A/N: Twilight506 on GW gave birth to this one, but you might actually have to be from the Midwest yourself to truly understand it.
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Sergeant Klemmens glanced down at the recipe printed out in his hand. He shook his head unbelievingly. Still… Orders were orders. And he had been ordered - specifically, and from someone rather high up given the urgency placed on it - to serve the thing tonight. Which, despite his eight years in the service, might have been the single strangest thing he'd ever been ordered to do.
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"What is that?" Teyla asked, pointing towards the steaming dish of food sitting under the commissary's warming lamps.
Colonel Carter, who had walked up behind her, laughed as she saw what Teyla was looking at. "Tater-Tot Hotdish," she explained through her laughter.
"Looks… Interesting," Sheppherd observed from Teyla's other side.
"What is it?" Teyla asked.
"I have no idea," her teammate admitted.
Colonel Carter was already helping herself to a large serving. "It's a Tater-Tot hot dish."
"A what?" both her companions asked.
"Tater-Tot hot dish," their commander repeated. "Very popular throughout the Midwest. Supposedly. Especially in places where it gets really cold. From what I've been told, its one of those few things nearly anybody can cook, though I've never actually made it myself."
"But you've had it before?" John asked, still sounding dubious.
"Yup," Sam replied. "At least once a year. For the last few years, at least," she added, her smile growing wider and slightly enigmatic as she spoke.
And with that, her own tray filled, Sam stepped away and headed towards her customary table in the corner. As she passed near where Jennifer Keller was sitting with Rodney McKay, the younger woman called out to her, "Hey, Sam."
The Colonel paused, "Hi, Jennifer."
"Happy Birthday."
Sam smiled, "Thanks!" and continued on her way.