View Full Version : Healthy tater tot casserole??
I just signed up to bring a 1/2 pan of "tater tot casserole" to our school's upcoming teacher luncheon. I have NEVER heard of this dish. I looked online and it's crazy overwhelming - it seems to be a very traditional dish with ground beef and not what I was expecting with just cheese, etc, like a baked potato. Can anyone recommend a tried-and-true recipe?? HUGE "bonus points" if it is healthy without creamed soups and canned vegetables! ;) If I am going to make this dish, I'd like to try to make one for our family as well.
That being said, I DID find a recipe for Buffalo Ranch Chicken Tater Tot Casserole that looked interesting. Does that sound appealing to anyone? I would tweak it, as the NYer in me MUST change it to blue cheese or at least half blue cheese and half ranch. I want people to like it and not shy away from spice, I am not sure if the blue cheese/ranch would be too rich, as well.
I would love some suggestions...Thank you!!
PZMommy
10-21-2016, 08:59 PM
I would think if they are asking for the tater tot casserole, they want the original thing. My mom used to make it, and it always brings back good memories when I have it at potlucks.
SnuggleBuggles
10-21-2016, 09:03 PM
Not a recipe I've ever encountered though I've heard about it here. When I'm looking for better quality restaurants, I add "from scratch" and it eliminates all those canned cream soup ones (most of the time). This one looks fine http://www.afarmgirlsdabbles.com/tator-tot-hotdish-2-ways-with-and-without-canned-soup-recipe/
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boogiemom
10-21-2016, 09:06 PM
Stick with the original for the school. That is what they are requesting. I would not do blue cheese for a teacher luncheon because that is a flavor that many despise.
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SnuggleBuggles
10-21-2016, 10:08 PM
Stick with the original for the school. That is what they are requesting. I would not do blue cheese for a teacher luncheon because that is a flavor that many despise.
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Meant to comment on this too- yuck. No blue cheese. Just do the original.
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specialp
10-21-2016, 10:22 PM
.... that is a flavor that many despise.
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Meant to comment on this too- yuck. No blue cheese. Just do the original.
Agreed. Never heard of it and looked it up and while it doesn't sound like my thing as is, blue cheese takes it to whole different level.
Did anyone else sign up to bring it? If so, ask for his/her recipe. We cater teacher luncheon, but I signed up to help on a rotating dinner train to feed a family dealing with longterm illness. Long story but due to the family's issues, it was a rotating 2 week menu and you signed up for a specific dish vs. bring whatever you want. I signed up for a soup that was easy enough, but not something I was familiar with so I asked for the recipe from the person who had it before me.
mom2binsd
10-21-2016, 10:58 PM
For a teacher luncheon, stick to the regular, tried and true recipe, which for tater tot casserole is not really healthy, but yummy, which means creamed soup and tater tots. Teachers want comfort food!!!!
AnnieW625
10-21-2016, 11:17 PM
I will go against the grain and say try the buffalo ranch one, especially if you are in New York. I like regular low sodium cream of mushroom soup and stink at making gravy so I wood probably do soup if you make a traditional one. If they wanted traditional they would've listed traditional. Can you link that buffalo recipe though?
I have never had a tater tot casserole with canned veggies though....that doesn't sound good at all.
roobee
10-21-2016, 11:45 PM
No to a healthy tator tot hotdish. That's not what people want!
My favorite Thanksgiving dish is green bean casserole, complete with canned green beans and Velveeta cheese. My SIL made a healthy version one year and I wished she hadn't bothered. No thank you, not the same!
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candaceb
10-22-2016, 10:21 AM
I have never had tater tot casserole and I have only heard of it because of 19 Kids & Counting. If I was going to make it, I would make their version:
http://www.duggarfamilyblog.com/2010/03/tater-tot-casserole.html
I was going to suggest Pioneer Woman. I've never done any of her recipes but I know she gets a lot of love in the not healthy comfort food genre. Her recipe is about 6 million items long though.
Honestly I'd just find the easiest one. They'll have a ton of food if your school is like mine. Most won't be looking for a fancy twist on it.
