Minnesota Hotdish

Hotdish? I learned a lot about Hotdish from fellow blogger Audrey of Minnesota Prairie Roots Blog. And yes, turns out we call it a casserole around here. This blog post is a collaborative effort as Audrey lives in Minnesota.  I wrote to her for enlightenment on Hotdish.

Audrey wrote when  I inquired about Hotdish 

Now, on to hotdish, which you likely know as “casseroles” in your area of the country. Same thing. Simply a mix of foods combined in one glass casserole dish or a 9 x 13 cake pan. Tater Tot Hotdish is Minnesota’s signature hotdish consisting of cooked hamburger mixed with a vegetable and a condensed creamed soup and then topped with tater tots and shredded cheddar cheese. I hope I got that right. I haven’t made it in years and actually seldom make hotdish, with the exception of Chicken Wild Rice Hotdish.
 
Hotdish has always been a staple of church potlucks and family reunions in Minnesota. Easy to make. Serves a lot. And everyone loves a good hotdish. My mom always made one with hamburger, noodles and tomato juice with cheese stirred in. It was a favorite growing up.

In 2006, the Minnesota Historical Society Press even published a book, “Hot Dish Heaven–Classic Casseroles from Midwest Kitchens” by Ann L. Burckhardt. And, yes, our DC legislators hold an annual hot dish competition. You can purchase cookbook online by clicking link. 

And guess what honor I received from Audrey?

The State of Minnesota does hereby grant honorary residency to Ruth Ella Hendricks upon successful completion of the unofficial state culinary dish, Tater Tot Hotdish. Congratulations! 

 

America’s Test Kitchen recipe for this Minnesota Hotdish was on the PBS channel the other night. Here is the link to the video from the episode. Although I don’t remember purchasing a single Tater Tot in my life, watching them put this Hotdish together made me think about making it. With just two of us in the house it seemed a good recipe to try on the larger family when I visited in Ohio. I used a 2 pound bag of Simple Truth Potato Puffs from their local Kroger grocery store. I saw the brand Tater Tots had cottonseed oil in them and I thought that can’t be a good thing. I doubled the amount of the meat to 3 pounds.  I omitted the mushrooms as several family members do not care for them but I read that if you needed to make if vegetarian you could use just mushrooms in the creamy bottom layer and no meat.

When I told my friend Joanne about the Hotdish she told me how growing up they didn’t have casseroles and she learned about them in high school cooking class. Her teenage son and his friends would devour her Tater Tot Green Bean Casserole when they lived in Omaha Nebraska. And after talking to her, I used the green beans instead of the frozen peas and corn in the original recipe.  

3 pounds of Angus ground round sautéed with chopped. sweet onion and four garlic cloves

My fellow blogger and friend Audrey of Minnesota Prairie Roots blog post says “Here’s a link to a story about small town Minnesota which includes a photo of a sandwich board advertising Tater Tot Hotdish”

Photograph of sandwich sign used with permission from Audrey

 

There is an event in Faribault Minnesota that sounds like a lot of fun

Audrey told me about the Flannel Formal 

At the Faribault Flannel Formal last Saturday, a Best Lumberjack Hotdish Contest was part of the annual event attended by about 500, all called upon to dress in flannel (like Paul Bunyan).

And a Snowplow naming contest too? “…as I’m watching the news last evening, I was reminded of another recent hotdish “thing” in Minnesota, the naming of a snowplow as “Blader Tot Hotdish.” Here’s a blog post I wrote about this Minnesota Department of Transportation contest and winners”

You can see why I asked Audrey to help me with my HOTDISH blogpost.  I could’t have done it without her. 

Chef Sam Cooking Class with Lentil Cheeseburgers and Caesar Salad

Chef Sam cooks a Lentil Cheeseburger recipe with a Roasted Red Pepper sauce and prepares a Caesar Salad during Cooking Class. He told how he sterilized the eggs for the dressing, gently lowering them into boiling water for five minutes. Safety was emphasized.  Lentils, mushrooms, beets, carrot, onions and garlic were a few of the main ingredients.  Miso paste helped hold it together.  There were ten participants and we all enjoyed the delicious meal at the end of the class.

