Cheesy Tater-Tot Casserole Recipe

I will never forget the first time that my husband cooked for me.

We hadn't been married all that long and we were living in a little basement apartment.  He told me he was going to make something called "Tater-Tot Casserole" and I will confess to you I was a little concerned.  I have told y'all that I did not grow up eating casseroles so when I saw the traditional ground beef, cream of mushroom soup, and tater-tots, it was scary.  But, as with any new bride, I was a good sport about the whole thing and I will humbly admit that it was DELICIOUS!!  Over the years I have tweaked the recipe a little and did away with the canned soups, but this recipe is equally delightful and I know you are going to love it!

Let's get started!




Tater-Tot Casserole:
*Prep Time: 20 min *Cook Time: 20 min *Difficulty:  Easy  *Servings: 6-8

Ingredients:

• 1 lb. of Ground Beef
• 1 32 oz. bag of Tater-Tots
• 1 Onion, diced
• 3 Cloves of Garlic, minced
• 8 oz. Cheese, grated
• 4 oz. Cream Cheese
• 2 c. Milk
• 2 tbsp. Flour
• Salt and Pepper to taste

To begin, preheat your oven to 425 degrees.

This next step is something I do simply because I think it gives your tater-tots a better texture in the casserole.  It is not necessary.

Place the tater-tots onto a baking sheet.

Put them into the preheated oven and cook for 20 minutes.

While the tater-tots are baking, place a skillet over a medium/high heat and add a little oil.

Once the skillet is hot, add the ground beef.

Season the meat with salt and pepper.

Add the onion and garlic and cook until meat is browned and is no longer pink.

Once the meat is fully cooked add the flour.

Mix together until the meat is coated and cook for 1-2 minutes.

Add the milk.

Bring to a simmer and let thicken.

Add the cream cheese.

Whisk together until the cream cheese is melted and smooth.

Taste for seasoning and add any salt and...

Pepper you think it needs.

Now it is time to assemble.
Place half of the tater-tots on the bottom of a greased baking dish.

Add the sauce.

Then add the other half of the tots.

Cover with the shredded cheese.

Then place in the oven and bake for 20 minutes.

Look at that YUMMY plate.  It is crunchy, creamy, cheesy, and oh-so-good.  This is truly comfort food to the MAX.  The best part is that, while this is not a light dish, you don't have to worry about all of the salt and preservatives that come from the canned soup because you made this yourself.

Pardon me while I take a little bite...
Oh yeah, it's sooooo good!

So hop on the casserole bandwagon tonight and make this GREAT dish!  Serve it up with some steamed broccoli, green beans, or even a nice salad.  Your entire family is going to LOVE it!

And as always...

Happy Reading, Happy Eating, Happy Living,
~The Kitchen Wife~