Look for something from scratch like pp said if you want to avoid the soup. But honestly the soup is probably what people expect with that dish. Some hate it and won't eat it in any forn but those who love it want that version I'm sure.
I love me some buffalo anything but I'm not a casserole person so I personally wouldn't go for that version myself. Maybe just a curiosity bite! Lol.
MMMommy
10-22-2016, 11:16 AM
For a teacher luncheon, stick to the regular, tried and true recipe, which for tater tot casserole is not really healthy, but yummy, which means creamed soup and tater tots. Teachers want comfort food!!!!
Yes to this. Don't bother trying to make a healthy version. Stick to a traditional, original recipe. Not the Buffalo version.
Thank you so much for the responses!! In my research, I discovered that this is a traditional Midwest/Minnesota dish with ground beef, some kind of creamed soup and canned vegetables. I am a transplanted New Yorker in coastal NC. I have no idea what is "expected". I actually looked up Pioneer Woman and Paula Deen, thinking this seemed like something they would do, just to check if ground beef and gravy was also a southern thing. Like I said, it's overwhelming! [emoji51] I will probably go with one of those recipes and skip the buffalo chicken thing. I was just hoping for something a little different but checking with the other 5 "tater tot" people is a good idea! Thank you so much for the feedback!!!
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lalasmama
10-22-2016, 11:22 AM
1 large bag of tater tots
1 lb ground beef, browned
2 cans condensed cream of mushroom soup
1.5 cans of milk
1/4 small red onion, diced (optional)
1 small bag shredded cheese (we use Mexican Blend)
In a 9x13 casserole dish, layer tater tots. Combine beef, soup, milk, onion if desired. Pour mixture over tater tots. Add another layer of tater tots. Bake at 350* for about 40 minutes, or until the tots are a crispy golden brown. Cover with shredded cheese, and bake for 5 more minutes. Let it cool for about 10 minutes, then serve.
Our family is weird. One person prefers to put ketchup on it, one likes salsa, and another likes sour cream. Me, though? I don't think it needs a "dressing" afterwards. It is the holy grail of unhealthy and deliciously comforting just as it is made above.
1 large bag of tater tots
1 lb ground beef, browned
2 cans condensed cream of mushroom soup
1.5 cans of milk
1/4 small red onion, diced (optional)
1 small bag shredded cheese (we use Mexican Blend)
In a 9x13 casserole dish, layer tater tots. Combine beef, soup, milk, onion if desired. Pour mixture over tater tots. Add another layer of tater tots. Bake at 350* for about 40 minutes, or until the tots are a crispy golden brown. Cover with shredded cheese, and bake for 5 more minutes. Let it cool for about 10 minutes, then serve.
Our family is weird. One person prefers to put ketchup on it, one likes salsa, and another likes sour cream. Me, though? I don't think it needs a "dressing" afterwards. It is the holy grail of unhealthy and deliciously comforting just as it is made above.
Thank you so much!! This Italian NYer is soooo intrigued by this dish! It's so unlike my comfort food! Looking forward to trying it! I am surprised DH's Irish family's never tried this...it sounds like something his grandmother would have made.
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JBaxter
10-22-2016, 11:35 AM
No veggies in any of the recipes I've made meat tater tots cream of soup & cheese
Thank you so much for the responses!! In my research, I discovered that this is a traditional Midwest/Minnesota dish with ground beef, some kind of creamed soup and canned vegetables. I am a transplanted New Yorker in coastal NC. I have no idea what is "expected". I actually looked up Pioneer Woman and Paula Deen, thinking this seemed like something they would do, just to check if ground beef and gravy was also a southern thing. Like I said, it's overwhelming! [emoji51] I will probably go with one of those recipes and skip the buffalo chicken thing. I was just hoping for something a little different but checking with the other 5 "tater tot" people is a good idea! Thank you so much for the feedback!!!