The class was held Wednesday afternoon at The Stephen Foster Community Center on 286 Main Street, located next to the Lawrenceville Branch of the Carnegie Library. The center is housed in an 1865 brick building now on the National Historic Register. The center offers fitness classes such as Cardio Strength and Flexibility, Tai Chi, Yoga, Soul Line Dancing, and Practical Meditation in addition to craft and  other recreational activities.

Next cooking class with Chef Sam is May 29 at 12:30. $4 is the cost of the class.

 

 Thank you Chef Sam for a great class and delicious meal

Allegheny County senior citizens can eat lunch for a modest donation of a dollar but should register by calling the Community Center office by noon the day before at 412-350-5460.   Contact Allegheny County Seniorline 412-350-5460 for eligibility, if you need a Home Delivered Meal.

Holy Smoke (that’s) BBQ- Carolina Beach

People at Work series

 

MarkWilsonAtHolySmoke

Meet Mark Wilson owner of Holy Smoke (that’s) BBQ Carolina Beach, North Carolina

Eat in or Take out.  The meats are cooked slowly over oak coals.

Mr. Wilson said he can talk about smoked meat all day long.

Our family ate two orders of Hush Puppies before our dinners came to the table. You choose  two house made sides with your dinner and I selected green beans and Mac and Cheese.  You could  choose from baked beans, fries, mashed potatoes or slaw, corn bread or potato salad.

Pulled Pork, Brisket, Meat Loaf. The sauce on the table has honey and vinegar in it and is flavorful.

Since there were nine of us, we sampled quite a variety from the menu.  The fried chicken is made to order.  Have you ever heard of Cheerwine?  

What I’ll long for, come winter

In February,  I’ll be filled with Nostalgia for a vine ripened summer tomato. You can taste the sun. A little salt and freshly ground pepper bring out the flavor.

My sister bought this one at the Union Square market today. Booths were filled with pumpkins, gourds and jugs of apple cider.

There’s no replacement for a summer tomato.

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Last Day of Summer Vacation Before School Starts

I need to gather up my knitting bag, the computer bag and the camera bag- pack the suitcase- load the car.  And the grocery bag with the sock monkeys that the girls helped me stuff but still need to be handstitched.  The eyes embroidered.  The tails attached.

I’ll be heading home in a few hours. A 3 1/2 hour drive.  Just can’t sleep. 

The Summer unstructured time has been grand.

Although I’m up at four today, setting the alarm for 5:15 is going to be the tricky part. Getting up tomorrow for the familiar drive to school. The freshman will come on Friday so that gives me a couple of days of clerical time and Prof Dev meetings. All students start on Monday.

Here’s the pastry case and breakfast from Sunday’s brunch at La Chatelaine after church.

La Chatelaine Desserts

 

 

 

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Winter Supper Still Life

Fruit and Salad

 A friend invited me for a winter supper after school today. A nice invitation as the week was winding down.   It was refreshing and delicious.

 Doesn’t it always taste better when someone prepares food, sets a table  and serves it to you?

Vegetable Soup with Pesto.    Bread and Olive Oil.  Spring Mix, Tomatoes and Olives  with Oil & Vinegar.

vegetable soup and pesto

Pumpkin Bread and Fruit

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Green-Tipped Straightneck- Organic Baby Squash

Bought from the Farmer’s Market in East Liberty Monday afternoon.  In haste.  It started to pour.  Will get the name of the vendor next week!

Green-tipped straightneck squash and a few baby zucchini. I liked the green-tips which looked as if the squash ends were dipped in green paint.

Peda in the Indian Grocery Case

Peda, White

Took this photograph when I was in NYC on Spring Break and my sister was shopping in the Indian Grocery shop.

Here is a recipe for the sweet peda. Flavored with cardamon.  It is made with khoya  “semi-solid thickened milk”  One post said it is similar to ricotta cheese texture but I haven’t made it and would like to know and the recipe says to “grate the khoya” so that doesn’t possible if it is similar to ricotta.  Not enough research but hope someone will comment and fill in the gaps.  I was attracted to it in the case and I shot through the glass.

Pyrex Fruit Bowl Levitation in Afternoon Light

When I get home from school I put the kettle on and make a cup of tea. Or a cuppa as some friends say. Unwind.

And I sit at the kitchen table, wait for the water to boil.   I saw the fruit bowl reflected in the diner print.

I am sure it has been there before but today I saw it.