked my patties with the bacon and onion slices.

Anneta Konstantinides/Business Insider

I let my patties cook for four minutes over medium-high heat, seasoning them with some more salt and pepper.  

Then, I added my bacon and onion slices, increased the heat to high, and let everything cook together.  

As my burgers cooked, I prepped Ramsay's special sauce.
Making sauce for Gordon Ramsay's Burger
I quickly whipped up Ramsay's Sriracha mayonnaise sauce.

Anneta Konstantinides/Business Insider

I mixed four tablespoons of mayonnaise with two teaspoons of Sriracha and some salt and pepper. 

I also toasted my buns and prepped my veggies.
Cutting veggies for Gordon Ramsay's Burger
Prepping my veggies was also simple.

Anneta Konstantinides/Business Insider

I sliced one tomato and washed some Gem Lettuce leaves for the bottom of my burgers. I also toasted my buns in the oven for about two minutes. 

Then, I flipped the burgers, bacon, and onions.
Cooking patties and toppings for Gordon Ramsay's Burger
I let my bacon, onion, and patties cook for another five minutes.

Anneta Konstantinides/Business Insider

I let them cook for another five minutes. Since my bacon and onion slices were ready before my burgers, I took them off the griddle and placed them on a plate lined with a paper towel. 

It was time to add the cheese — and Ramsay uses the same trick as Fieri.
Melting cheese for Gordon Ramsay's Burger
Ramsay uses the same trick as Fieri to melt the cheese.

Anneta Konstantinides/Business Insider

Ramsay also recommends covering the patties with something to help the cheese melt. But, unlike the Mayor of Flavortown, he doesn't spray the burger with water first. 

Instead, Ramsay's recipe instructed me to first add some butter to the griddle and place the cheese slices on top of my burgers. Then, he recommends covering the patties with a lid or an upturned saucepan. I used a metal bowl, which perfectly covered two of my patties. 

The cheese looked absolutely beautiful.
Melting cheese for Gordon Ramsay's Burger
The cheese once again came out perfect.

Anneta Konstantinides/Business Insider

This is such an easy trick, and clearly worked well for both Fieri's and Ramsay's burgers. I now consider it an essential step to make a great cheeseburger at home. 

Once my patties were ready, I built my burgers.
Building Gordon Ramsay's Burger
First, I added the veggies before placing my burger on the bun, along with the bacon.

Anneta Konstantinides/Business Insider

First, I spread some of Ramsay's Sriracha mayonnaise on my bottom buns. Then, I added the lettuce, tomato, and onion slices, plus my cheeseburger and bacon. 

After I threw a few more onion slices on top and spread more sauce on my top buns, my burger was ready to go. 

Ramsay's burger looked straight out of a restaurant.
Gordon Ramsay's Burger
Ramsay's burger looked super impressive.

Anneta Konstantinides/Business Insider

There's no denying how impressive this burger looks, and it tasted great, too. The patty was plump and juicy, and I loved the kick of heat from the Sriracha mayonnaise and grated chile. 

The bacon and onion also gave some nice crunch and savoriness, while the tomato and lettuce added a dose of freshness. 

Read my full review of Gordon Ramsay's perfect burger here.

Both Fieri and Ramsay have fantastic burgers, but the Mayor of Flavortown takes my top spot.
Anneta with Guy Fieri's Perfect Burger
I would make both Guy Fieri's and Gordon Ramsay's burgers again.

Anneta Konstantinides/Business Insider

While you've got to keep track of quite a few different steps to make Ramsay's burger happen in 10 minutes, Fieri's recipe is far simpler — and still delivers fantastic results. 

Plus, I couldn't believe Fieri's burger tasted so good without any sauce or condiments. I've found his burger to outshine those I've had from places like Five Guys, and it's comparable to the gourmet burgers I've tried all over New York — for a fraction of the cost. 

But at the end of the day, you really can't go wrong with Ramsay or Fieri. Either way, you're going to have one very delicious burger. 

Read the original article on Business Insider

I made Ina Garten's easy breakfast cake for Mother's Day. My mom gives it a 10/10 — and so will yours.

