My family is from the upper peninsula of Michigan which is very similar to Minn-a-soda. In addition to "hot dish" my Finnish aunts would always bring over "a jello". Now this wasn't normal jello, but rather jello made in a special mold and filled with chopped carrots and radishes and other curious veggies. Have that on a plate with tater-tot casserole, green bean casserole and and some kind of chicken smothered in Cream of Mushroom soup and you had dinner.
I'm thankful my family escaped that culinary dead zone. ;-)
On the other hand, any direction away from the 'uppaUS' takes you closer to gefiltefish.