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barkley1
10-22-2016, 12:01 PM
I agree. No veggies, unless it's chopped onion, maybe.
elbenn
10-22-2016, 12:19 PM
I grew up in the midwest and it was a staple casserole. It was even made at the school cafeteria. That said, there were usually vegetables in the casserole. I think the vegetables were a mix of carrots, corn, and either peas or green beans.
ang79
10-22-2016, 12:29 PM
I put frozen green beans in mine and layer all the ingredients. Seems to be a staple at church potlucks and when people to meal trains (it was always a meal that was brought to us after both pregnancies). Not something I make very often but it is a comfort food that is nice in the cold winter.
ChicagoNDMom
10-22-2016, 12:31 PM
Agree with no veggies and go with Lala's recipe or something very similar. Don't make it overwhelming. The only thing I would find out is if you need to bring it hot or can heat up there...
SnuggleBuggles
10-22-2016, 12:45 PM
Question about the tater tots. It seems like one side would get crisp while the other got mushy?
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I will go against the grain and say try the buffalo ranch one, especially if you are in New York. I like regular low sodium cream of mushroom soup and stink at making gravy so I wood probably do soup if you make a traditional one. If they wanted traditional they would've listed traditional. Can you link that buffalo recipe though?
I have never had a tater tot casserole with canned veggies though....that doesn't sound good at all.
Here are the two that I found:
http://www.theblackpeppercorn.com/2013/04/buffalo-chicken-tater-tot-casserole/
http://premeditatedleftovers.com/recipes-cooking-tips/buffalo-ranch-chicken-casserole/
I DID email the organizer of the luncheon and she sent me an example recipe that looked similar to what everyone is posting BUT she was excited about the possibility of something different. Sooo...we shall see... Still thinking about what I initially envisioned what a tater tot casserole would be, using ingredients of a loaded baked potato. I found these recipes as well:
https://www.keyingredient.com/recipes/511341966/loaded-totchos/
http://www.food.com/recipe/loaded-baked-tater-tot-casserole-113484
Agree with no veggies and go with Lala's recipe or something very similar. Don't make it overwhelming. The only thing I would find out is if you need to bring it hot or can heat up there...
Thank you :) I need to bring it preheated. They have sternos.
R2sweetboys
10-22-2016, 02:23 PM
This (http://allrecipes.com/recipe/21027/tater-tot-casserole-iii/) is the recipe that I use with a few changes. First of all, I add cooked and seasoned ground beef on the bottom. I prefer to use shredded hash brown potatoes instead of tater tots but either is fine. I add a can of cream of mushroom and only use a half stick of butter in the actual tater tot mixture. It's not a healthy dish but it is yummy!
Think of it as a mock twice baked potato casserole with beef. :)
Here hashbrown casserole is more popular, but we are more Southern than Midwestern. My mom is a transplanted NYer and she never made it.
The recipe in one of my cookbooks has one can cream chicken soup and one small jar of cheese whiz, fwiw.
MMMommy
10-22-2016, 03:28 PM
I'm intrigued by this hashbrown casserole business. I've never had it. Is it like a Shepherd's Pie? What does it taste like? Does it have a strong cheese taste? I'm not big on cheesy, creamy foods.
smilequeen
10-22-2016, 05:15 PM
If it involves tater tots, it won't be healthy no matter what you do. I'd go simple and traditional al. I wouldn't want to eat it myself though.
If it involves tater tots, it won't be healthy no matter what you do. I'd go simple and traditional al. I wouldn't want to eat it myself though.
Agreed on all accounts. Although I am VERY intrigued this unfamiliar dish, I would probably pass, too, as I am too rooted in whole foods. That being said, I am powering through and am toying with further tweaking my found loaded baked potato tot recipe by adding broccoli...adds a green vegetable and feeds more! :) Broccoli, bacon, cheese, sour cream, and green onions with tater tots. If the teachers don't want it, my kids would be thrilled as it is soooo opposite anything that I would normally cook! [emoji16] They are either going to really like mine or absolutely hate it. I just cannot leave a recipe alone...MUST tweak and attempt to health-ify!