Ina Garten's Blueberry Ricotta Breakfast Cake
Ina Garten's blueberry-ricotta breakfast cake is perfect for Mother's Day.

Anneta Konstantinides/Business Insider

  • I made Ina Garten's blueberry-ricotta breakfast cake, which she said is perfect for Mother's Day. 
  • The cake is light, delicious, and super moist. It's also really easy to make ahead of time.
  • "This was superb," my mom declared. "I give it a 10/10." 

I've been whipping up Ina Garten's dishes for years and always love trying her breakfast and dessert recipes.

Whether it's her cacio e pepe scrambled eggs or her famous mocha icebox cake, the "Barefoot Contessa" star is always creating fun twists on classic dishes. 

Garten said this blueberry-ricotta breakfast cake is perfect for Mother's Day, so I knew I had to test it on my own mom.

Let's see what she thought!

Ina Garten's breakfast cake features ricotta, lemon zest, and plenty of blueberries.
Ingredients for Ina Garten's Blueberry Ricotta Breakfast Cake
The breakfast cake also features sour cream, eggs, and vanilla.

Anneta Konstantinides/Business Insider

To make Garten's blueberry-ricotta breakfast cake, which serves eight, you'll need: 

  • 2 cups (12 ounces) of fresh blueberries 
  • 1 ¼ cups of all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup of whole-milk ricotta 
  • 1 cup of granulated sugar 
  • 10 tablespoons (1 ¼ sticks) of unsalted butter, at room temperature 
  • 3 extra-large eggs, at room temperature 
  • 2 tablespoons of sour cream 
  • 1 tablespoon of baking powder 
  • 1 teaspoon of pure vanilla extract 
  • 1 teaspoon of grated lemon zest
  • Sifted powdered sugar, for dusting
Before I began making Garten's breakfast cake, I needed to do a little prep.
Zesting lemon for Ina Garten's Blueberry Ricotta Breakfast Cake
First, I zested my lemon.

Anneta Konstantinides/Business Insider

I grated the lemon zest so it would be ready to go once I was mixing the batter. 

I also preheated the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and greased and floured my pan.
Grease and flouring the Ina Garten's Blueberry Ricotta Breakfast Cake
I greased my pan with butter before adding the flour.

Anneta Konstantinides/Business Insider

Garten recommends using a 9-inch round springform pan for this dish.

Then, it was time to make the batter!
Making the mixture for Ina Garten's Blueberry Ricotta Breakfast Cake
I added the butter and sugar to the bowl of my electric mixer.

Anneta Konstantinides/Business Insider

First, I added the butter and sugar to the bowl of my electric mixer, which was fitted with the paddle attachment. 

I beat the butter and sugar together on medium speed for three minutes, until the mixture was light and fluffy.
Making the mixture for Ina Garten's Blueberry Ricotta Breakfast Cake
I beat the butter and sugar together for three minutes.

Anneta Konstantinides/Business Insider

I made sure to scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula as needed.  

Then, I added the eggs, ricotta, sour cream, vanilla, and lemon zest.
Mixture for Ina Garten's Blueberry Ricotta Breakfast Cake
Garten says your batter will look curdled at this stage.

Anneta Konstantinides/Business Insider

I turned the mixer to low and added one egg at a time, mixing well after each addition. Then, I threw the ricotta, sour cream, vanilla, and lemon zest into the mixture.

Garten notes that your batter will look curdled at this stage, so don't worry if it appears that way!

I mixed my dry ingredients together in a separate bowl.
Mixing dry ingredients for Ina Garten's Blueberry Ricotta Breakfast Cake
My dry ingredients included the flour, baking powder, and salt.

Anneta Konstantinides/Business Insider

I added the flour, baking powder, and one teaspoon of salt and gave everything a quick stir. 

Then, I added the dry ingredients to the batter.
Mixture for Ina Garten's Blueberry Ricotta Breakfast Cake
I mixed my dry ingredients until they were just incorporated.

Anneta Konstantinides/Business Insider

I slowly added the dry ingredients with the mixer still on low until they were just incorporated.

