I have been feeling "off" lately, so I don't know how much real cooking you will see from me for awhile. Tonight is more of the same convenience, easy-type food. It is ridiculously hot again today, and I am just not in the mood to prepare dinner. Really, I just want to get some food in our bellies, and call it a night. I have some homemade tartar sauce that needs to be used up from the last time I made fish sticks, so I am thinking today is a good day to use it. Also, since I have settled on fish sticks, I may as well just go for the gusto, and pair it with tater tots as a side dish. Really, if I am going to poison us with pre-packaged/processed foods, I may as well go all out and do it right! ;)
I am hoping to get back into the swing of my normal kitchen routine soon. Until then, I am still on mini-cooking vacation (I say "still" because the last couple of weeks have been pretty ho-hum for us, dinner-wise). I will probably still post my day to day meals, and I think I have one new recipe slated for tomorrow. I may shoot for one or two new recipe a week, until I get whatever is going on with my health under control. My goal is to be back into full blog/cooking mode by the beginning of August.
Until then...here is the link to the Tartar Sauce recipe I use. It really is fan-freakin'-tastic!!!
Tartar Sauce
Yum! This sauce truly makes frozen fish sticks a little more special.
Showing posts with label tater tots. Show all posts
Showing posts with label tater tots. Show all posts
June 3, 2009
Tater Tot Casserole
I am going to keep this short and sweet today, since my nieces are in town and we are busy having fun. We are going to have this dish for dinner....yada, yada, yada...here is the recipe.
Tater Tot Casserole
This is a great kid-friendly meal; one that I hope both my sweet, little, nieces enjoy. Yeah...that's about all I have to say about that. Catch ya later!
Tater Tot Casserole
This is a great kid-friendly meal; one that I hope both my sweet, little, nieces enjoy. Yeah...that's about all I have to say about that. Catch ya later!
May 7, 2009
Tater Tot Casserole (AKA "The Dark Mistress")
The idea of transitioning from an uber-decadent meal like last night's risotto and garlic bread, to tonight's selection of Tater Tot Casserole is kinda funny to me-in an ironic sorta way. I mean, really....this dinner is a complete 180 degrees from our dinner last night. Seriously, I giggle a little when I think about it. It just goes to show you how all over the board we are in what we like to eat. Tater Tot Casserole is good comfort food in my book. Food snobs would certainly sneer at both the Tot and the casserole.
(Admittedly, I have had my issues in the past with accepting my love for this tot/casserole combo. There is always a little shame that goes along with cooking with condensed soup...but I am working it. I think I should start a 'Canned Soup Anonymous' support group or something. "Hi, my name is Jen and I secretly use canned soup as an ingredient...I am just tired of hiding".)
I think I will make this beloved family favorite with some green beans. As always, I like my tot casserole doused in a healthy amount of ketchup, straight from the ol' squeeze bottle. I know, I know....sounds wrong...but it is oh, so right! Does it help to know that the ketchup is organic???? Really at this point, the ketchup can just be more fodder for my soon-to-be-formed support group meetings.
Tater Tot Casserole (or as I like to think of it, "The Dark Mistress")
Soon I will stop..I swear. Just a couple more times...and I will stop making this dish forever. Really! Okay, probably not. It's not really a big deal. Everyone does it. I only make this casserole once in awhile, anyway. I can quit anytime, if I wanted. It's just a social thing...I never make it when I am alone. It is not even my fault that I love it...it's Claire's fault...she got me hooked...the first time was free. Seriously, I am in control....truly.
(I also find it quite humorous that I have the same guilty dialog every time I post this recipe. he, he, he... I am a strange bird sometimes, I know.)
(Admittedly, I have had my issues in the past with accepting my love for this tot/casserole combo. There is always a little shame that goes along with cooking with condensed soup...but I am working it. I think I should start a 'Canned Soup Anonymous' support group or something. "Hi, my name is Jen and I secretly use canned soup as an ingredient...I am just tired of hiding".)
I think I will make this beloved family favorite with some green beans. As always, I like my tot casserole doused in a healthy amount of ketchup, straight from the ol' squeeze bottle. I know, I know....sounds wrong...but it is oh, so right! Does it help to know that the ketchup is organic???? Really at this point, the ketchup can just be more fodder for my soon-to-be-formed support group meetings.