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elbenn
10-22-2016, 06:37 PM
OP, if you are going to make it healthy, see if you can label it as such. Obviously, there will be some people that want the original version, but I bet there would be some that would really like to try a healthier version if they knew that's what it is.
OP, if you are going to make it healthy, see if you can label it as such. Obviously, there will be some people that want the original version, but I bet there would be some that would really like to try a healthier version if they knew that's what it is.
Yes...I always label. Stems from my kids' food allergies, plus I like knowing what is in potluck dishes. ;) Yes...there is nothing "healthy" about tater tots, cream soup, bacon, etc... BUT I am up for the challenge. :) Must be different...
I'm intrigued by this hashbrown casserole business. I've never had it. Is it like a Shepherd's Pie? What does it taste like? Does it have a strong cheese taste? I'm not big on cheesy, creamy foods.
Well, it's like the tater tot version, minus the beef and adding in a cracker crumb topping. Yes, creamy and cheesy.
My sister makes a breakfast hashbrown casserole with egg, sausage, and some cheese. You could reduce the cheese if you didn't want it too cheesy. And it isn't creamy.
lalasmama
10-22-2016, 10:24 PM
Question about the tater tots. It seems like one side would get crisp while the other got mushy?
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Ummmm, kinda, but not really :) They aren't 100% crunchy, but the boiling soup cooks the underside, so it's all well cooked and not soggy. No idea how it really works... just know that it's Heaven in a 9x13 pan. Honestly, I should unfriend my BFF for introducing it to me a few years ago; I'm sure tater tot casserole is at fault for several pounds of weight gain, which is clearly all her fault ;)
georgiegirl
10-22-2016, 10:28 PM
It's such a midwestern dish. I had never heard of it before I moved to Iowa. I'm anti-casserole, as are my kiddos, so we've never had it. But everyone here talks about it. It's not served for hot lunch at school thankfully.
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Ummmm, kinda, but not really :) They aren't 100% crunchy, but the boiling soup cooks the underside, so it's all well cooked and not soggy. No idea how it really works... just know that it's Heaven in a 9x13 pan. Honestly, I should unfriend my BFF for introducing it to me a few years ago; I'm sure tater tot casserole is at fault for several pounds of weight gain, which is clearly all her fault ;)
This is awesome!!
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boogiemom
10-23-2016, 08:41 PM
If you decide to do a non traditional version, perhaps consider making the traditional version as well so you can offer a new option while still fulfilling the original request.
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It's such a midwestern dish. I had never heard of it before I moved to Iowa. I'm anti-casserole, as are my kiddos, so we've never had it. But everyone here talks about it. It's not served for hot lunch at school thankfully.
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That's funny. I'm an Iowan and I don't think I've ever heard it talked about. I do see it at the occasional family reunion or whatever. I never see it at bunco or neighborhood events. It may be generational here.
I'm not a fan and my kids are way too picky to try it. I don't think they have it at school, I'll have to ask.
ChicagoNDMom
10-23-2016, 10:08 PM
SASM, I see that you are moving forward with a "healthy" version of tater tot casserole. Honestly, I am wondering why you didn't sign up to bring something inherently healthy like a fruit tray or a veggie tray if that is of paramount importance to you rather than signing up to bring something unhealthy and trying to make it into something else. I am not trying to give you a hard time, just wondering...
If you decide to do a non traditional version, perhaps consider making the traditional version as well so you can offer a new option while still fulfilling the original request.
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SASM, I see that you are moving forward with a "healthy" version of tater tot casserole. Honestly, I am wondering why you didn't sign up to bring something inherently healthy like a fruit tray or a veggie tray if that is of paramount importance to you rather than signing up to bring something unhealthy and trying to make it into something else. I am not trying to give you a hard time, just wondering...