Once my batter was ready, I began adding the blueberries.
Adding blueberries to mixture for Ina Garten's Blueberry Ricotta Breakfast Cake
I folded two-thirds of my blueberries into the batter.

Anneta Konstantinides/Business Insider

I folded two-thirds of my two cups of blueberries into the batter using a rubber spatula. 

Then, I transferred the batter into my springform pan.
Transfering batter to pan for Ina Garten's Blueberry Ricotta Breakfast Cake
My batter in the springform pan.

Anneta Konstantinides/Business Insider

I made sure to smooth the top of the batter. 

I added the remaining blueberries on top of the cake.
Adding blueberries to top of Ina Garten's Blueberry Ricotta Breakfast Cake
Per Garten's instructions, I lightly pressed each blueberry into the batter.

Anneta Konstantinides/Business Insider

Garten recommends lightly pressing each blueberry into the surface. 

It was time to bake!
Baking Ina Garten's Blueberry Ricotta Breakfast Cake
It took around 50 minutes for my cake to bake.

Anneta Konstantinides/Business Insider

Garten recommends baking the cake for 45 to 55 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. It took about 50 minutes for my cake to bake.

Every oven is different, so keep checking on your cake every couple of minutes after you hit the 45-minute mark.

Once my cake was ready, I transferred it to a wire rack.
Ina Garten's Blueberry Ricotta Breakfast Cake out of the oven
The cake needs to cool for an additional 15 minutes.

Anneta Konstantinides/Business Insider

Garten says the cake needs to cool in the pan for an additional 15 minutes.

I removed the sides of my springform pan and lightly dusted the top with powdered sugar. The cake looked beautiful.
Ina Garten's Blueberry Ricotta Breakfast Cake
I thought Garten's breakfast cake looked very impressive.

Anneta Konstantinides/Business Insider

Garten's blueberry-ricotta breakfast cake definitely makes for an impressive centerpiece.

Its warm, golden hue looked so sweet and comforting in my kitchen, and the bright bursts of blueberry added some joyful pops of color.

When I cut a slice, it was clear that the cake would be delightfully fluffy.
Slice of Ina Garten's Blueberry Ricotta Breakfast Cake
The cake also smelled incredible as I sliced into it.

Anneta Konstantinides/Business Insider

I could see a generous amount of blueberries in each slice, and the cake smelled incredible. 

My parents and I loved Garten's blueberry-ricotta breakfast cake.
Ina Garten's Blueberry Ricotta Breakfast Cake
Garten's blueberry-ricotta breakfast cake was deliciously moist.

Anneta Konstantinides/Business Insider

Garten's breakfast cake tastes as light and fluffy as it looks. The ricotta and sour cream keep every bite super moist, just as Garten promised, and the sweet blueberries pair well with the zingy and bright lemon zest, which really shines through.

The cake also had a nice crust on the outside, which added some contrasting texture to the super soft and luscious middle. 

"This was superb," my mom declared. "I give it a 10/10." 

Garten's blueberry-ricotta breakfast cake should be on everyone's brunch menu.
Sliced Ina Garten's Blueberry Ricotta Breakfast Cake
I'm definitely going to make Garten's blueberry-ricotta breakfast cake again.

Anneta Konstantinides/Business Insider

Garten's cake was super easy to make, and it tasted just as good the next day. If you want to save yourself some time before hosting a big brunch, you could easily make this ahead the night before. 

Whether you're looking for a special dish to celebrate Mother's Day or just want a fun new dessert, Garten's blueberry-ricotta breakfast cake is sure to be a crowd-pleaser.

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Princess Diana wore a lingerie-inspired gown for her only Met Gala appearance. It was the ultimate 'revenge' dress.

Princess Diana Met Gala 1996
Princess Diana attended her first and only Met Gala in December 1996.

Richard Corkery/NY Daily News via Getty Images

  • Princess Diana made her only Met Gala appearance in 1996, shortly after divorcing then-Prince Charles.
  • She wore a lingerie-inspired silk dress designed by John Galliano.
  • Galliano said Princess Diana tore the corset out of the dress without telling him.

