I was inspired to write this after reading an article on 21 foods which would identify you as a Midwesterner. Some of those foods I've never heard of and some are staples in this part of the world. So several of them land on this list too.

  1. Hotdish - Basically a casserole with 3 basic ingredients: a meat, a starch and some kind of creamy condensed soup. (My favorite is Tater Tot casserole with mixed vegies and sour cream stirred into the condensed soup before mixing with the other ingredients. M-m-good!)
  2. Loose Meat Sandwich - Also known as "sloppy joes, maid-rites (especially for Iowans), haystacks, barbecues, etc. (My mom was not a fan of these messy sammies until Manwich hit supermarket shelves and made her life easier.)
  3. Chislic - Delicious meat cubes deep fried, seasoned and served, usually with fries. (So bad for you which is why you should only have chislic when you're living dangerously anyway, like having dinner in a bar!)
  4. Tenderloin Sandwich - An appetite satisfying hunk of pork loin, sliced, pounded flat, breaded, deep-fried and served on a bun. This little piggy is usually topped with mustard and dill pickle chips. (But in my case, I must have mayo or Miracle Whip, and lettuce. No pickles!)
  5. Jello Salad with Grated Carrots Salad - I love this salad, (made with orange Jello) but I would like to preface its addition to this list by saying, Ben made me do it!  (I looked up the history of this salad and found that gelatin salads with carrots are considered icons of Mormon culture from the 50s and 60s. So why he thinks it is a staple of Sioux Falls diners, I don't know!)

What other foods should be on this list?

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