No worries. :) The organizers of the luncheon were begging for spots to be filled, as the luncheon was quickly approaching. I am already bringing in something else as well. They are requesting 6 "1/2 pans" of Tater Tot Casserole. This was the only thing that was left, most likely because no one else knew what exactly this dish entailed?? Like I said, I have never heard of this dish before. So...there should be 5 other pans of Tater Tot Casserole. The organizer was THRILLED with anything that I brought as long as I brought something that is "Tater Tot Casserole". I am bringing something that would appeal to ME...something along the lines of a "loaded baked potato" sounds yummy to me, as I am not a huge fan of ground beef...and a bonus is that I think I can easily squeeze in a vegetable (to me, potatoes do not count as a vegetable) into this "one pot meal".
I soooo do not mean to offend anyone. I just think that some teachers might appreciate a somewhat healthier version of a dish that seems very comfort-y and rich. Don't get me wrong, it's still NOT going to be health food by any means...I am just switching things up and giving the teachers another option. ;) All this being said, I am volunteering at the school that AM as they set up and accept all of the warm pans of Tater Tot Casserole. I HOPE that someone does bring in a traditional version so I CAN try it! I am so curious!
No worries. :) The organizers of the luncheon were begging for spots to be filled, as the luncheon was quickly approaching. I am already bringing in something else as well. They are requesting 6 "1/2 pans" of Tater Tot Casserole. This was the only thing that was left, most likely because no one else knew what exactly this dish entailed?? Like I said, I have never heard of this dish before. So...there should be 5 other pans of Tater Tot Casserole. The organizer was THRILLED with anything that I brought as long as I brought something that is "Tater Tot Casserole". I am bringing something that would appeal to ME...something along the lines of a "loaded baked potato" sounds yummy to me, as I am not a huge fan of ground beef...and a bonus is that I think I can easily squeeze in a vegetable (to me, potatoes do not count as a vegetable) into this "one pot meal".
I soooo do not mean to offend anyone. I just think that some teachers might appreciate a somewhat healthier version of a dish that seems very comfort-y and rich. Don't get me wrong, it's still NOT going to be health food by any means...I am just switching things up and giving the teachers another option. ;) All this being said, I am volunteering at the school that AM as they set up and accept all of the warm pans of Tater Tot Casserole. I HOPE that someone does bring in a traditional version so I CAN try it! I am so curious!
As a vegetarian, I would welcome a healthy meat free version as an option! I think given there will be 5 other casseroles, you can offer something a little different. And even before I switched to a vegetarian diet, I couldn't stand ground beef.
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I have seen the recipe two ways...mixing tater tots into the soup/meat mixture and putting a crunchy element on top (like buttery cornflakes) or laying them on top like a pie crust of sorts. Which way do you prefer?? Also, do you defrost first or keep frozen?? THANK YOU!!!
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lalasmama
10-24-2016, 10:31 AM
I have seen the recipe two ways...mixing tater tots into the soup/meat mixture and putting a crunchy element on top (like buttery cornflakes) or laying them on top like a pie crust of sorts. Which way do you prefer?? Also, do you defrost first or keep frozen?? THANK YOU!!!
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I layer (tots, soup, tots). The top comes out just crunchy enough.
Reader
10-24-2016, 11:43 AM
I agree that if there are 5 other ones, there is room for a healthy one. If it's the only tater tot casserole, that's another story. As a (former) teacher, I would have been happy to see a healthy version, especially one with an ingredients list (allergies).
I am so intrigued by this thread. I have never heard of tater tot casserole before. I kind of want to try it (a vegetarian one though, I don't eat meat).
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marymoo86
10-24-2016, 01:24 PM
I am so intrigued by this thread. I have never heard of tater tot casserole before. I kind of want to try it (a vegetarian one though, I don't eat meat).
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Me either I am in NC. Hashbrown casserole, Cracker Barrel version, yes but not a tater tot casserole at any potluck venue. I wouldn't have ever thought it would had meat.
khalloc
10-24-2016, 01:27 PM
Back in the very first episodes of the Duggar family, I saw an episode where she brought the kids food shopping and they bought ingredients for Tater Tot Casserole and it turned my stomach. It just sounded so unhealthy! And I am not in any way a guru of healthy eating, but tatertots and processed soup was just something I would never eat combined. Michelle Duggar mentioned that it was a staple or favorite of theirs and I was thinking "HUH?". I like tater tots, but just havent ever heard of having them in a casserole. Casseroles arent really my thing though.
