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⌈ Secret Post #3243 ⌋

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So, I'm writing a story set in NJ/NY and I've got a guy who has to cook something. He's a grown man with kids and a wife that insists the kids don't eat pizza every night, so basically he's learned some basic cooking but he's not a fancy type at all. Very meat and potatoes in terms of his personal taste. The narrative has him making it when he gets home for work (so not a crockpot) and he uses the oven.

Do you guys out east eat casseroles? (You don't use "hot-dish" right?). Would a tater-tot casserole be out there or something you've heard of? Tuna casserole? Basically, what kind of "wholesome" easy meal would be standard out east for an average family man? I'd love some basic recipes so I can make sure I'm using the right ingredients.

If you've got him using the oven, why not just have him make chicken nuggets and tater tots in the oven for simplicity's sake.

I'm in NJ and I think we've had green bean casserole once, but we don't usually eat it. Casseroles aren't big in my house but this is a super personal preference and you could probably serve anything. Meatloaf and baked potatoes might be something else basic and my dad makes it all time.

For NJ/NY, maybe look into Italian American or Irish American dishes. Baked ziti. Corned beef and cabbage. Something further up the coast like a New England boiled dinner.

Their ethnicity might make a difference--for instance, some families would eat stuffed cabbage or perogies with fried onions (a good quick dinner), others would go for spaghetti and meatballs (or meat sauce) or meatloaf.

Why not bacon and eggs? Its simple and has that whole "yay breakfast food for dinner is fun sometimes" aspect that kids (the characters kids, that is) would like.

Not sure if it counts, but my folks are from PA originally and my mom used to talk about this:

http://www.campbellskitchen.com/recipes/pennsylvania-dutch-ham-noodle-casserole-50686
http://www.pennsylvaniadutchnoodles.com/recipes/chicken-noodle-casserole

Apparently it can either be ham or chicken, but it's an east coast casserole for sure.

I grew up outside of Philadelphia and we very rarely ate casserole. And I currently live in NY and again rarely eat casserole. Kids generally get tacos, chicken nuggets and mashed potatoes/tater tots and some veggie, spaghetti and meatballs/meat sauce, etc if you want simple. But it also depends on the household. We did a lot of grilling, so Korean kabobs, griled tuna, steak, pork chops, etc. And my mother had a garden and we lived in an area with good local veggies, so we had a lot of those. I love beets and beet greens because of having them as a kid, for example. Usually those two things would be paired with some form of potatoes, pasta, or rice. I think the closest we had to casseroles was shepherd's pie or chicken pot pie? And I really don't know anyone with kids that does much with them now.

I don't know what a hot-dish is. Personally, I don't eat casseroles, but I know some people do. My Boston-born and bred Daddy eats a lot of hot soup, presumably because he came from the land of ice and snow where keeping warm is a matter of life and death. Split pea soup is delicious and not hard to make (although it does take a little time). We also eat a lot of potatoes in my family, especially with sauerkraut and kielbasa.

In the South, there's a lot of fried food and a lot of people eat casseroles. Sweet tea is the norm. Mac and cheese is big here.

Pot roast? Dump the roast, potatoes, and carrots all in a pot and cook. Easy and pretty standard fare.

Casseroles are fine, and no, never heard the term 'hot-dish' before.

The meal isn't actually for children. That's just for reference for the guy cooking. He's cooking for himself and another adult.

And, I guess I'm just looking for any traditional Americana meal that you could find anywhere in the United States, including the East Coast. Something super simple that he can walk away from.

Basically, if you read something set in the East Coast would having him make a casserole throw you out of the fic as not something you would expect him to make? Are there variations specific to the East Coast?

As a NYer, city, not upstate, casseroles isn't something that's done often. Maybe during the holidays, and the most I've ever tried was a green bean casserole.

Uhm...as far as traditional Americana...I would say maybe some pork-chops and potatoes?

Ethnic differences can really set the tone for something a person would normally eat. Although some spaghetti and meatballs is usually a go-to for a lot of people. Maybe some chicken cutlets with mashed potatoes? Some corn on the cob along with it?

I don't think it'd throw anyone off. Casseroles in general are a sort of old-fashioned dish but they still get made and eaten, even if they're probably more common in the Midwest than either of the coasts.

It would throw me off for a single guy on the East Coast. I much more would see it as a grandma from the Midwest kind of thing.

If the guy is cooking just for himself I definitely don't see him cooking a casserole, as the few times I have ever heard of people cooking them around here, it is definitely a family thing, like green bean casserole for thanksgiving, as someone mentioned. I really think of them as more like something my parents would have eaten as kids. Looking up casserole in Wikipedia confirms they were more popular in the 50's-70's and they are more popular for potlucks and in the Midwest. If it is summer, I still think grilling works for a guy. Otherwise, again, I would stick with simple things. Like the meat and potatoes you mentioned. It's not difficult to stick a potato in the oven and fry up a steak. Or he could take a rotisserie chicken home from the grocery store and do mashed potatoes. Or pasta with sauce (either meat sauce or with meatballs).

[ SECRET POST #3243 ]

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