Of course as people move around, these cuisines mix, combine, and adjust as families bring their recipes to their new homes. But for all that, there are still certain dishes and remind you of home no matter where you find them.
Frito Lay is hosting a Taste From Home Recipe Contest in which I was invited to participate. They want to celebrate the unique flavors and cuisines from all across the country, and have asked for a recipe that reminds me of home.
I live in the Mid-west, and as I was considering what specific kind of food our region is known for, I couldn't come up with anything specific. We're right here in the middle of the country and seem to enjoy the flavors gathered from many parts of the country. I kept thinking. When I think of home, what kind of food do I think of.
Simple, comforting, easy to prepare. This is what I think of. The people I know here in the Mid-West seem to like simple, homely, comforting dishes. We don't do lots of frying like those in the South. Our specialty isn't sea food, or spicy cajun food although that's not to say we don't like those things and serve them on occasion. For us here in the mid-west, I'd say our specialty is just down home simple dishes like these potatoes I created for our family.
7-8 medium red potatoes
1/4 cup butter
1/2 cup flour
2 cups milk
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
Scrub potatoes and cut into bite size pieces. In a medium/large pot, steam potatoes until tender.
Meanwhile, melt butter in a saucepan. Whisk in flour until smooth. Add milk and stir. Cook on medium/high heat, stirring constantly, until mixture begins to boil. Add salt and pepper. Continue cooking and stirring until sauce thickens. Turn heat to low and add cheese. Stir until cheese has melted.
Once potatoes have cooked, spoon then into a greased 1 1/2 quart baking dish. Pour sauce over potatoes and stir to combine. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes or until top begins to brown and bubble. Let sit about 10 minutes before serving. Enjoy!
In addition to the Taste From Home recipe contest, Frito-Lay has also celebrated the regional flavors from around the US with 5 special flavors of potato chips!
These chips were inspired by popular American regional cuisine and include:
Northeastern U.S. – Lay’s Honey Mustard
Midwestern U.S. – Lay’s Creamy Garden Ranch
Northwestern U.S. – Lay’s Balsamic Sweet Onion
Southwestern U.S. – Lay’s Chipotle Ranch
Southeastern U.S. – Lay’s Cajun Herb & Spice
All of the Lay’s Regional Flavored potato chips are made with all natural ingredients, and are cooked in healthier oils so they contain 0 grams of trans fats per serving! There’s also less sodium in them than you might think – a 1-oz serving of our Lay’s Regional Flavored potato chips contains less salt than a plain bagel!
How would you like to win a bag of each of these five flavors? Frito-Lay is generously offering one of my readers their very own variety pack of these regional flavors! Don't they all look yummy?! I would especially love to try the Cajun Herb & Spice and the Chipotle Ranch flavors.
The Giveaway: Complete the mandatory entry below and any additional entries you want to, and make sure you include your e-mail address!!
Mandatory Entry:
Tell me what flavors or recipes remind you of home or tell me which flavor you'd be most excited to try AND leave me your e-mail address.Extra Entries (please leave a separate comment for each one and don't forget to leave me your e-mail address!):
*Follow me on Google Friend Connect (1 entry)
*Blog about this giveaway (2 entries)
*Tweet this giveaway (can be done once a day - 1 entry each)
*Share this giveaway on Facebook (1 entry)
*Share this giveaway with friends through e-mail and let me know you did (1 entry)
*Comment on any non giveaway blog posts and tell me which one (1 entry)
*Enter the Starry Home Crafts giveaway (1 entry)
This giveaway is open to the US only. The giveaway will close on August 24th, and the winner will be chosen by random.org and notified by e-mail. The winner has 48 hours to get back to me with their address or a new winner will be chosen.
Disclosure: This post is my entry into the recipe contest. Also Frito-Lay has provided the prize pack for this giveaway.
