Happy Spring! But no, really, it feels so much like spring outside! This winter has been such a weird one weather wise. We got our chicken coop all cleaned out this week and they are happy to have fresh straw again. Have you ever seen a chicken in new straw? They are so happy!
I’ve been doing some recipe testing again and one of my latest recipe is a high hydration sourdough focaccia. That recipe should be coming to TheFarmChicken.com soon!
Today I am sharing with you all a recipe I love to make on the farm. I feel like Tater Tot Hotdish gets a bad wrap for being boring but let me just say this recipe takes Tater Tot Hotdish from cream of mushroom soup, corn and meat and elevates it to a dish you would even serve to company, all while still being a simple option.
Another reason I love this hotdish recipe is the sauce is from scratch and so good. Milk and flour make the roux and then it is complemented by basil and a little sour cream. Enjoy!
Tater Tot Hotdish: Easy but from Scratch
1 lb. of hamburger
3 leaves basil or ½ tsp dried basil
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
3 ¾ cup milk whole or 2%
¼ cup sour cream
4 cups vegetable medley
½ cup shredded cheddar cheese
2 pounds Tater Tots
First, in a large skillet, I like to use cast iron, on medium heat, brown the hamburger in the pan and add the seasonings, pepper, salt, basil, and garlic to the frying hamburger. Once it is cooked through drain the grease from the pan and discard the grease.
Next add the flour on top of the beef mixture and cook for 2 minutes on medium-high heat; stirring occasionally. Then at the same temperature add the milk and let simmer and thicken, stirring occasionally.
Once it has thickened add the sour cream and vegetables. Cook for 5 more minutes then sprinkle with shredded cheese in an even layer and line the tater tots in a single layer or dump the tater tots onto the filling mixture.
You can either bake the hotdish in a baking dish (9”x13”), casserole dish, or a 12 in cast iron skillet.
Bake in a preheated oven at 350 degrees for 40 minutes or until heated through and you have crispy tater tots. If you want your Tater Tots to be even more crispy you can broil them for 5-10 minutes. Also, you can bake the tater tots before you place them on top of the hotdish. This would make them even crispier.
I hope you enjoy this recipe! Thanks for reading and have a great week! Find more Recipes from the Farm on thefarmchicken.com.
Mariah Nienhuis | TheFarmChicken