Tater Tot Casserole (or as I like to think of it, "The Dark Mistress")
Soon I will stop..I swear. Just a couple more times...and I will stop making this dish forever. Really! Okay, probably not. It's not really a big deal. Everyone does it. I only make this casserole once in awhile, anyway. I can quit anytime, if I wanted. It's just a social thing...I never make it when I am alone. It is not even my fault that I love it...it's Claire's fault...she got me hooked...the first time was free. Seriously, I am in control....truly.
(I also find it quite humorous that I have the same guilty dialog every time I post this recipe. he, he, he... I am a strange bird sometimes, I know.)
April 5, 2009
Jen's Baked Buffalo Chicken Tenders
We have been really busy this weekend with errands and chores. I am going to keep this post short and sweet, so I can get back to work. Originally, I had a new recipe planned, but it got bumped back because I needed something easy and familiar for tonight's meal. The last thing I want to do after cleaning the house and doing laundry all day, is prepare a complicated dinner!
This is a variation on my recipe for Baked Buffalo Chicken Legs. I am all out of legs, so I am going to amend my original recipe to just use some chicken tenders instead. I think we are just going to have some roasted asparagus and baked tater tots to go our chicken. Overall, this is an easy dish to put together, and it is always a crowd-pleaser.
Jen's Baked Buffalo Chicken Tenders
Ingredients:
Cooking Spray
2 packages of chicken tenders (approx. 16 pieces)
1 cup of seasoned bread crumbs
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon parsley flakes
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 egg, beaten
2 Tablespoon of milk
Salt and pepper to taste
3 Tablespoons of melted butter
1/2 to 3/4 cup of Louisiana Hot Sauce (mix with Tapito Hot Sauce for extra spicy)
Directions:
1) Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place 1-2 cookie/cooling rack(s) on cookie sheet and spray rack(s) with cooking spray. Set aside.
2) Combine breadcrumbs, onion power, garlic powder, paprika, parsley flakes, cayenne pepper, salt, and pepper into a bowl.
3) In a separate small bowl beat eggs with milk.
4) Dip chicken pieces separately into egg mixture, then dredge into breadcrumb mixture, coating thoroughly. Repeat process so each piece is double coated. Set breadcrumb coated chicken aside on cookie sheet racks. Spray pieces with small amount of cooking spray.
5) Bake chicken for 30-40 minutes at 400 degrees (or until chicken is no longer pink in center).
6) While chicken is baking combine melted butter with hot sauce into a large bowl.
7) Once chicken is finished, dip each chicken piece into hot sauce mixture and coat thoroughly. Repeat with all chicken piece.
8) Serve immediately with ranch dressing or blue cheese dressing for dipping.
The Result:
This was the first time I tried this recipe with chicken tenders, and it came out just as good as the original! It was so yummy! I would totally make this version again. Another first this time, was that I made my own ranch dipping sauce (recipe below). Again, the ranch dip came out perfectly...thick and creamy with the right amount of ranch tanginess. Yum, yum, yum!
Ranch Dipping Sauce
Ingredients:
1/4 cup of mayo
1/2 cup of sour cream
1/2 package of dry ranch seasoning
splash of milk
small pinch of salt and pepper to taste
Directions:
Mix all ingredients in a small bowl. Let stand for 30 minutes in the fridge so it may thicken to proper consistency.
This is a variation on my recipe for Baked Buffalo Chicken Legs. I am all out of legs, so I am going to amend my original recipe to just use some chicken tenders instead. I think we are just going to have some roasted asparagus and baked tater tots to go our chicken. Overall, this is an easy dish to put together, and it is always a crowd-pleaser.
Jen's Baked Buffalo Chicken Tenders
Ingredients:
Cooking Spray
2 packages of chicken tenders (approx. 16 pieces)
1 cup of seasoned bread crumbs
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon parsley flakes
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 egg, beaten
2 Tablespoon of milk
Salt and pepper to taste
3 Tablespoons of melted butter
1/2 to 3/4 cup of Louisiana Hot Sauce (mix with Tapito Hot Sauce for extra spicy)
Directions:
1) Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place 1-2 cookie/cooling rack(s) on cookie sheet and spray rack(s) with cooking spray. Set aside.