Where is the 19 Kids and Counting family from? I didn't ever watch, but I remember they took a lot of grief on the gossip sites for it being one of their staple dinners. I honestly associate it with them more than anything else. (And I'm a midwesterner, it just isn't a thing here to me. I've lived in four separate places in the midwest, five if you count college!)
bisous
10-24-2016, 01:43 PM
Sounds completely disgusting but my family would love it, lol. I might try to make it for DH. He'd die for it.
TwinFoxes
10-24-2016, 05:18 PM
I wouldn't have ever thought it would had meat.
Same here. I have only heard of it in passing on these boards, never seen/heard of it IRL and my DH's midwestern family is all about casseroles. I don't know what I would have thought was in it (I guess just cheese and something?) but I never thought it had meat.
essnce629
10-24-2016, 07:16 PM
I had also never heard of tater tot casserole till it was mentioned by the Duggars years ago. I've never seen one or heard of anyone eating one IRL. Definitely not a California thing. Enchilada casserole yes, tater tot casserole no!!!
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abh5e8
10-24-2016, 08:28 PM
I've lived in the Midwest my entire life and never heard of or eaten tater tot casserole, save the Duggars reference.
Hashbrown casserole is my mom's favorite side dish and a staple at every holiday and family dinner, um forever. It sounds similar. Frozen hash browns mixed with cream soup, sour cream, cheese, red onion, butter and topped with buttered corn flakes. I've made it exactly once in the 11 years I've been married... But I will eat some when I go home. We are just not casserole people. My kids won't eat it, but will gobble up any roast veggie I serve. I also wonder if it's a generational thing?
ArizonaGirl
10-24-2016, 08:42 PM
Here comes the shame :bag, I love it...
No one else at my house likes it so I don't make it... But I can eat a ton all alone :wink2:
petesgirl
10-24-2016, 08:53 PM
I've lived in the Midwest my entire life and never heard of or eaten tater tot casserole, save the Duggars reference.
Hashbrown casserole is my mom's favorite side dish and a staple at every holiday and family dinner, um forever. It sounds similar. Frozen hash browns mixed with cream soup, sour cream, cheese, red onion, butter and topped with buttered corn flakes. I've made it exactly once in the 11 years I've been married... But I will eat some when I go home. We are just not casserole people. My kids won't eat it, but will gobble up any roast veggie I serve. I also wonder if it's a generational thing?
We call this dish funeral potatoes. A staple at every funeral in Utah!
carolinacool
10-24-2016, 08:53 PM
I've lived in the Midwest my entire life and never heard of or eaten tater tot casserole, save the Duggars reference.
Hashbrown casserole is my mom's favorite side dish and a staple at every holiday and family dinner, um forever. It sounds similar. Frozen hash browns mixed with cream soup, sour cream, cheese, red onion, butter and topped with buttered corn flakes.
Ha! I have a friend who grew up outside of Chicago. After reading this thread I asked her if she's ever had tater tot casserole and she said she's only heard about it from the Duggars.(As have I.) BUT, she went on to describe "funeral potatoes," and the recipe is exactly what you just posted. She said it's a Christmas Day staple in her house and is inhaled practically the minute it comes out of the oven.
ETA: Double post with Petesgirl! My friend mentioned Mormons/Utah folk really like it. She's Catholic, though. lol
I've lived in the Midwest my entire life and never heard of or eaten tater tot casserole, save the Duggars reference.
Hashbrown casserole is my mom's favorite side dish and a staple at every holiday and family dinner, um forever. It sounds similar. Frozen hash browns mixed with cream soup, sour cream, cheese, red onion, butter and topped with buttered corn flakes. I've made it exactly once in the 11 years I've been married... But I will eat some when I go home. We are just not casserole people. My kids won't eat it, but will gobble up any roast veggie I serve. I also wonder if it's a generational thing?