Princess Diana only attended one Met Gala, but she sure knew how to make an entrance.

In honor of fashion's biggest night, which returns on Monday with the theme "Superfine: Tailoring Black Style," we're diving back into the Met Gala archives.

And it'd be hard to find an A-list attendee who made a bigger splash than the people's princess.

Diana walked the famous Met steps on December 9, 1996, four months after she finalized her divorce from then-Prince Charles.

The 1996 Met Gala theme paid tribute to Christian Dior, so Diana wore a dress designed by John Galliano, who had just become head designer of the legendary French fashion house.

Princess Diana Met Gala 1996
Princess Diana wore a lingerie-inspired dress designed by John Galliano.

Patrick McMullan/Patrick McMullan via Getty Images

Diana wore a navy-blue, lingerie-inspired slip dress decorated with black lace, as well as a matching robe.

She accessorized the slinky ensemble with sapphire earrings and a sapphire choker necklace that matched her iconic engagement ring.

In the 2024 Hulu docuseries "In Vogue: The 90s," Galliano revealed that he tried to convince Diana to wear pink to the Met Gala.

"We went to Kensington Palace and discussed drawings. I was trying to push for pink, but she was not having it. 'No, not the pink!' That was real, real fun," he recalled.

Galliano's dress originally had a corset, but he said Diana removed it without letting him know before she arrived at the Met Gala.

"Fast-forward to the event, and I just remember her getting out of the car," Galliano said. "I couldn't believe it. She'd ripped the corset out."

"She felt so liberated. She'd torn the corset out. The dress was much more… sensuous," he added.

Princess Diana Met Gala 1996
Diana paired the dress with sapphire earrings and a sapphire choker necklace.

Anwar Hussein/Getty Images

Eloise Moran, author of "The Lady Di Look Book: What Diana Was Trying To Tell Us Through Her Clothes," told Yahoo during a 2021 interview that Diana's Met Gala ensemble was a "revenge" look following her divorce from Charles.

"That was one of her most shocking dresses," Moran said. "But I thought she looked fabulous. She just looks so happy and confident."

"I think she was embracing it and enjoying it," the author added. "She knew she could never get rid of the attention and the spotlight on her, but I think she was positioning it in a different way, as a kind of international megastar, Marilyn Monroe-type icon rather than a member of the royal family. And I think the dress really reflected that."

Princess Diana 1996 Met Gala
Diana was worried her dress would embarrass Princess William, who was 14 at the time.

Richard Corkery/NY Daily News via Getty Images

Diana did have some reservations about the dress. Royal biographer Katie Nicholl, who wrote "William and Harry," revealed that the princess was worried it might embarrass her eldest son, Prince William, who was 14 years old at the time.

But her gown has now become a part of fashion history, even going on display at the Victoria and Albert Museum in London.

And there's no doubt it's one of the best Met Gala looks of all time.

Read the original article on Business Insider

Kim Kardashian's Met Gala looks, ranked from least to most iconic

Kim Kardashian attends the 2024 Met Gala.
Kim Kardashian attends the 2024 Met Gala.

Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images

  • Kim Kardashian has been to 11 Met Galas in her career.
  • The Skims founder has gotten bolder with her looks for the ball over the years.
  • Her 2022 Marilyn Monroe look was her most iconic Met Gala look to date.

The first Monday in May is quickly approaching, which means one thing to fashion fans: it's time for the 2025 Met Gala.

The annual fundraiser for the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Costume Institute will take place on May 5, and stars will arrive in their interpretations of the event's "Superfine: Tailoring Black Style" theme.

One of the most exciting aspects of the gala is seeing how repeat attendees keep improving their looks for the event year after year. Few stars have as interesting a track record with their Met Gala red carpet looks as Kim Kardashian.

From a floral gown at her first ball to her controversial ode to Marilyn Monroe, take a look at Kardashian's Met Gala looks ranked from least to most iconic.