2) Combine breadcrumbs, onion power, garlic powder, paprika, parsley flakes, cayenne pepper, salt, and pepper into a bowl.
3) In a separate small bowl beat eggs with milk.
4) Dip chicken pieces separately into egg mixture, then dredge into breadcrumb mixture, coating thoroughly. Repeat process so each piece is double coated. Set breadcrumb coated chicken aside on cookie sheet racks. Spray pieces with small amount of cooking spray.
5) Bake chicken for 30-40 minutes at 400 degrees (or until chicken is no longer pink in center).
6) While chicken is baking combine melted butter with hot sauce into a large bowl.
7) Once chicken is finished, dip each chicken piece into hot sauce mixture and coat thoroughly. Repeat with all chicken piece.
8) Serve immediately with ranch dressing or blue cheese dressing for dipping.
The Result:
This was the first time I tried this recipe with chicken tenders, and it came out just as good as the original! It was so yummy! I would totally make this version again. Another first this time, was that I made my own ranch dipping sauce (recipe below). Again, the ranch dip came out perfectly...thick and creamy with the right amount of ranch tanginess. Yum, yum, yum!
Ranch Dipping Sauce
Ingredients:
1/4 cup of mayo
1/2 cup of sour cream
1/2 package of dry ranch seasoning
splash of milk
small pinch of salt and pepper to taste
Directions:
Mix all ingredients in a small bowl. Let stand for 30 minutes in the fridge so it may thicken to proper consistency.
February 10, 2009
Tater Tot Casserole
This is one of my shamefully favorite meals. We all love it, especially coated in ketchup. There is really no excuse...this meal just resonates with us. It is a total guilty pleasure! At least tonight I have a legitimate excuse for making it. My In-Law's are coming over tonight for dinner, and being from good mid-western stock, they pretty much are "meat and potatoes" type people. They are not very culinarily adventurous, so when they come over I always try to make traditional, comfort food classics. Tater Tot Casserole falls under that umbrella. I think I will make some steamed green beans and glazed carrots to go with this dish. You can tell that company is comin' over, because I am making both side dishes. Fancy, I know!!! Since I have made this simple but lovely meal before, I will just link back to my last post. You can read my previous commentary and realize that I really do have Tater Tot Casserole guilt.
Tater Tot Casserole
So bad....but so good....
Tater Tot Casserole
So bad....but so good....
November 15, 2008
Tater Tot Casserole
After a week of no red meat, the husband is putting his foot down and demanding beef for dinner. Well, actually he just requested no chicken or marinara sauce...but I read between the lines. I really, really love the Tot Casserole so it was purely my suggestion. It just sounds good. I looked back through my blog and realized that we have not had it for about a month and a half. I feel it is definitely time to break out the tots again. We will have this dish with a side of green beans, and maybe a salad. Green beans and Tot Casserole are just a classic pairing, in my opinion. Yum. I get ridiculously excited for this meal, so I am looking forward to our dinner. This should undo the last few days of healthy, vegetarian meals.
Tater Tot Casserole
Ingredients:
1 lb ground beef
1/2 diced white onion (optional)
1-2 garlic cloves, finely minced (optional)
Salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika
Cheddar cheese--sliced or shredded
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1/2 cup of sour cream (optional)
Tater Tots, for topping
Directions:
In an 11x7 pan, crumble or spread uncooked ground beef, minced garlic, and diced onions. Sprinkle salt, pepper, garlic powder,paprika, and onion powder on top of beef. Cover with sliced or shredded Cheddar cheese. Combine sour cream and mushroom soup in a small bowl. Spread cream of mushroom soup mixture over the cheese layer (this can be tricky business if you've used shredded cheese). Top with tater tots. Cover with foil. Bake at 350 for 1-1/2 to 2 hours, uncovering for last 30 minutes. Or bake at 375 for one hour, uncovering for last 30 minutes.