We call those cheesy potatoes, I've also heard funeral potatoes. Those are a holiday thing for us, my mom brings them, and they are great as leftovers. But I do not equate those with tater tot casserole. Different ingredients, no meat, crunchy top. The shredded potatoes are just way different than tots, they do both have cream of chicken soup though.
I DO use cream of chicken soup in one of my all time favorite recipes. A friend's mom in high school used to make cheesy chicken enchiladas. They are AMAZING. I still have the recipe card I wrote out when I was like 15. They are even more amazing on day 2. They are probably similar to an enchilada casserole. They are not healthy, but oh so good......
roobee
10-24-2016, 09:26 PM
We call this dish funeral potatoes. A staple at every funeral in Utah!
Ha! Same dish, but we call them party potatoes. :) It's not a family dinner with the ILs without them. I live in MN and had tator tot hotdish once 25 years ago and haven't had any since - not my favorite.
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We call those cheesy potatoes, I've also heard funeral potatoes. Those are a holiday thing for us, my mom brings them, and they are great as leftovers. But I do not equate those with tater tot casserole. Different ingredients, no meat, crunchy top. The shredded potatoes are just way different than tots, they do both have cream of chicken soup though.
I DO use cream of chicken soup in one of my all time favorite recipes. A friend's mom in high school used to make cheesy chicken enchiladas. They are AMAZING. I still have the recipe card I wrote out when I was like 15. They are even more amazing on day 2. They are probably similar to an enchilada casserole. They are not healthy, but oh so good......
What is your recipe for cheesy potatoes?? That sounds more like what I envisioned for "Tater Tot Casserole".
The "funeral potato" name is cracking me up!! Is that the potatoes with meat/cheese/soup as well or just cheese and potatoes??
This is so interesting!!
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My idea of cheesy potatoes / funeral potatoes / crunchy potatoes is basically shredded potatoes, cream of chicken soup, sour cream, shredded cheddar, a bit of chopped onion, salt/pepper and the buttery corn flakes or Special K on top. I sometimes add chopped peppers. No ground beef or other meat. It's a side, a little goes a long way!
I think it is hilarious that whomever at the school at for 6 half-pans of the tater tot stuff! Our school usually just specifies a main, side or dessert. :)
My idea of cheesy potatoes / funeral potatoes / crunchy potatoes is basically shredded potatoes, cream of chicken soup, sour cream, shredded cheddar, a bit of chopped onion, salt/pepper and the buttery corn flakes or Special K on top. I sometimes add chopped peppers. No ground beef or other meat. It's a side, a little goes a long way!
I think it is hilarious that whomever at the school at for 6 half-pans of the tater tot stuff! Our school usually just specifies a main, side or dessert. :)
Are the potatoes, etc mixed together and then the buttery cornflakes are on top?? That sounds similar to the non-beef tater tot recipe that I based my broccoli concoction off. [emoji16]
Yes...our school PTA is crazy organized. They SignUp Genius/VolunteerSpot everything down to the last detail. I believe there are over 75 people on staff. Each luncheon throughout the year has a theme and they generally reuse the themes year to year because they have the menus all planned out. [emoji6] It's soooo unlike our last school...or even my older DCs' MS down the street, which does cater their 1-2 luncheons/year.
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bcafe
10-24-2016, 10:19 PM
You guys are way over thinking this! :) Cheesy potatoes are nothing like tator tot hotdish. I haven't had it in years, but it is basically a ground beef stew with carrots, peas, and tots standing in for the potatoes. A basic roux for homemade gravy is what I am used to. No canned soup, no canned veggies.
bisous
10-24-2016, 10:29 PM
We call this dish funeral potatoes. A staple at every funeral in Utah!
It has trickled down to Mormons in CA as well. :) We use the same name.
petesgirl
10-24-2016, 11:15 PM
My idea of cheesy potatoes / funeral potatoes / crunchy potatoes is basically shredded potatoes, cream of chicken soup, sour cream, shredded cheddar, a bit of chopped onion, salt/pepper and the buttery corn flakes or Special K on top. I sometimes add chopped peppers. No ground beef or other meat. It's a side, a little goes a long way!