Kardashian's blue evening gown for the 2014 Met Gala was lackluster compared to her other looks.
Kim Kardashian on the Met Gala red carpet wearing a blue gown with a thigh-high slit. Her then-husband Kanye West stands directly behind her.
Kim Kardashian at the 2014 Met Gala.

Evan Agostini/Invision/AP

After being turned into a couch meme at her very first Met Gala the year prior (more on that in a second), Kardashian chose to play it safe for the 2014 theme, "Charles James: Beyond Fashion." 

Alber Elbaz designed her custom Lanvin gown, which featured a black satin belt and a thigh-high slit. 

The gown was undoubtedly pretty and would've looked great for a movie premiere or awards show, but it was nothing special for a night that encourages celebrities to push the envelope.

Kardashian's ensemble was actually supposed to look completely different. She revealed on her now-inactive website that the gown was originally made of "this amazing leather with metallic detailing." Her design team only decided to redo it in blue satin at the last minute.  

Kardashian still planned to pair her new gown with a chunky belt and leather cuffs, but she ditched them before walking the red carpet because, according to E!, they were "a bit too rock 'n' roll."

As a Met Gala novice, it was clear Kardashian didn't want to rock the boat too much on the carpet. Still, we wish we could've seen the far edgier look she envisioned in 2014.

Kardashian's 2016 Met Gala gown was flashier but still didn't push the envelope.
Kim Kardashian attends the 2016 Met Gala wearing a silver metallic gown with a thigh-high slit.
Kim Kardashian attends the 2016 Met Gala.

Larry Busacca/Getty Images

Kardashian wore a metallic silver Balmain gown with a thigh-high slit for the "Manus x Machina: Fashion in an Age of Technology" theme in 2016. 

We loved the fabric of the silver dress, and Kardashian took a bit of a risk with her beauty by bleaching her eyebrows. However, the look didn't stand out among a sea of similar metallic looks. 

Kardashian was also overshadowed by her date, then-husband Kanye West. The rapper made headlines that year for daring to wear denim to the Met Gala. 

When looking back on her Met Gala looks in 2019, Kardashian revealed that she felt insecure ahead of the event because she hadn't "lost all of my baby weight" after giving birth to her son Saint in December 2015, which is likely why she stuck to her usual silhouette.

Kardashian wore another metallic gown to the 2018 Met Gala.
Kim Kardashian stands in front of a wall of roses wearing a gold metallic gown with crosses on it.
Kim Kardashian attends the 2018 Met Gala.

Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for The Met Museum/Vogue

The "Heavenly Bodies: Fashion and the Catholic Imagination" Met Gala will likely go down as one of the boldest in the event's history. Stars like Rihanna, Ariana Grande, and Blake Lively delivered stunning looks referencing everything from the Pope to the Sistine Chapel. 

Because of all the eye-catching looks, Kardashian didn't make waves with her custom gold Versace dress, although the number did nab her a few spots on best-dressed lists. 

Kardashian personally designed the chain-mail gown with Donatella Versace, and we loved the dark eye makeup and high pony she paired it with.

While the reality TV star hadn't yet mastered how to steal the show at the Met Gala, her style was definitely becoming a little bolder.

The star's simple Vivienne Westwood dress at the 2017 Met Gala shocked fans and critics alike, for all the right reasons.
Kim Kardashian attends the 2017 Met Gala in a simple white off-the-shoulder gown.
Kim Kardashian attends the 2017 Met Gala.

Karwai Tang/WireImage/Getty Images

At first glance, Kardashian's off-the-shoulder white dress for the "Rei Kawakubo/Comme des Garçons: Art of the In-Between" theme might seem even simpler than the gowns we've already discussed. 

But the chic and beachy outfit, which Kardashian paired with sandals and minimal makeup, felt like a statement from the reality TV star. On a night when everyone would dial it up and go avant-garde, Kardashian decided to do something completely different — and it worked. One headline praised Kardashian's "seriously toned down" look.

"I figured everyone was going to go really over the top, and I just wanted to be really simple," Kardashian, who attended the event without West for the first time, told Vogue on the red carpet.

