The 29 Hotdishes Every Minnesotan Knows – According To A Viral Puzzle

When I moved to Minnesota in 2000, there were two things that I learned real quick.

#1 - for some reason, residents of this state teach their kids how to play Duck, Duck, Goose wrong.

#2 - if you say you are bringing a casserole, people will look at you in an odd way.

"Casserole" is non-existent in the Land of 10,000 Lakes.  For some reason, when you cross the Iowa-Minnesota border, the word for "casserole" is now "hotdish".

READ MORE: 30+ Free Things You Can Score in Minnesota On Your Birthday

Only Minnesotans Call This Type Of Food A "Hotdish"

There is no guidebook to new residents when they move to Minnesota.  You just get to learn things the hard way - like when all of your co-workers say to bring a "hotdish" to work on Friday and you start to wonder if they are competent enough to work with you.  Seriously, why would anyone heat up a dish and bring it to work...hot?

That makes zero sense to the rest of the United States.

Minnesotans are built differently...and apparently just want to confuse anyone who crosses the state line.

And one restaurant in Southeast Minnesota is taking that to a whole new level - Two Sisters Kitchen + Bar.  They don't just serve "hotdishes" in their restaurant (which are pretty tasty!) - you are welcomed by "hotdishes"...and a lot of them.

The Restaurant In Minnesota That Welcomes You In With Multiple Hotdishes...If You Look Carefully

Rumor is that the word "hotdish" was first created in a town called Mankato.  Way back in 1930, a church cookbook was being published for the community by Grace Lutheran Ladies Aid and according to America's Test Kitchen, a hotdish recipe was submitted by Mrs. C.W. Anderson.

While most of us today think of a "hotdish" as comfort food, that isn't how it came into existence.  During the Great Depression, families had to get creative with very limited grocery budgets.  And in 1956, some genius decided to add tator tots on top of a meat mixture and that is how the one and only Tater Tot Hotidsh was born.

Fast forward to the future and a restaurant in Minnesota isn't just serving multiple hotdishes to its guests, it also some amazing artwork as you walk inside - a puzzle with 29 Hotdishes of Minnesota.  Personally, I didn't know we had that many...but I'll walk you through the list below.

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The 29 Hotdishes of Minnesota (According to a Puzzle)

Based on the puzzle at Two Sisters Kitchen + Bar at 1251 Cedar Center Ave. SE in Oronoco, Minnesota, here are the 29 Hotdishes of Minnesota:

1. Tater Tot Hotdish

2. Baked Beans & Hot Dogs

3. Stuffed Peppers

4. Sloppy Joes

5. Scalloped Potatoes & Ham

6. Tuna Noodle

7. Shepherds Pie

8. Sauerkraut Noodle Bake

9. Mock Chow Mein

10. Lutefisk Mac & Cheese

11. Layered Taco Bake

12. Creamed Corn

13. Chicken, Green Beans, & Wild Ride

14. Green Bean Casserole

15. Creamed Peas & Ham

16. Goulash

17. 4-Can Casserole

18. Church or Funeral or Cheesy Potatoes

19. Chicken Pot Pie

20. Beef, Beans, & Bacon

21. Booyah

22. Calico Beans

23. Chicken Noodle Bake

24. Creamed Turkey Casserole

25. Stuffed Cabbage Rolls

26. Beef Stroganoff

27. Spaghetti Bake

28. (Your Family Name) Hotdish

29. Chicken, Mushroom & Wild Rice

Two Observations I have From The List of 29 Hotdishes of Minnesota Puzzle

#1 - I see that we call some of these "hotdishes" casseroles.  Is that a little bit of Iowa rubbing off on you Minnesotans? ;)

#2 - I really hope some of these aren't real.