Tater Tot Hotdish
INGREDIENTS
  • Cooking Time: 60 minutes
  • Servings: 6-8
  • Preparation Time: 20 minutes
  • 4 tablespoons butter
  • 1 cup chopped mushrooms
  • 1/2 cup chopped onions
  • 1/4 cup all purpose flour
  • 2 cups milk
  • 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 8 oz frozen French green beans, or enough to cover the bottom of a casserole dish
  • 1 lb. ground chuck, cooked, crumbled, and drained
  • 1 cup shredded Pepper Jack Cheese
  • 1/2 ( 2 lb.) bag Tater Tots
DIRECTIONS
  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.; spray the bottom and sides of a 1 1/2 quart casserole dish with cooking spray.
  2. Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the mushrooms and onions and saute until the onions are softened, about 5 minutes. Add the flour and continue to cook for a minute or two (mixture will be very stiff). Slowly add the milk, whisking constantly. Add the cayenne pepper and the salt. Bring the mixture to a boil. Cook for about 2 minutes, or until the soup is slightly thickened. Remove from heat and set aside.*
  3. Spread the green beans evenly over the bottom of the casserole dish. Top the beans with the cooked ground chuck. Evenly pour the soup over the ground chuck, then sprinkle the cheese over the soup. Top the entire mixture with the Tater Tots. Cover and bake for 30 minutes. Remove the cover and bake for an additional 25-30 minutes, or until the mixture is bubbling and the tots are crisp.
  4. *While it is my opinion that the homemade variety of the Cream of Mushroom Soup is a thousand times better than the canned version, you are free to sub a can of the cream soup of your choice. Simply mix in 1/2 cup of milk before you pour it over the ground beef.
RECIPE BACKSTORY
I've lived in Minnesota for 22 years and have never made a Tater Tot Hotdish...until now. My version is spiced up with some pepper jack cheese and some homemade cream of mushroom soup. I think it rocks.