The 2017 Met Gala also happened just a few months after Kardashian was robbed at gunpoint in Paris, and $11 million in jewels were stolen from her hotel room. The simple Vivienne Westwood dress and her lack of accessories felt like a statement from Kardashian, who later discussed the trauma she experienced from the robbery.

Kardashian brought major drama and glamour to the 2015 Met Gala.
Kim Kardashian stands on the Met Gala red carpet stairs wearing a nude gown with crystal detailing and white feathers on the train.
Kim Kardashian attends the 2015 Met Gala.

Taylor Hill/FilmMagic

Designed by Peter Dundas, the dress was covered with strategically placed crystals and featured a long train of white feathers. Kardashian revealed on Instagram that her inspiration had been Cher's iconic 1974 Met Gala outfit.

Other naked dresses were popular on the red carpet that year. Stars like Beyoncé and Jennifer Lopez won praise for their sheer numbers, and Rihanna had the most standout look of the night by upstaging everyone with her custom Guo Pei gown — now one of the most iconic Met Gala looks of all time. 

But Kardashian's gown was bold, stunning, and told a story. It was the first inkling of her realizing she could become a force on the Met Gala red carpet.

Kardashian's gown for the 2014 Met Gala would have fit the "Garden of Time" dress code perfectly if she hadn't added a shrug to it.
Kim Kardashian attends the 2024 Met Gala.
Kim Kardashian attends the 2024 Met Gala.

Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images

Kardashian wore a custom John Galliano dress to the "Sleeping Beauties: Reawakening Fashion" gala, which had a "Garden of Time" dress code.

Kardashian's look leaned into the garden aspect of the dress code, though it clearly had a through-line to her previous Met Gala looks as well.

Like dresses she wore in previous years, the gown was metallic and featured a dramatic, waist-cinching corset. Floral detailing adorned the strapless bodice, while the floor-length skirt was made of interlocking, floral appliqué that showed peeks of Kardashian's legs. Her blond hair added to the edgy feel of the look.

The gown was well suited to the theme, but the gray shrug Kardashian wore atop looked disjointed with the rest of the look. The outfit would have been stronger if Kardashian had let the dress speak for itself.

Kardashian nodded to the early days of fame at the 2023 Met Gala.
Kim Kardashian attends the 2023 Met Gala in a dress made of pearl strands with a white coat draped on her arms.
Kim Kardashian attends the 2023 Met Gala.

Mike Coppola/Getty Images

Kardashian arrived at the "Karl Lagerfeld: A Line of Beauty" Met Gala in a Schiaparelli gown made almost entirely of pearl strands.

The strings of pearls created a halter-style bodice and barely-there skirt, which sat atop taupe shapewear.

Lagerfeld often gravitated toward pearls in his designs, making the ensemble an apt choice for the ball. However, the look also referenced Kardashian's 2007 Playboy shoot, for which she posed only wearing pearls, so it made even more of a statement.

Kris Jenner said her now meme-ified comment, "You're doing amazing, sweetie," to Kardashian during the shoot, as captured on "Keeping Up With the Kardashians."

Kardashian also celebrated her Skims empire with the shapewear she wore under the pearls, using the Met Gala as a platform for her own success. The company was worth $3.2 billion as of 2022.

Kardashian made a statement about her fame at the 2021 gala.
Kim Kardashian West at the 2021 Met Gala covered head to toe in black fabric with a long black train.
Kim Kardashian attends the 2021 Met Gala.

Mike Coppola/Getty Images

Kardashian arrived in the most jaw-dropping look of the night at the 2021 Met Gala with the theme, "In America: A Lexicon of Fashion." Her Balenciaga bodysuit and oversized T-shirt dress covered her from head to toe, including a face-covering mask and gloves.

She was only visible in silhouette, with her ponytail and a train flowing behind her as she walked the Met Gala carpet.

It was an instant meme because of its avant-garde nature. Still, Balenciaga's creative director, Demna Gvasalia, later explained that the outfit was designed to highlight how iconic Kardashian's body had become in pop culture. 

