You might be from the Midwest if...


  1. -- don't send help. I know these meme is misspelling "noodle".
  2. -- some of y'all are epic! You not only know the salad I mentioned last week...you've eaten it! I send sympathies. And for those of you that want to know the salad of horror stories even from those of us that grew up with (and truly love) jello salads: https://www.food.com/recipe/lime-jello-cabbage-salad-149284

Alright, let's get on with today's email...


You might think you know the Midwest, but you’re not a true Midwesterner unless your salad repertoire includes more than just veggies. Here’s a fun check-list to see where you stand:

  • Jello Salad: If you’ve ever had a salad that's more gelatin than greens, welcome to the club.
  • Snickers Salad: Yes, it counts as a salad here if it includes apples and whipped cream.
  • Tater Tot Hotdish: Not a salad, but if it's at the potluck, you're definitely in the Midwest.
  • Pasta Salad with Mayo: The more mayo, the merrier.
  • Anything with Marshmallows: Bonus points if there are also pineapples or carrots involved.

So, how did you do? If you checked off at least one, congrats—you might just be a Midwesterner! The rest of you, I gotcha!

We have a slew of new Minnesota "salad" recipes coming in the next weeks but if you just can't wait...if you just NEED to get a head start. If your meal plan MUST consist of snickers salad and tater tot hotdish in the SAME WEEK...I've got you friends:

MN Snicker Salad. No really, this is super tasty and should be named "MN Super Tasty Snicker Dessert" but in true MN form...it's a salad.

Tater Tot Hotdish. The quintessential Midwest dish that is probably the tastiest casserole you'll put in your mouth. I have the soup version and the no-soup, grandma version.

Also, if you've ever had a question about Midwestern cuisine, jello salads, hotdish, lutefish, or any other of the epic midwest dishes...reply. If I can't answer the question, I've got a slew of older ladies ready for my questions about these iconic midwest recipes.

Catch you at the next potluck, Nellie

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