The Result:
As you can tell, I was too lazy to take a new photo of Tater Tot Casserole. I figured that you guys have seen it before in my previous post, and it pretty much looked exactly the same. The taste was also the same; delicious and familiar. I still profess both my love and embarrassment over the Tater Tot Casserole. Such dueling emotions...I love you, I hate you....come here,go away...yeah, that about covers it. The Tot is such a cruel mistress.
I did make one small change; I ran out of normal shredded cheddar cheese about half way through the cheese step, so I supplemented with some Pepper Jack. I am pleased to say that it totally worked, and gave it the tiniest little kick that was very yummy.
Tater Tot Casserole
Ingredients:
1 lb ground beef
1/2 diced white onion (optional)
1-2 garlic cloves, finely minced (optional)
Salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika
Cheddar cheese--sliced or shredded
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1/2 cup of sour cream (optional)
Tater Tots, for topping
Directions:
In an 11x7 pan, crumble or spread uncooked ground beef, minced garlic, and diced onions. Sprinkle salt, pepper, garlic powder,paprika, and onion powder on top of beef. Cover with sliced or shredded Cheddar cheese. Combine sour cream and mushroom soup in a small bowl. Spread cream of mushroom soup mixture over the cheese layer (this can be tricky business if you've used shredded cheese). Top with tater tots. Cover with foil. Bake at 350 for 1-1/2 to 2 hours, uncovering for last 30 minutes. Or bake at 375 for one hour, uncovering for last 30 minutes.
The Result:
As you can tell, I was too lazy to take a new photo of Tater Tot Casserole. I figured that you guys have seen it before in my previous post, and it pretty much looked exactly the same. The taste was also the same; delicious and familiar. I still profess both my love and embarrassment over the Tater Tot Casserole. Such dueling emotions...I love you, I hate you....come here,go away...yeah, that about covers it. The Tot is such a cruel mistress.
I did make one small change; I ran out of normal shredded cheddar cheese about half way through the cheese step, so I supplemented with some Pepper Jack. I am pleased to say that it totally worked, and gave it the tiniest little kick that was very yummy.
October 1, 2008
Tater Tot Casserole
I had a really hard time coming up with a dinner idea tonight. The only thing that I could think of was Tater Tot Casserole (see previous post), even though we have had it recently. So, I admit my choice is not very creative...BUT I am excited to have it again, anyway. It was really good the first time! The husband came home and discovered what I was planning for dinner and he got all excited, too. Apparently, Tater Tot Casserole is a new family favorite. I was in a hurry, so I did not read the recipe before starting my preparation. I vaugely remembered all the ingredients, and I did not remember what order the layers were, in the casserole dish. Instead of reading the recipe (laziness won out) I just guessed. After I put it in the oven, I went and read the original recipe and realized there were some differences (my memory stinks, so I should have known better). I hope my version turns out as good as the original recipe version. I would hate to disappoint the Tater Tot Casserole maniacs at my house.
I know you are dying to know what I did differently, so let me break it down for you. I mixed one whole diced onion and 2 cloves of fresh minced garlic into the beef with the salt, pepper, onion powder, and garlic powder, as a first layer. Then, I put the soup/sour cream mixture down next. I topped that with the rest of a bag of cheddar cheese (maybe 1/4 of a cup) and supplemented the rest with shredded mozzerella cheese. Lastly, I put the tater tots on top. I ran out of normal tots 3/4 of the way through covering the top, and had to finish with tater tot rounds (different shape). The taste should be the same, but the asthetics will be a little different. I will let you know how my crazy, mixed up version turns out.
The Result:
I could not decide which photo I liked better, so I added them both. The casserole was good, but definitly a little less structred than the last time I made it. I think it was soupy-ier (is that a word???). It really did not hold together well. Some of my Tater Tots actually sunk! From the photo, it looks like I did not layer the top with Tots evenly...but that is not the case. I swear, I would never skimp on Tots!!!!
I think I will stick with the original recipe layer order, although I did really like the addition of more onion and fresh, minced garlic. As you can see, the cheese is ooey-gooey goodness, and we served this masterpiece with green beans. Sigh. Again, I was humbled by how much I love the Tot...especially the Tot Casserole.