"People would know instantly it was Kim because of her silhouette. They wouldn't even need to see her face, you know?" Gvasalia told Vogue at the time. "And I think that the whole power of her celebrity, that people wouldn't need to see her face to know it's her."

The form-fitting dress Kardashian chose for the 2019 Met Gala looms large because of the controversial efforts she took to wear it.
Kim Kardashian poses for photos on the 2019 Met Gala carpet wearing a formfitting nude gown with crystal raindrop embellishments.
Kim Kardashian at the 2019 Met Gala.

Doug Peters/STAR MAX/IPx/AP

Kardashian arrived at the "Camp: Notes on Fashion" gala in a Thierry Mugler gown that hugged her figure and was adorned with crystals. The dress appeared sheer, as it matched her skin tone.

After the gala, Kardashian revealed she went to extreme lengths to wear the skin-tight dress, including taking corset lessons to breathe in it.

She also couldn't go to the bathroom in the dress, and in a clip from "Keeping Up With the Kardashians," she said she was willing to urinate on herself in the gown if there was an emergency. 

The dress was pretty, but Kardashian's drastic measures made the dress so memorable.

Kardashian's floral gown for her first Met Gala in 2013 was one of her most memorable outfits, even though it was criticized then.
Kim Kardashian attends the 2013 Met Gala. She's pregnant and wearing a floral gown with a thigh-high slit.
Kim Kardashian attends the 2013 Met Gala.

Larry Busacca/Getty Images

Kardashian made her Met Gala debut in 2013 when she was expecting her first child, North West. 

The gala's theme was "Punk: Chaos to Couture," and Kardashian wore a long-sleeve, floral Riccardo Tisci dress. It had a high neckline, which contrasted with its daring, thigh-high slit. Matching, open-toe shoes completed the look.

Kardashian told Vogue in 2019 that Tisci wanted the floral pattern to symbolize sending a pregnant woman flowers, which she said was "such a sweet message." Tisci also told Kardashian that Anna Wintour wanted her to wear the floral dress, so she did.

Social media users immediately took to Twitter to criticize the look after Kardashian walked the red carpet. Many compared the dress to a couch, to the star's dismay.

"I was crying, like, the whole way home because I just couldn't believe it," Kardashian said in the same interview with Vogue.

Looking back at the dress, Kim has a different perspective. "Now I love it," she told the magazine. "Now it's, like, sick."

Although it wasn't for the reasons she wanted, Kardashian was the talk of the event from her very first Met Gala, which was even more impressive considering she was attending as Kanye West's date.

Of course, Kardashian's most iconic Met Gala look was her 2022 dress that originally belonged to Marilyn Monroe.
Kim Kardashian attends the 2022 Met Gala in a nude gown previously worn by Marilyn Monroe.
Kim Kardashian attends the 2022 Met Gala.

John Shearer/Getty Images

Kardashian made headlines when she arrived at the 2022 "In America: An Anthology of Fashion" Met Gala in the dress Marilyn Monroe wore to sing "Happy Birthday" to President John F. Kennedy in 1962.

The sheer Jean Louis dress was embellished from head to toe, and Kardashian dyed her hair platinum blond to fully recreate Monroe's look.

"In a sense, it's the original naked dress. That's why it was so shocking," Kardashian told Vogue of the gown.

She borrowed the dress from Ripley's Believe It or Not! Museum in Orlando, which acquired it for $4.81 million in 2016, according to a Ripley's press release. Kardashian wore the gown on the red carpet, but she changed into a replica immediately after because it was so fragile. 

Kardashian once again took extreme measures to fit into Monroe's dress. She said she lost 16 pounds in three weeks so she could wear it. 

The conversation around the dress continued for weeks after the Met Gala, as people accused Kardashian of damaging the gown when she wore it.

In June 2022, Ripley's and Kardashian sent Business Insider a joint statement saying she "did not, in any way, damage the garment in the short amount of time it was worn at the Met Gala." 

Kardashian solidified her status as the Met Gala it-girl with her Marilyn Monroe look, which was truly a once-in-a-lifetime fashion moment.

Read the original article on Business Insider

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