Tater Tot Casserole

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I first ate tater tot casserole at a friend's house a few years after we graduated college.  We had this cooking club where four of us couples rotated cooking dinner for each other once a week.  The rules were pretty simple; cook a balanced meal for eight people, making sure it included protein and veggies.  It was genius because it meant we all got a home-cooked balanced meal once a week, but we only had to cook once every four weeks.  It was a win-win for everyone and fun getting together to share a nice meal that often.  I was so impressed when my friend Scott served this to us.  At the time, I'd never heard of such casserole brilliance. 

One bite into it and everyone at the table moaned with satisfaction.  A creamy meat layer on the bottom, mixed with green beans.  Add a layer of cheddar cheese.  Then top it with tater tots?!  This is comfort food at its best.  Years later, I had to recreate my own version for Kurt and Drew.  You can use any ground meat and veggies you like.  Along with the green beans, you can throw in carrots, corn, or even broccoli.  You can even experiment with different cheese too.  Mozzarella or gouda are other great options.  The tots are the star of the dish, though.  Don't go swapping those out.  They're the party on top of the casserole.  After they're cooked to a golden brown crisp, they soak up the gravy from the soup, and every bite aims to please.    

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Tater Tot Casserole

Yield: 8

Prep time: 15 MinCook time: 55 MinTotal time: 1 H & 10 M

Comfort food at its best where the tots are the party on top of the casserole. Cooked to a crisp golden brown, they soak up all the gravy.

Ingredients

• 2 (10 ¾ ounces) cans cream of mushroom soup
• 1 cup milk
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• ¾ cup yellow onion, finely diced
• 1 pound ground turkey or beef
• ½ teaspoon garlic powder
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt
• ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 2 (14.5 ounces) cans green beans, drained
• 2 cups shredded cheddar, mild or sharp
• 1 (28 ounces) package frozen tater tots

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Grease a 9X13 baking dish.
2. In a medium bowl, add the cream of mushroom soup and milk.  Mix until well combined.  Set aside.
3. Preheat a large skillet over medium heat.  Add the olive oil and onions and saute until they’re translucent, about 3-4 minutes.
4. Add the ground turkey, garlic powder, salt, and black pepper and cook until no longer pink, about 5 minutes.  Drain the grease.
5. Turn off heat and add the soup mixture and green beans.  Stir to combine.
6. Pour the meat mixture into the baking dish.  Evenly layer the cheese, then top with tater tots.  Bake until golden brown, about 45 minutes.  Wait 10 minutes before serving.

Notes:

If the casserole is bubbly around the edges but not browned, broil on high for 2-3 minutes.  

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