I may have lived in the Western United States for the past eight years, but I am a Minnesotan first and foremost.
I grew up battling bitter cold winters, praying for snow days, boating on the many lakes in the summer, wearing shorts when the weather creeped above 55 degrees, going to Perkins after high school football games, and watching the Minnesota Vikings have a heartbreaking season. I wear my Midwestern upbringing like a badge of honor.
While I don’t miss the negative-degree temperatures, nor the never-ending winters, I do miss the food that helped combat the chill. Nobody knows how to dish up comforting and filling food like a Midwesterner who grew up with icicles hanging from their roof.
The casseroles, creamy soups, and Crock-Pot dishes warm you from the inside out. They are cheese-filled, dairy-forward, and carb-centric. Throw out any healthy substitutes or diet trends. This is all about comfort, baby!
Here are some of my favorite Midwestern flavors for the holiday season:
Tater tot hotdish
Yes, I call it a hotdish, not a casserole. But there’s some contention even among us Midwesterners about the word and its use.
According to the Food Network, the word hotdish is used in Minnesota and some parts of North Dakota, and it’s considered a type of casserole that’s the main course instead of a side dish (like most casseroles you’d see on your Thanksgiving table). It’s a dish that contains protein, starch, and some vegetables.
The beauty of tater tot hotdish is it gets better as it sits—eating hotdish the next day is almost always better than when it first pops out of the oven. You can also freeze it and save it for the next time you need some comfort food.
Tater tot hotdish is pretty simple and affordable. All you need is 1 pound of ground beef (or ground turkey); 2 cups of milk; a bag of mixed frozen carrots, corn, peas, and green beans; two cans of cream of mushroom soup; and 1 pound of frozen tater tots. My family uses the Ore-lda Crispy Crowns.
Oh, and you’re going to need lots and lots of Colby-Jack or mozzarella cheese.
First, sauté the ground beef in a large skillet over medium heat with some oil and onion until the meat is browned. Add some salt and pepper to the mix. While the meat cooks, whisk the soup and milk together. Transfer the cooked beef into a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Scatter the mixed veggies evenly over the top of the beef. Combine the beef and veggies with the soup and milk mixture.
Add a layer of cheese and then add a layer of tater tots on top. Bake for 30 to 45 minutes at 375 degrees until the tots are golden brown and crispy. Cut out a little square for yourself and enjoy!
Creamy wild rice soup
I didn’t realize wild rice was such a hot commodity outside of Minnesota. Nor did I know that the grain is native to the upper Midwest.
Wild rice grows in the lakes and rivers of the Great Lakes region and Canada. It’s low in fat, packed with protein, and has a higher nutritional value than other grains. It’s also a key ingredient in one of my favorite soups.
I love wild rice soup—so much, in fact, that my parents bought me a bag of Minnesota wild rice last Christmas so I can make it for myself.
This is a spin-off of my favorite version of this soup from Lunds and Byerlys (think the Minnesota version of California Fresh Market). It calls for ham, sliced almonds, and, of course, wild rice. The almonds provide a nice crunchy texture in an otherwise creamy and smooth soup.
You’ll need a few more ingredients, and it’s a bit more hands-on, but I promise it’s worth it. My family would sometimes have this soup with a side of crunchy sourdough on Christmas Day.
Melt 6 tablespoons of butter in a soup pot and add one minced onion. Sauté the onion until it’s softened. Stir in 1/2 cup of flour and then gradually add 3 cups of chicken broth. Stir constantly until it comes to a boil.
Add 2 cups of cooked wild rice; 1/3 cup of cooked, diced ham; 1/2 cup of chopped carrot; 3 tablespoons of slivered almonds; and 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Simmer for about five minutes.
Add 1 cup of half-and-half and 2 tablespoons of dry sherry. Let it cook all together for a few minutes before serving.
Apple crisp
My grandmother likes to make apple crisp when she’s bought too many apples, or when she can’t go through the fruit quickly enough. The apples’ tartness balances nicely with the cinnamon sugar crumble topping. It’s the perfect substitute when you can’t be bothered to bake a whole pie from scratch but still want a sweet treat at the end of your meal.
Apple crisp is a really simple dessert recipe that only calls for six ingredients: Apples, white sugar, butter, brown sugar, cinnamon, and all-purpose flour. It’s nice for smaller family gatherings that don’t need a lot of food.
Peel six medium Honeycrisp apples—or Granny Smith if you prefer green apples—and cut them into thick slices. If they are too thin, they will get mushy. Place the slices into an ungreased 7-by-11-inch baking dish and sprinkle them with sugar and cinnamon. Toss the apples to make sure they are evenly coated with the mixture.
In a separate bowl, mix together 1 1/2 cups of brown sugar, 3/4 cup of all-purpose flour, and 1/2 cup of softened butter until it’s well combined and forms a crumbly texture. Pour the mixture over the apples and pop into a 350-degree oven for 45 to 60 minutes or until the apples are bubbling and the topping is lightly browned. Serve hot with a scoop of vanilla ice cream on top.
Reach Staff Writer Taylor O’Connor at toconnor@santamariasun.com.
This article appears in Nov 21 – Dec 1, 2024.