Tator Tot Casserole

I love Tater Tot Casserole.  It is the ultimate comfort food for me.  It's easy to make and it's yummy!  My mum had gotten the original recipe in a recipe exchange 35 years ago.  I've changed it up a little bit and have made it a little healthier.  The first few times I made it for Jeff many moons ago, I didn't use corn in the TTC (we're a family of abbreviations!  TTC = Tater Tot Casserole.) but served corn with the meal and Jeff suggested to add it to the casserole.  I've made TTC with corn ever since!

Tater Tot Casserole

1 pound ground beef (I use 97%)
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1/2 onion, finely diced
1 T. Worcestershire sauce


1 can cream of mushroom soup (I use Campbell's Healthy Choice)
1 can corn, well drained
5 slices of American cheese
68 Tater Tots


Preheat the oven to 325*.

In a non-stick pan, brown the hamburger with the garlic and onion.  Cook until the beef is no longer pink and the onion is translucent.  Drain.  Add the Worcestershire sauce and mix well.  Spread the beef mixture in the bottom of a greased 9x9 inch pan.  


Place the slices of cheese on top of the ground beef.  Place four slices close together and fold the 5th slice into 4 long rectangles.  Fit those pieces around the empty edges.


In a small bowl, mix the cream of mushroom soup and drained corn together.  Spread on top of the sliced cheese.

Arrange the Tater Tots on top of the corn mixture.


Bake 45 minutes at 325*.  The TTC should be bubbly.

Enjoy~

Church Supper Dish

My dad gave me this recipe and he's been urging me to try it.  It's a recipe from my grandmother, Annie Haskell.  When my dad was growing up, this dish was always taken to potlucks and to church suppers (hence the name, Church Supper Dish.)

My dad has sent this recipe to me several times through email and I've resisted making it.  Finally, I decided to try it.  I was skeptical.  I knew it was going to end up with TLS written across the top.  I knew I wouldn't like it.  Tomato soup, chili powder and cornbread all in a casserole?  Ewww...  But, I made it anyways.  And surprise, surprise!  It was good!  It wasn't a TLS recipe!  JP told me this was a "make again" recipe!  So look past the ingredients (the tomato soup is what did it for me) and make this!  You'll be glad you did!

Grandma's Church Supper Dish


1 can condensed tomato soup
1 can of corn, drained
1 lb. hamburger (I used 93%)
1 medium onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, diced
1-1/2 T. chili powder
3/4 t. cumin


1-1/4 c. flour (I used 3/4 c. white and 1/2 c. wheat flour)
3/4 c. cornmeal
1/4 c. sugar (I used Splenda)
2 t. baking powder
1/2 t. salt


1 c. milk (I used skim)
1/4 c. oil (I used olive oil)
1 egg, beaten


Brown the hamburger, onion and garlic in a skillet over medium heat.  Drain when the hamburger is done.  Add the chili powder, cumin, corn and the tomato soup (just the condensed soup, NO water or milk added.)  Stir well and pour into a 9x13 pan sprayed with Pam.


In a medium bowl, mix the flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder and salt together.  In a separate bowl, mix the milk, oil and egg together.  Make a well in the dry ingredients and pour in the milk mixture.  Stir until just mixed.  Spread over the hamburger mixture.


Bake at 350* for 35-45 min.


Review:  I thought this was an excellent casserole.  I couldn't taste the tomato soup by itself, instead it was a chili-type taste.  This was surprising since the use of tomato soup really turned me off.  The cornbread layer on top was light and tasty.  I used a combination of white and whole wheat flour.  The combination was light enough that it didn't have a "wheaty" taste to it.  It tasted like cornbread!  I also added 1 c. of shredded cheddar cheese.  I sprinkled the cheese on the meat mixture before adding the cornbread layer.  I think the cheese added a little more depth of flavor...besides, I like cheese!  I will make this again!