I think it is hilarious that whomever at the school at for 6 half-pans of the tater tot stuff! Our school usually just specifies a main, side or dessert. :)
Yeah, this is what we call funeral potatoes. No meat in this potato dish. The tator tot casserole I have had is just ground beef mixed with cream of mushroom soup, topped with tots and baked. I'm not a huge fan and neither is DH.
I'm curious how you are supposed to make 1/2 pan of a casserole... I feel casseroles aren't the easiest thing to split in half. I guess just making it in an 8 x 8 dish works though.
KrisM
10-24-2016, 11:40 PM
You guys are way over thinking this! :) Cheesy potatoes are nothing like tator tot hotdish. I haven't had it in years, but it is basically a ground beef stew with carrots, peas, and tots standing in for the potatoes. A basic roux for homemade gravy is what I am used to. No canned soup, no canned veggies.
I do that for cheesy potatoes too. We have them often, not at funerals. I use diced hashbrowns that come with peppers and onions, sour cream, cheddar cheese, and some butter. No crunch on top, but my mom does that. I make a batch and cook half and freeze half.
I haven't had tater tot casserole in a long time, but it was on my college menu regularly - UP of Michigan in the late 80s, early 90s.
I'm curious how you are supposed to make 1/2 pan of a casserole... I feel casseroles aren't the easiest thing to split in half. I guess just making it in an 8 x 8 dish works though.
A half-pan is essentially a shorter and deeper 9x13 pan. Fits in the steamer trays to keep luncheon foods hot. It's baking now...we shall see [emoji51]
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Fingers crossed...it's done. Stoked that my kids were begging to try a bite...broccoli and all. :) I just hope the broccoli is cooked properly. Thank you everyone for your input!!! This has been sooooo interesting!! Who would have thought Tater Tot Casserole would have over 60 responses!
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petesgirl
10-25-2016, 10:47 AM
Looks good! What did you end up using as a sauce/dressing?
Looks good! What did you end up using as a sauce/dressing?
LF Cream of Chicken soup, LF sour cream, cheddar cheese, a small amount of bacon, scallions, garlic & black pepper...mixed with the chopped raw broccoli. I tasted it...surprisingly wasn't bad. Tasted like cheddar broccoli soup with a hint of bacon and a crunchy potato crust. Easy to make vegetarian.
I think I tried a sample of the Duggar recipe with diced mixed vegetables...it was not what I was expecting! I could barely taste the ground beef, which was nice as I was having a difficult time wrapping my head around the ground beef part.
I had to laugh because, as I was talking with the organizers, I found out that NEITHER of them really knew what Tater Tot Casserole was either!! One of the organizers recalled it from the 19 Kids and Counting show (as mentioned above as well), saw that it easily accommodated a large amount of people, and decided to add it to the menu! I just had to giggle!!
MelissaTC
10-25-2016, 12:14 PM
That looks good!! We typically don't eat casseroles but I bet DH would love that...and little M too!
I never heard of tatertot casserole until the Duggars. They use ground turkey, I think.
MMMommy
10-25-2016, 12:37 PM
That looks good to me! I would definitely try that!
Okay! The other day I still had some ingredients that I overbought towards the above recipe so I figured I would try to make a more traditional recipe for my kids. I used 1# ground turkey, diced onion, 1.5# frozen diced mixed vegetables, 2 cans of the Healthy Request Cream of Mushroom soup, a package of reduced fat Mexican 4-blend shredded cheese, a TON of fresh garlic, black pepper, and then topped it with Green Giant Cauliflower "Tater" Tots. My kids liked it enough that a 9x13 pan is LONG gone! So happy to discover those cauliflower tots. Still not healthy by any means but it was quick and easy to prepare, got ground turkey and vegetables in their bodies, and I got rid of pantry ingredients! Win all around for a crazy schedule kind of day!
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#2ontheway
11-01-2016, 12:17 PM
I just saw this and immediately thought of this thread! http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/chicken-pot-tot-hotdish
There was an accompanying video that came across my Facebook feed.
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