Minnesota - The Star of the North



♥ M ♥ I  ♥ N ♥ N ♥ E ♥ S ♥ O ♥ T ♥ A ♥

It turns out that I love Minnesota.  It is a great state, with fantastic people and really good comfort food.  Minnesota is famous for its hot dish, wild rice, walleye, morel mushrooms and blueberry muffins.  I couldn't find any walleye or morel mushrooms so I went with hot dish.  Hot dish is known elsewhere as a casserole, but in Minnesota it is called a hot dish.  The whole meal reminded me of a church potluck.

Lisa and Peter Billing came for dinner, along with 5 of their 7 children.  The Billings moved to Washington from Minnesota 7 1/2 years ago.  Lisa, who was born and raised in Minnesota helped me with the menu and even brought the Jello Salad, which is a very Minnesotan thing to do.

Menu
Minnesota Blueberry Muffins
Minnesota Hot Dish
Wild Rice, Minnesota Style
Classic Green Bean Casserole
Jello Salad (Jello with mandarin oranges and Cool Whip)
Minnesota Bars
Mini Sodas

Blueberry muffin is the official state muffin of Minnesota. The muffins were good and the blueberries I used were actually from Minnesota. I chose to do a hot dish with tator tots. My kids are not big on casseroles but they all seemed to enjoy it. I really liked the wild rice and mushroom dish but it wasn't a big hit with the kids. The green bean casserole was good, I have never made one before or even tried green bean casserole before. I can't believe I have been missing out on this.

The Jello salad (with Cool Whip) was served with dinner and not dessert. I didn't grow up eating Jello and have never been a fan, but this was delicious. I am not sure whether I will ever make Jello for dinner but I will definitely eat it next time at a church potluck. For dessert I made Minnesota bars. Minnesota bars are the second most popular potluck dish in the state. Bars are any kind of dessert that fits into a large baking dish, is easily made and requires little to no cookie dough. For example Rice Krispie treats, lemon bars and peanut butter bars are all considered Minnesota bars – brownies however are not. The Minnesota bars were OK, they were too sticky for my taste but Lisa thought they were authentic Minnesota bars.




Jonathan and Timothy with the Jello Salad



Peter with the Minnesota Plate

It was a great night and I am so happy we were able to share it with the Billings. They were able to give us insight into Minnesota and it is definitely a place I need to visit.

                              

I think this was the easiest meal I have done as far as cooking and preparation. Minnesotans make easy dishes that feed lots of people. I ♥ Minnesota. Next week, Mississippi...I am thinking Catfish and Mudpie...YUM!

♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥  ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