Family Foodies

Fall is is finally here in North Texas, and with the crisp cool weather comes the craving for comfort food.  Pot roasts, stews, soups, and of course – the casserole.  Casserole is by definition a baked dish consisting of meat, vegetables, a binder, and a cheesy or crunchy topping.  And one dish that lives up to this simple definition is the Tater Tot Casserole.

What is a Tater Tot Casserole?

In it’s simplest form, the tater tot casserole combines creamy soup, cheese, and frozen Tater Tots.  These three ingredients can form the basis of a meal or a fabulous side dish.

But many variations of the basic recipe exist to mix things up.  You can add meat and vegetables for a “one dish meal”.  You can add different seasonings to make it a Mexican Tater Tot Casserole, or a Pizza Tater Tot Casserole.  You can go lean(er) with ground turkey, light cheese, and a bechamel sauce made with skim milk to help cut calories and fat.  Or you can go indulgent, adding sour cream, rich melting cheeses, and topping the already crunchy tots with fried onions.

Can’t decide which version you crave the most?  Here are some of my favorite versions of the humble Tater Tot Casserole.

Classic Tater Tot Casserole:

First, let’s start off with the classic recipe for Tater Tot Casserole.  The basic recipe features browned ground beef, cream of (your choice) soup, cheese, and Tater Tots.  Dana Clover at The Homesteading Housewife has a great post on the classic Tater Tot Casserole recipe.  You simply layer the ingredients and bake – easy peasey.

Now let’s try some variations.

Tater Tot Casserole for Breakfast

Why not try Tater Tots for breakfast?  Here are two recipes to help you start the day off right?  Tater Tots aren’t much different from Hash Brown potatoes, and adding them to the classic breakfast casserole adds a fun twist to a morning dish.

Hanan at Lilac City Momma posted her version of a Tater Tot Breakfast Casserole featuring bacon and eggs topped with cheese and tater tots.  Six ingredients, five steps, and fabulous results!  This would be a great recipe to take to a brunch, morning baby shower, or just for one of those lazy Sundays when you want to impress your family without too much effort.

For a spicier version, Stephanie from the Cookin’ Cowgirl adds hot sauce and sausage.  The result – a spicy, cheesy Turkey Sausage Breakfast Casserole, topped with crunchy Tater Tots.  If you really like the heat in the morning, you can substitute spicy Italian sausage for an extra peppery kick.  The bonus here – Stephanie adds step by step pictures.  My mouth was watering by the end of the post!

Spicy Tater Tot Casserole:

Speaking of spicy, some folks just like it hot!  Luckily, the Tater Tot Casserole recipe lends itself well to peppers, Cajun spices, and hot sauce.  Mary Foreman of the Deep South Dish blog posted her spicy version of Tater Tot Casserole (a Southern staple dish).  As a bonus, you get a little bit of Tater Tot trivia along with the recipe.  Did you know that Tater Tots are made up of the leftover potato material?  The Griggs’ brothers at the Ore-Ida factory were looking for a way to bits of potato leftover after making French Fries, Hash Browns, and other Ore-Ida goodies.  They put all the bits together with a binder, and fried them up.  Clever, no?

For a Mexican twist, Lee at the Vegan Version blog created a Mexican Version of Tater Tot Casserole by replacing the meat with refried beans, and the “cream of” soup with salsa.  Although the recipe is Vegan, you could easily add shredded chicken or beef to the refried beans for more protein.  To kick up the Mexican flavors, you could also add diced green chiles or chipotle peppers for a smoky kick.  That’s what Kirby at Dancing on the Table did when she created a smokey Chipotle Tater Tot Taco Bake recipe that just oozes cheese and Mexican flavors!

Chicken Variations:

Finally, lest you think Tater Tot casserole is only beef based, let me share two tasty chicken variations of the classic.

First, there is the Broccoli, Cheddar, and Chicken Tater Tot casserole from Jill at Meet the Dubiens family blog.  One of my favorite casseroles of all time is Chicken-Broccoli, and this casserole takes those same classic tastes and tops them with crunchy Tater Tots.  One caution – the recipe calls for four cans of creamy and cheesy soup, so the end product may be a bit runnier than some of the other recipes highlighted here.

Finally, I wanted to share a slow cooker version, perfect for busy cooks.  Brandie, at the Country Cook, whips up a version with bacon, chicken, cheese, and Tots, all of which blend together in a slow cooker.  Throw the ingredients into the cooker in the morning, and savor the comfort food that evening.

 

So next time you are in the mood for some solid comfort food, why not give one of these Tater Tot Casseroles a try?

 

 

Fall is one of my favorite times of the year!  The weather is cooling off, and some mornings there is that nip in the air that makes me dream of food that’s warm, creamy, and comforting.  And the food scene is hoppin’ with tail gate parties, Fall Festivals in the local communities, and party after party after party as we count down towards the big holiday season.  It’s enough to make me want to skip work and spend the day in the kitchen baking, stewing, and cooking my way into a freezer full of meals that warm the soul and feed the body.

So I’d like to share with you some of my favorite recipes, and bloggers, who help me find those spot-on recipes to help warm the days and nights during Fall.

Here’s Some Great Fall Link Love:

First – fall is all about pumpkins, at least here in North America.  So what better way than to start your day with a Pumpkin Spice Breakfast Shake, courtesy of Kiersten at Oh My Veggies! vegetarian food blog.  The shake contains pumpkin, dairy, oats, and a variety of spices, making it a filling and healthy way to start your day off right.  The recipes at Oh My Veggies! make it fun and easy to try out the vegetarian lifestyle without sacrificing taste.

