SouthwesternTater tot Casserole

Any recipe that calls for 'Lots of tater tots' and 'Lots of cheese', probably shouldn't be on my trying-to-be-healthier-blog-about-hiding-vegetables, HOWEVER, if the veggies make it healthier, then that is the whole point... right?
I got the original recipe from Jenn's blog, west sac honey, but I changed it a little bit.  Tater tot casserole usually has a can or two of creamy Campbells soup, but I omitted the soup completely and replaced it with hidden veggies.

Here are the ingredients I used:

Lots of tater tots
1 lb ground beef
2 cans green chili's
1 bag southwestern goodness (picture below)
1/2 cup cabbage puree
1/2 cup pumpkin puree
1/3 cup kale puree (all I had left)
Salt and pepper
Lots of shredded cheese

So, here's how it went...  line the tater tots up in a greased baking dish like a tater tot army:
(Sorry, I didn't count them, but I did buy a huge bag.  And this was a lot.  In the future I am going to make it in the 8x8 pan instead!)

Bake according to the directions on the bag.  Mine was 12-15 minutes at 450. 

While the tots bake, brown the meat, drain fat, and return to heat.  Add salt and pepper, green chili's and southwestern goodness.... I used this whole bag of goodness instead of canned corn:   

Add puree's and here's what I had:

When the tots are finished baking, sprinkle some of the cheese on top:

Then spoon meat/veggie mix over the cheesy tots:

Then add about a bucket of cheese:  (Or as much or as little as you like.... I like cheese.)

And bake until cheese is melted and browned:

And serve for dinner, lunch the next day, dinner the next day, lunch the day after and the day after.... mmm, tatertoteriffic!

Other than the tater tots, this turned into a pretty healthy meal!  I think it's okay to have tater tots sometimes... especially if there are lots of other veggies (hidden or not) in the meal. 

It was so good.  Tater tots are such a comfort food, they make everything taste good.

Okay, so, next time I think I will add another can of green chili's, I kind of wanted it to be spicier.  Although, I probably wont make this much again, so maybe I will keep the two cans of green chili's, but half everything else and use a 8x8 inch pan or something.


The Verdict: 

"Breakfast, lunch or dinner, it's tatertoteriffic!  Good hot, good cold, good leftover... good casserole."


Well, I think it's safe to say this was a success.  Hidden veggies + tater tots =  everyone is happy!

My most favorite food.

I love beans and cheese.  I could eat it everyday for dinner and be perfectly happy.  My poor research team... example of dinner conversation:

Me:                        "What do you want for dinner?"
Research Team:      "Hmmm, I dunno, what do you want?"
Me:                        "Bean and cheese burritos."
Research Team:      (heaves big sigh)
Me:                        "Or what about bean and cheese nachos?"
Research Team:      (ignoring me, looking in cupboard)
Me:                        "Ooooh, how about bean and cheese tostadas!"
Research Team:      (now looking in refrigerator)
Me:                        "I know, I know, I'll make bean and cheese enchiladas."
Research Team:      (he's back to the cupboard, desperate for inspiration)
Me:                        "Beans and cheese in a bowl with a spoon?"
Research Team:      "I'm making mac and cheese." 
Me:                        "Can I hide some beans in it?"


So it is only natural that I am going to try and figure out what vegetables hide well in my beans.  Today's experiment involved canned refried black beans, canned refried pinto beans, pureed kale, purple cabbage, and pumpkin.

These are my favorite beans:

The closest row is black beans and the farther row is pinto:

1/2 cup beans and 1/8 cup puree in each:

These two have cabbage:

These two have kale:   (but I probably didn't have to tell you that...)

And these are the ones with pumpkin:

In all of them, with my eyes closed, I could barely taste the vegetable puree.  I don't think anyone else would notice the taste difference. 

Everyone would notice the color of the beans with the kale, that's for sure!  I don't want to put in words what I think it looks like.  (Does everyone know I have a 6 month old who loves green beans?)  However, I had the kale beans in my burrito for lunch, and it was just as tasty as usual.  And I swear I didn't have to eat it with my eyes shut.  :)

Now, remember, these beans are plain.  Nothing added but the puree.  It would be so easy to use these beans in a dip with salsa and cheese and it would completely cover up the small color change.  Or add some chopped veggies and spices to make the dip, no one would guess.  Even with the beans that had the kale... yes it turned it very green, but what if I threw in some avocado and salsa and presented it as my bean guacamole?  I bet you'd eat it.

The best part is, I have lots of left over beans from this experiment.  Hee hee, guess what we are having for dinner tonight?!?!