Comfort Classic: Tater-Tot Casserole IN ONE PAN!

Quiet house, fire flickering, snow softly falling… perfect time to sit down and write a post.

Then the baby awakes all before I can even get my photos uploaded. Oh well, I guess Ren will just have to write this one with mama. It just may take me several intermissions to finish.

Which reminds me… I need to go switch over the laundry! Be right back!

Okay, now let’s get to it! Our weekdays get pretty busy around here with my business, Dan’s work, calving season on the farm and of course the usual chores around the house… which I accomplish mostly with a baby attached to my hip these days. He should be a pro with daily chores as soon as he can walk!

Dinner often becomes an after-thought. I try to plan our meals but some weeks when I don’t make it to the store we are limited to the pantry and freezer for recipe inspiration. I think that is pretty common for folks like us who don’t live around the corner from a grocery store. None-the-less cooking this way  also helps to save time and money by using items we already have on hand.

Tater-tot casserole isn’t something I remember my mom making very often but since it happens to be one of Dan’s favorites, I’ve made it several times and really crave it now! It’s also very kid-friendly for those of you who haven’t tried this childhood classic!

I put a little twist on the classic by adding several left-over ingredients into the mix. Incorporating left-over ingredients into our meals helps to be less wasteful while adding more creativity to our dishes.

Here’s how I threw together dinner.

Brown hamburger and drain.

Add in the good stuff! Cream of mushroom soup is a given.

But I also added in frozen corn, green onions and bacon pieces I had left-over in the fridge from potato soup.

And don’t forget the other staple ingredient = cheddar cheese!

Mix it all together and flatten out the surface.

Grab those frozen tots and arrange as many as you want on top! I baked this casserole in the skillet to save time on dishes. If you don’t have an oven-safe skillet, simply transfer to a casserole dish and top with tater-tots.

Bake at 400 degrees for about 20 minutes.

Add more cheese on top and bake another 5 minutes or until tots are golden and cheese is melty! MMM!

Dish it up! Dan and I actually like a little ketchup on top too! It’s like cheeseburger tater-tot casserole that way! Makes us feel young! 🙂

The tater-tots are crispy on the outside, fluffy in the middle and smothered in deliciousness!

My mouth is watering. I think I need to make this more often!

Tater-tot casserole was also the first home cooked meal I remember eating when we got home from the hospital with Ren. My mom had made it while we were staying with them during house renovations.

Crazy how food can be so comforting and bring back memories with just one bite!

I hope your family enjoys this one soon!

-Lauren

P.S. Thank you to all the ladies that filled me in on their weekday family favorites on my Facebook page! Michelle, special thanks to you for suggesting tater-tot casserole! Lightbulb! 🙂