Thanks to an Austin company’s product, U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar took second place in a hotdish competition.

Klobuchar’s “Hormel ‘I Can’t Believe It’s Not Spam’ Pepperoni Pizza Hotdish” took second in the Minnesota congressional delegation’s third annual hotdish competition, falling just one point short of Rep. Tim Walz’s winning dish. The friendly “hotdish off” is a way to bring the delegation together and celebrate a Minnesota culinary tradition.

“Our Hormel hotdish may not have the shelf life of Spam, but the recipe is timeless,” Klobuchar said. “It’s great to come together every year with the Minnesota delegation for some home-cooked competition, and our dish would not have been complete without the delicious pepperoni from a great Austin company. I think if I had added a little more of it, we could have clinched the win.”

After blind taste testing each member’s hotdish, former Reps. Vin Weber, R-Minn., and Gerry Sikorski, D-Minn., named Walz’s “Hermann the German” hotdish the winner of the 2013 Hotdish-off. Minnesota State Society member Megan Ivory Carr acted as emcee.

“It’s a great day when the Minnesota delegation is able to put our differences aside and focus on what really matters — Hotdish,” said Sen. Al Franken, who hosted the event. “I want to thank all my colleagues for participating in today’s competition and a huge congratulations to Rep. Walz for his winning Hermann the German Hotdish. It was delicious.”

The other members prepared the following hotdishes: Franken made Willmar Stew Hotdish; Rep. Collin Peterson made Easter Ham and Cheese Hotdish; Rep. Betty McCollum made Beef, Beer, & Biscuits Hotdish; Rep. Michele Bachmann made Southwest Metro Hotdish; Rep. Keith Ellison made Juicy Lucy Hotdish; Rep. Rick Nolan made ‘Real Deal’ Ranger Hotdish; and Rep. Erik Paulsen made Kelly Paulsen’s Taco Hotdish.

Last year, Franken’s “Mom’s Mahnomin Madness Hotdish” and former Rep. Chip Cravaack’s “Minnesota Wild Strata Hotdish” tied for first place. That year, Walz entered a Spam dish called “Spam Town Hotdish.”

Klobuchar took top honors in 2011 with her “Taconite Tater-Tot Hotdish.”