Comforts of Home - Tator Tot Casserole

Being from the midwest, one can't help but love a good casserole.  This one was one that my mom made all the time when my brother and I were kids, and continues to make today.  Let me say that no matter how simple it is, it melts in your mouth every time.  Maybe it has something to do with those memories of the peering into the oven and seeing that big black speckled roasting dish, only to open the oven when it's done and take in the comforting aromas. :)

I have been waiting to make this one on my own for a couple weeks now, and now that I am back at school for two weeks, I thought it would be the perfect time!  I'm going to be in class for half of the day every day, so now I can just come back to my apartment in the evening and heat up a section of casserole for supper.  I didn't make the most healthy version of it, however I did use lean ground beef (which you could rinse and drain further if you are really watching it), and put lots of vegetables in it.  Sometimes you just can't beat those comfort foods.  In the future, I would like to try making my own Cream of Potato soup to use, just to cut back on the sodium and preservatives, but I happened to have a few cans on hand and am trying to get rid of all my food in my cupboards before I leave for the rest of the summer!  I also used canned vegetables because, again, its what I have here at my apartment...not much freezer space when you are sharing with 5 other girls!!  If you use fresh or frozen vegetables, the sodium would be much more controllable because you could add as much or as little salt as you wanted.  Here, I didn't add any salt at all because I used so many canned goods (TIP: Rinse and drain your canned veggies! It helps.)  More tips on how to make this healthier are on the recipe page linked at the bottom of this page.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.  Then start browning your ground beef in a skillet.  While that is cooking, you can prepare the veggies by draining and rinsing them, and then pouring them into a large bowl.  Empty the cream of potato soup into the veggie mix.  Add your seasonings and cooked ground beef (rinsed and drained if you prefer, but with 90/10 ground beef you won't have much grease anyway.  Plus if you can spare it, it adds a little more flavor and further keeps the casserole from being dry.).  Fold the mixture a few times to make sure it is well mixed. Spread the mixture into the bottom of a 9x13 pan, then place the tator tots on the top in rows.

Now all that is left to do is bake it in the oven and let all the flavors meld together!  Let it bake for approximately 50-55 minutes until hot and bubbly, and the tator tots are golden brown.

I didn't because I don't have any, but you could also sprinkle some shredded cheddar on top while it is still hot so it can melt and add another layer off goodness to your casserole. :)  This one never fails to please. I'll be enjoying it all week long.

One last thing I want to note is that I did not cover the casserole when I baked it, however after finding out that the tator tots were a little dry after the full baking period, I would suggest covering it with foil while it is baking.

For the full recipe and nutrition facts, click HERE.

Enjoy the tunes of AWOLNATION today, with "Jump on My Shoulders."

Thanks for stopping by!