Wednesday, March 4, 2009

Setting the record straight

There are few things in life that truly drive me insane. One of those things though, is improper use of the English language. I grew up in a home where you took pride (whether you liked it or not) in proper grammar and a vast vocabulary. If a mistake was heard, my parents would lovingly correct the sentence in question. That has stuck with me into my adult years.

Now I must, for my own sanity's sake, set the record straight.


A casserole is defined as such: a baking dish of glass, pottery, etc., usually with a cover.

A hot dish is: a popular Midwest dinner typically baked in one pan and contains a meat, a starch, and a vegetable with optional cheese or onion crisps.



OK, I am off my soapbox now.

Today's recipe is another family favorite of mine. It is a hot dish. My mom called it a "bake." I can live with that title since there is no meat in it. We typically had this one around Easter, when hard boiled eggs were abundant.

Creamy Egg Bake

Ingredients:
2 cups potatoes, cubed
½ cup onion, chopped
2 tsp chicken bullion
1 cup frozen mixed veggies
1 TBS corn starch
1 ¼ cup milk
1 tsp Dijon
½ cup cheddar cheese
4 hard boiled eggs
1 medium fresh tomato

Directions: Preheat oven to 350.

Boil potatoes and onion for 5 minutes.

Add veggies and cook 5 min more. Drain well.

Combine milk, starch, bouillon, and pepper to taste in a small saucepan. Cook until thick and bubbly. Add cheese and mustard.

Pour veggies into a prepared casserole. Place sliced eggs on top. Pour sauce over all.

Bake, uncovered, 20 minutes.

Top with tomato and serve.

5 comments:

  1. Sounds delicious!

    While I agree, internally, with your definitions, my military career took me to all corners of the US, as well as around the world. As such, I was inundated with speech patterns and idioms from all over. As a result, I ended up speaking whatever was the predominant mode. Thus, in public, I will have a can of "soda", not "pop". And I will eat a "casserole", even though it's really a "hot dish".

    As Holmes put it in 'His Last Bow': "I beg your pardon, Watson, my well of English seems to be permanently defiled."

    ReplyDelete
  2. Well, I explain it here in Georgia this way: you make a hot dish in a casserole. Then you bring a covered dish to the potluck.

    And here in Georgia, they ask what kind of Coke you want. Yes, 7Up - the uncola - is a flavor of "Coke," but so is root beer, Dr. Pepper, Orange Crush, etc. All pop is "a Coke" here in the land that invented Coca-Cola.

    By the way, Becca, since you brought up the vocabulary thing: it's = it is. Its = something belonging to it.

    The cat licks its fur all night, but it's ok, since it's its fur.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Why is the it is vs. it's a topic? Becuase I said it is a hot dish instead of it's a hot dish?

    ReplyDelete
  4. Because you have misused it in several posts here, and because I was making a joke by "lovingly" correcting you. I really enjoy reading these, and I'm just nit-picking for fun. I'm just teasing you.
    -- Dad

    ReplyDelete
  5. I need specifics in order to correct! :P

    *sigh* Sadly my sarcastic nature doesn't translate into typed language.

    I love the irony though!

    ReplyDelete