Tater tots scream old school comfort food to me, and there’s nothing like a Cheeseburger Tater Tot Casserole to celebrate National Tater Tot Day!
There is a restaurant in town that has an entire section of their menu devoted to Tater Tots. It’s like a little secret peek back into the 70s, and I love everything about it. I don’t go that often, maybe a few times a year, but every time I do, I get a different tater tot selection … slowly working my way through the many different varieties.
I mean, TATER TOTS! What’s not to love? A crispy exterior giving way to a softer potato center, and a reminder of everything that was good about your childhood.
And oddly enough, my kids really don’t like them.
If it wasn’t for the 39 hours of combined labor to deliver both of them, I’d wonder how we could possibly be related.
So … today happens to be National Tater Tot Day! Don’t you just love random, nonsensical holidays that you instantly feel the need to celebrate?
ME TOO.
And so here we are … I made a Cheeseburger Tater Tot Casserole for dinner tonight to celebrate Nick’s half birthday (16 AND A HALF!), and perhaps I got the best present of all because my kiddos actually ate a dinner I made, which doesn’t happen a lot lately!
The recipe couldn’t be simpler to make, and is delicious tummy-warming food. Is it the healthiest thing in the world? Nope, not a chance. Especially when it was chased by an ice cream cake. But this is one of those once-in-a-blue-moon recipes that you just give yourself permission to enjoy.
Cheeseburger Tater Tot Casserole
Recipe courtesy of Cate O’Malley
Ingredients
one pound 85% lean ground beef
1 large onion, diced
1-1/2 teaspoons Montreal steak grill seasoning
1 can Cream of Mushroom with Roasted Garlic condensed soup
1 bag (28 oz) frozen tater tots
1-1/2 cups shredded Cabot cheddar (I used a mix of New York Vintage and Colby Jack)
Directions
Heat oven to 350. Spray a 13×9 glass baking dish with olive oil and set aside.
In a medium skillet, cook the ground beef and onion on medium heat for approximately 9 minutes, stirring frequently, or until the meat is browned. Drain. Add in the grill seasoning and the condensed soup, stir to combine.
Put half of the tater tots in the bottom of the casserole dish, in a single layer, and top with the ground beef mixture, smoothing it out to cover as much of the tots as possible. Top with half of the shredded cheese, add the rest of the potatoes, and then top with the remaining cheese.
Bake for 40 minutes, or until the cheese starts to bubble and the corners of the casserole start getting crispy. Remove from oven and serve.
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