Even with the short election cycle, you know for sure by now that Minnesota Governor Tim Walz is the current Democratic vice presidential candidate and Kamala Harris’s running mate. What you can be forgiven for not knowing is that he is also an award-winning chef.

His recipe for the “Turkey Taco” hot dish won a cookout organized in 2016 by then-Senator Al Franken. This recipe plays with Americanized taco ingredients like seasoned ground beef, taco sauce, cheese, tomatoes, lettuce, onions, corn, sour cream and other side dishes. If you’d like to try this one for yourself, it’s published online through the Minnesota Turkey Growers Association.

So Tim Walz is not only a seasoned politician, but apparently also an avid home cook from the Midwest. We won’t know whether Walz will become vice president until the November election results are tallied, but in the meantime, he may have settled the matter of tonight’s dinner. It’s not often that you can say that a politician helped plan your dinner!

Read more: 10 weeknight meals to make with a rotisserie chicken

Tim Walz has several Hotdish recipes

Turns out Tim Walz is prolific with his hotdish recipes. Walz posted a recipe on social media platform X earlier this year, so if you want to try cooking like a Minnesota governor, now’s your chance.

The recipe was for his family’s Turkey Trot Hotdish, which is a not-so-subtle nod to the fact that Minnesota is the top turkey-producing state in the US. It also includes all the basic Midwestern food groups, with vegetables, meat, dairy in the form of cheese and milk, and starches in the form of potatoes. But if you’re not from the Midwest, you might be wondering what a hotdish actually is, since it’s not a dinner served everywhere in the US.

What is Hotdish?

Hotdish is a casserole affectionately considered the unofficial state dish of Minnesota. It is known for its signature frozen tater tot topping, which are usually placed evenly on top before baking. You can think of it as a sort of spiritual cousin of shepherd’s pie, as it also has a base covered with some form of potato. And when it comes to the fillings, the only limit is your imagination, although almost all hot dish recipes use a thick canned soup as the base for a binding sauce, such as cream of mushroom or chicken soup.

Speaking of canned soup, Walz’s Turkey Trot Hotdish is notable because it doesn’t contain canned soup, instead opting for a more homemade preparation (apart from the tater tots). This makes it a little more homey as a hotdish, and undoubtedly provides a winning edge over a casserole that’s just dumped.

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