Another great Fall breakfast option is to bake a batch of Apple Cinnamon Chip Muffins, from Ashley at Cookie Monster Cooking.  I haven’t seen Cinnamon Chips at my local grocery store, so this recipe might justify a trip to my local Central Market or Trader Joe’s to find this trendy baking item.  Partner this up with a nice cup of herbal tea and I might be ready to face the day!

For a savory afternoon snack, I can’t wait to try out the Maple-Bacon Kettle Popcorn from Michelle, the Brown Eyed Baker.  I first tried candied bacon at a baby shower a few years back, and it rocked!  And Kettle Corn is a “must have” treat at our local Pumpkin Patch – it’s almost synonymous with Fall.  I usually make microwave popcorn, but the recipe looks simple enough that I’m tempted to try it out tonight (or rather, once I buy some traditional popcorn).

Fall is also another great excuse to break out my slow cooker and fill my home with savory aromas, which will hopefully entice my picky eaters to try something other than chicken strips and french fries.  Karen Petersen at 365 Days of Slow Cooking has posted a yummy looking Cheesy Potato and Leek Soup recipe for the slow cooker, which looks fantastic!  I tried making a stove top leek and potato soup a few weeks back, but this looks much easier and much tastier than the recipe I tried.  Time to buy some more leeks and give it a shot!

Do you love trying out heritage recipes?  What would you say to Beatrix Potter’s Gingerbread recipe?  Her handwritten, 161 year old personal recipe book is up for auction, but you can find her family recipes for Gingerbread over at The Kitchn blog.  There are also a great list of freezer staples that make entertaining much easier for the busy cook.

Since I have picky eaters, no Link Love post would be complete without a nod to Jenny at Picky Palate.  Tonight I’m all set to try her Cheesy Chicken and Rice Skillet (with bacon!!), although I’ll probably have to cut back a little on the cheese to please my hubby and daughter.  Jenny has excellent tips for whipping together homemade meals that help satisfy the demands of picky eaters, and her current list of recipes really hit the spot for Fall cooking.

Finally, to wrap it up, what would be better than a list of 100 Sweet Fall Treats to provide desserts and snacks for the entire Fall season.  The list is divided by category, and features apple, caramel, chocolate, spice, maple, pear, pumpkin, and sweet potato treats.  Marla at Family Fresh Cooking contributed many of the recipes, but also collected a great variety from other bloggers.

So – enjoy the Fall season, and enjoy cooking up some of these treats for your family foodies!

This is a guest post from Susanne Myers, the Hillybilly Housewife.

It’s 3pm and the kids are home from school and ready for a snack. One of my first go-to items is homemade jelly or jam. Yes, there’s the obvious PB&J Sandwich, but it doesn’t stop there. Let me share some of my favorite quick and easy snack ideas with you.

Jelly And Toast

One of my daughter’s favorites is simple toast topped with jelly or jam. It’s quick, simple and very frugal. Just toast a few slices of bread and let the kids pick their favorite jam, jelly or even fruit butter. This is one of my favorite breakfasts or afternoon snacks with a nice cup of tea. Serve it with juice or milk for the kids and they’ll be ready for homework in no time.

Muffins Topped With Jam

Homemade muffins are another great afternoon snack choice. I make up large batches of plain or oatmeal muffins and serve them with homemade jam. Add a glass of milk and you have another great snack option.

Homemade Fruit Yogurt

Yogurt has a lot of health benefits but many of the store-bought ones are full of sugars and preservatives. This is particularly true for brands marketed to children. Grab some plain yogurt instead or even better, make your own. Stir in a spoon full of your favorite jelly or jam and you have a delicious homemade treat.

You can make this snack a little more filling by topping the yogurt with a little granola.

Sweet As Can Be Smoothies

We love smoothies at our house, but during the colder months, it’s hard to find fruit to use. While frozen berries are always a great option, try this for a change of pace. Make a smoothie with yogurt, ice and a spoon full of jam. Homemade jam also makes a great sweetener for any type of smoothie. It blends in better and adds a lot more flavor than using plain sugar.

Cottage Cheese Made Yummy

Have you ever tried to make your child eat cottage cheese? Didn’t go to well, did it? It’s not a very kid-friendly food, unless you let them stir in some of their favorite jelly or jam. All of a sudden cottage cheese becomes a yummy treat. I’ve served this for after school snacks and even desserts on weekend nights.

While you can make any of these snacks with store-bought jam, I’d like to invite you to give home-made a try. It’s a lot easier than you think. Take a look at my new Amazon Kindle book “Homemade Jelly and Jam Recipes” and put together some easy freezer jam this weekend.

Family Foodies recommends the Magic Bullet Blender for making smoothies like the one above.

A lot of moms love the discount grocery store chain ALDI for their low, low prices. Others like the limited inventory, which seems to make shopping less stressful (fewer choices = less fatigue).

But what if you put a lot of emphasis on good nutrition? ALDI is not a health food store, but that doesn’t mean you can’t fashion a healthy, whole foods menu out of their offerings.

I recently put together a free healthy ALDI meal plan available for download and printing. It includes a week’s worth of dinners and breakfasts. All feature ingredients your Great-Grandma would recognize as food. Nothing artificial or pre-packaged. And the best part is, your shopping trip won’t cost more than $70 to feed a family.

Go here to download and print the healthy ALDI meal plan, shopping list and free recipes.