My husband and I agreed that this dish would be better if saved for an "every once in awhile" occurance. I think we would get sick of it, if I was to put in regular rotation. I want to keep the 'new car' feeling as long as possible with this dish. Really, it is sooooo incredibly yummy!
I know you are dying to know what I did differently, so let me break it down for you. I mixed one whole diced onion and 2 cloves of fresh minced garlic into the beef with the salt, pepper, onion powder, and garlic powder, as a first layer. Then, I put the soup/sour cream mixture down next. I topped that with the rest of a bag of cheddar cheese (maybe 1/4 of a cup) and supplemented the rest with shredded mozzerella cheese. Lastly, I put the tater tots on top. I ran out of normal tots 3/4 of the way through covering the top, and had to finish with tater tot rounds (different shape). The taste should be the same, but the asthetics will be a little different. I will let you know how my crazy, mixed up version turns out.
The Result:
I could not decide which photo I liked better, so I added them both. The casserole was good, but definitly a little less structred than the last time I made it. I think it was soupy-ier (is that a word???). It really did not hold together well. Some of my Tater Tots actually sunk! From the photo, it looks like I did not layer the top with Tots evenly...but that is not the case. I swear, I would never skimp on Tots!!!!
I think I will stick with the original recipe layer order, although I did really like the addition of more onion and fresh, minced garlic. As you can see, the cheese is ooey-gooey goodness, and we served this masterpiece with green beans. Sigh. Again, I was humbled by how much I love the Tot...especially the Tot Casserole.
My husband and I agreed that this dish would be better if saved for an "every once in awhile" occurance. I think we would get sick of it, if I was to put in regular rotation. I want to keep the 'new car' feeling as long as possible with this dish. Really, it is sooooo incredibly yummy!
September 18, 2008
Tater Tot Casserole
My friend Claire made a Tater Tot Casserole a few nights ago. I had forgotten about Tater Tot Casserole, and thought it sounded really good. Since I can't come up with any other ideas for tonight's dinner, I guess I will just steal Claire's idea AGAIN. I needed something easy, since I am going to my MOMS Club Mom's Night Out game night tonight. I think this dish will be a perfect solution. Not to mention, yummy and comforting. Seriously, who doesn't love TOTS!
Okay...so this is originally Claire's recipe. Considering I can never leave anything the way it is supposed to be, I changed it by adding sour cream and diced onion. In her recipe notes, she does say that diced onion is acceptable...but the sour cream is all me. I have part of a container that needs to be used today, so I am going to improvise it into this dish. Hopefully, this turns out as good as Claire's original version. I will take full responsibility if the sour cream ends up being a huge mistake...but really can sour cream ever be a mistake????
Tater Tot Casserole
Ingredients:
1 lb ground beef
1/2 diced white onion (optional)
Salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder
Cheddar cheese--sliced or shredded
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1/2 cup of sour cream (optional)
Tater Tots, for topping
Directions:
In an 11x7 pan, crumble or spread uncooked ground beef and diced onions. Sprinkle salt, pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder on top of beef. Cover with sliced or shredded Cheddar cheese. Combine sour cream and mushroom soup in a small bowl. Spread cream of mushroom soup mixture over the cheese layer (this can be tricky business if you've used shredded cheese). Top with tater tots. Cover with foil. Bake at 350 for 1-1/2 to 2 hours, uncovering for last 30 minutes. Or bake at 375 for one hour, uncovering for last 30 minutes.
Okay...so this is originally Claire's recipe. Considering I can never leave anything the way it is supposed to be, I changed it by adding sour cream and diced onion. In her recipe notes, she does say that diced onion is acceptable...but the sour cream is all me. I have part of a container that needs to be used today, so I am going to improvise it into this dish. Hopefully, this turns out as good as Claire's original version. I will take full responsibility if the sour cream ends up being a huge mistake...but really can sour cream ever be a mistake????
