A few years ago, I saw a recipe for something called Tator Tot Casserole and I just knew that I had to make it. Seriously- tots as the main ingredient? You know it's gonna be good. So I clicked on the link and sadly, the rest of the ingredients left something to be desired. Canned cream of mushroom soup, bricks of fake Velveeta cheese, factory farmed ground beef....umm, yeah- no thanks. I think I'll pass on that processed crap. But still....tots....oohh how I love the tots. And so was born the "Gimme Some Tot Casserole".
You'll probably notice that most of my recipes here on the blog are meat free. Well that's because we simply don't eat a lot of meat. But when we do- this is one of our favorites. I also want to mention that for us- this is an indulgence. The tots are greasy and combined with the cheese and meat- it makes for a heavy meal. So you probably won't want to make this every week!
For this recipe, I only use 1/2 pound of ground beef. Most folks would use a full pound, so feel free to increase this amount if you'd like. Would you believe that my family only eats about 2 pounds of ground beef each month?!? I know- crazy right? But if you're looking to cut down on your meat consumption or just want to save a little money on the ever increasing costs of food- this is an easy way to do it!
This meal will serve a normal family of 4. Or perhaps a family of 6 with several small children. You will also have a little bit leftover for lunch the next day. Not a lot- just a little.
Let's get cookin'!
Gimme Some Tot Casserole
1 1/2 bag tots
1/2 lb ground beef
1 small onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, diced
3 cups milk
2 tablespoons flour
1 tsp beef bouillon
4 oz shredded cheddar cheese
2 tablespoons sour cream
salt & pepper
1. Put your tots in the oven according to package directions. Don't forget to set your timer!
2. Cook your ground beef, onions and garlic. Drain the excess grease (but let me just say you won't have much to drain if you're using local, organic meats) and return to the pot. Now sprinkle the beef mixture with your flour and cook on low for a few minutes. The mixture will start to thicken- so begin adding in your milk, about 1/2 cup at a time and then add the beef bouillon.
Tip- We use this beef bouillon, which is really more of a beef base. It just adds another level of beefy goodness to the casserole. You can leave it out if you don't have this ingredient or just use one of those cubes of beef bouillon, however I do not recommend those. So I hope you'll try to find this beef base or better yet- make your own!
3. Once you've added in all your milk, season with salt and pepper. Your mixture should be just a little thick but not runny. Add more milk if you need to and finish the meat sauce by adding in the sour cream. By this point, your tator tots should be done cooking- so pull those puppies out!
4. Now it's time to build your casserole. I use a glass 9 X 13 pan, spray it so it doesn't stick and place a layer of tator tots first. Then your meat sauce, then some shredded cheese. Repeat this layering until you've used up all your ingredients. You can totally add more cheese if you'd like, just adjust to suit your family's tastes.
Tip- At this point you can also add veggies to your casserole. However, my family is hardcore and we prefer to eat it as is- no green in sight! Although I do serve the veggies on the side.
5. Bake at 350 for about 30 minutes. Keep an eye on it- you just want to combine everything and get the cheese nice and melted.
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| SO Good! |
So there you have it. Super yummy and easy casserole. This recipe works great to double up on too. I just make a double batch and put one in the freezer before cooking. Perfection!
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