Tator Tot Hotdish

Ingredients

• 2 ways - with or without canned soup
• Serves 6-8
• Recipe #1 - tator hotdish with homemade gravy:
• 1 lb. ground beef
• 4 T. unsalted butter, divided
• 1 c. diced yellow onion (about 1/2 of a large onion)
• 8 oz. chopped fresh mushrooms
• 4 large cloves garlic, minced
• 1/3 c. all-purpose flour
• 1/4 c. soy sauce
• 1 T. Frank's RedHot Sauce
• 1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
• 1/2 tsp. kosher salt, or to taste
• 1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
• 2 c. whole milk
• 1/4 c. sour cream
• 2 T. chopped fresh parsley, divided
• 2 T. chopped fresh thyme, divided
• 16 oz. frozen mixed vegetables (I like to use a mix of corn, carrots, green beans, and peas)
• 2 lbs. frozen tator tots (I usually use just a bit less)
• 6 to 8 oz. sharp cheddar, shredded
• Recipe #2 - tator hotdish with canned soup:
• 1 lb. ground beef
• 2 T. unsalted butter
• 1 c. diced yellow onion (about 1/2 of a large onion)
• 4 large cloves garlic, minced
• 2 10-oz. cans Campbell's Cream of Mushroom soup (I prefer the regular soup for this, not the reduced fat or sodium)
• 3 T. soy sauce
• 1 T. Frank's RedHot Sauce
• 1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
• 1/4 c. sour cream
• 2 tsp. dried parsley, divided
• 1 tsp. dried thyme, divided
• 1/4 tsp. kosher salt, or to taste
• 1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
• 16 oz. frozen mixed vegetables (I like to use a mix of corn, carrots, green beans, and peas)
• 2 lbs. frozen tator tots (I usually use just a bit less)
• 6 to 8 oz. sharp cheddar, shredded

Directions

1. Recipe #1 - tator tot hotdish with homemade gravy:
2. Preheat oven to 350�.
3. In a large cast iron skillet (this one is 12" in diameter, with tall sides), brown beef over medium to medium-high heat, breaking up any large chunks. Once beef is browned, remove it to a plate with a slotted spoon. Discard all but 2 tablespoons of the beef fat, and then add 2 tablespoons of the butter to the beef fat in the pan. Once butter is melted, add the onion, mushrooms, and garlic. Stir to incorporate. Cook until the onions are transparent and the mushrooms are nicely softened, about 6 to 10 minutes.
4. Now slide everything in the skillet to one side. Add remaining 2 tablespoons of butter to other side of skillet. When the butter is melted, sprinkle the flour over the butter, whisking all the while. Draw in as much butter, beef fat, and juices from the vegetables as you can, into the flour. Cook for a couple minutes, until the mixture is bubbling and slightly browned.
5. Add soy sauce, Frank's Red Hot Sauce, Worcestershire sauce, salt, and pepper to the gravy side of the pan. Whisk and cook for 1 minute. Then slowly add the milk while you whisk and scrape the bottom of the pan. Once this mixture is smoothed out, bring the beef and mushroom mixture into the milk mixture. Stir to incorporate.
6. Cook until thickened, about 8 to 10 minutes. Then stir in sour cream, plus 1 tablespoon of parsley and 1 tablespoon of thyme. Next add the frozen vegetables and stir to incorporate. Level mixture out in the pan. Then top with frozen tator tots.
7. Place pan in the preheated oven and bake for 20 minutes, then remove from oven and sprinkle evenly with cheese and plenty of freshly ground black pepper. Place pan back into the oven and bake for an additional 10 minutes. Then place pan underneath the broiler for a few minutes, until tator tots and cheese are browned to your liking.
8. Remove from oven and sprinkle with remaining 1 tablespoon of parsley and 1 tablespoon of thyme. Serve hot. Great with ketchup or Frank's RedHot Sauce, or a mixture of these two condiments.
9. Recipe #2 - tator tot hotdish with canned soup:
10. Preheat oven to 350�.
11. In a large cast iron skillet (this one is 12" in diameter, with tall sides), brown beef over medium to medium-high heat, breaking up any large chunks. Once beef is browned, remove it to a plate with a slotted spoon. Discard beef fat and then add butter to the pan. Once butter is melted, add the onion and garlic. Stir to incorporate. Cook until the onions are transparent and nicely softened, about 6 to 10 minutes.
12. Add cream of mushroom soup, soy sauce, Frank's RedHot Sauce, and Worcestershire sauce. Stir to fully incorporate and then cook until the mixture is warmed and bubbling, stirring regularly. Add sour cream, half of the parsley and thyme, and the salt and pepper. Stir to incorporate. Then stir in the frozen vegetables. Level mixture out in the pan. Then top with frozen tator tots.
13. Place pan into the oven and bake for 20 minutes. Remove pan from oven and sprinkle evenly with cheese and plenty of freshly ground black pepper. Place pan back into the oven and bake for an additional 10 minutes. Then place pan underneath the broiler for a few minutes, until tator tots and cheese are browned to your liking. Remove from oven and sprinkle with remaining parsley and thyme. Serve hot.
14. Great with ketchup or Frank's RedHot Sauce, or a mixture of these two condiments.