Tater Tot Casserole
Ingredients:
1 lb ground beef
1/2 diced white onion (optional)
Salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder
Cheddar cheese--sliced or shredded
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1/2 cup of sour cream (optional)
Tater Tots, for topping
Directions:
In an 11x7 pan, crumble or spread uncooked ground beef and diced onions. Sprinkle salt, pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder on top of beef. Cover with sliced or shredded Cheddar cheese. Combine sour cream and mushroom soup in a small bowl. Spread cream of mushroom soup mixture over the cheese layer (this can be tricky business if you've used shredded cheese). Top with tater tots. Cover with foil. Bake at 350 for 1-1/2 to 2 hours, uncovering for last 30 minutes. Or bake at 375 for one hour, uncovering for last 30 minutes.
September 9, 2008
Hamburgers, Tater Tots, & Leftover Cauliflower
I think I ate a piece of funky chicken for lunch the other day, because I was sick all day yesterday. Truth be told, I still don't feel all that great today either... but I feel like I have improved some. Ugh. Thankfully, my husband stayed home yesterday since I was up literally all night (until about 5am) with stomach issues. I was able to sleep most of the day yesterday, and I think that was really helpful.
We went to a restaurant for lunch after church on Sunday, and I had a blackened chicken sandwich. At the time, I thought it had a weird taste, but I chalked it off to their blackening seasoning. I think the funky taste was the actual chicken! It was the only thing different that I ate from the rest of my family, and they are all just fine. I think that chicken was bad! Double Ugh.
Anyway, we had a low key dinner last night. Leftover cauliflower, tater tots that I had in my freezer, and hamburgers. The hamburger patties were pre-formed, so all we had to do is grill them up...and the husband took care of that little task. I did have a loaf of ciabatta bread that needed to be used, so we warmed it in the oven and then sliced it into bun sized pieces (supplementing the actual hamburger buns). Also, I sauteed some onions and fresh cremini mushrooms that I had on hand. I was going to use the mushrooms for a different recipe, but then I realized I did not know when I was going to be able to make that recipe. Since fresh mushrooms go south quickly, I decided to uses those to top the hamburgers.
I did realize something shameful though...I love tater tots. I think they remind me of being a kid. Seriously, I feel silly eating them...but I cannot help but love the tots. They just don't scream "grown-up food". It is fun to watch my son dig into the tater tots, too. He has discovered those yummy potato nuggets of pleasure. The joy of a kid eating tots with lots of ketchup is unparalleled. Yup...love the tots! I buy a bag now and then, when I feel like being indulgent. I bake them in the oven, so I can justify that they are healthier than the fried version...therefore, not junk food. I try not to have them often, but when we do...I enjoy them. Ah, tater tots.
All in all we had a decent, quick, dinner in which the tots were the highlight of the meal. Certainly, nothing fancy...but good, comfortable, food.
We went to a restaurant for lunch after church on Sunday, and I had a blackened chicken sandwich. At the time, I thought it had a weird taste, but I chalked it off to their blackening seasoning. I think the funky taste was the actual chicken! It was the only thing different that I ate from the rest of my family, and they are all just fine. I think that chicken was bad! Double Ugh.
Anyway, we had a low key dinner last night. Leftover cauliflower, tater tots that I had in my freezer, and hamburgers. The hamburger patties were pre-formed, so all we had to do is grill them up...and the husband took care of that little task. I did have a loaf of ciabatta bread that needed to be used, so we warmed it in the oven and then sliced it into bun sized pieces (supplementing the actual hamburger buns). Also, I sauteed some onions and fresh cremini mushrooms that I had on hand. I was going to use the mushrooms for a different recipe, but then I realized I did not know when I was going to be able to make that recipe. Since fresh mushrooms go south quickly, I decided to uses those to top the hamburgers.
I did realize something shameful though...I love tater tots. I think they remind me of being a kid. Seriously, I feel silly eating them...but I cannot help but love the tots. They just don't scream "grown-up food". It is fun to watch my son dig into the tater tots, too. He has discovered those yummy potato nuggets of pleasure. The joy of a kid eating tots with lots of ketchup is unparalleled. Yup...love the tots! I buy a bag now and then, when I feel like being indulgent. I bake them in the oven, so I can justify that they are healthier than the fried version...therefore, not junk food. I try not to have them often, but when we do...I enjoy them. Ah, tater tots.
All in all we had a decent, quick, dinner in which the tots were the highlight of the meal. Certainly, nothing fancy...but good, comfortable, food.
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