Crabtree Kitchen Creations and Culinary Commentary: Tater Tot Hot Dish

Monday, June 29, 2009

Tater Tot Hot Dish

This is such a Minnesota classic! My grown children often request it. So easy to make!

INGREDIENTS
1 1/2 pounds lean ground beef
1 onion, chopped
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 pinch ground black pepper
1 (32 ounce) package tater tots, thawed
1 (10.75 ounce) can condensed cream of mushroom soup
1 (10.75 ounce) can condensed cream of celery soup
1 (6 ounce) can French-fried onion rings

DIRECTIONS
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2. In a large skillet cook ground beef with onion, salt and pepper; drain and spread into the bottom of a 9x13 inch baking dish. Add tater tots; mix cream of mushroom and cream of celery soup together and pour mixture over dish. Top with onion rings, if using.
3. Bake in preheated oven for 1 hour.

A couple ideas . . . for a little more nutritional value, add some fresh or frozen veggies such as green beans (our favorite) or a carrot/pea mix (my least favorite!). Also I have found it easier to mix the soups with the cooked hamburger and then stir in the tater tots. Otherwise, the soup just clumps.

A great side dish . . . green bean casserole. Recipe soon!

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My favorite books and what I am currently reading

Water for Elephants -- almost everyone I know what has read this book has loved it. It is truly an insider's look at the early circus in American; however, there's so much more than that. The main character/narrator is an elderly man who has flashbacks to his days when he worked with the circus elephants. The story is somewhat dark yet incredibly fascinating. The ending is nothing short of brilliant, at least I think so!
Reading Lolita in Tehran . . . If you want a look at what it's like to be female and educated in Iran, this is a must read. You will be furious with the oppression of the government yet cheer the young woman who choose to gather, read, and study together, in spite of the university's closing. The challenge with this book is its literary references. You will enjoy the book more if you have read the pieces of literature referenced in the text. "Lolita" is not easy for me to recommend in that it is a detailed view of the life of a pedophile; however, the book is brilliant! The Great Gatsby should also be read, if at all possible. I do, though, think that this book can be enjoyed even if you are not familiar with the pieces of literature. Here is a description of the book from the publisher's website: We all have dreams—things we fantasize about doing and generally never get around to. This is the story of Azar Nafisi’s dream and of the nightmare that made it come true.
The Intellectual Devotional by David Kidder and Noah Oppenheim -- don't let the title fool you. It's not a "religious" book but rather, as the book front says, "365 daily lessons from the seven fields of knowledge"; Waiting for Normal by Leslie Connor -- this is an adolescent novel. I am reading many adolescent novels, mainly those that have won awards, looking for new books for my Adolescent Literature class.
Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert . . . I recently finished this book. It came at a time in my life when it was most needed. Not only did I resonate with her story, the writing was brilliant! Penguin Books has this description on the back of the book: A celebrated writer's irresistible, candid, and eloquent account of her pursuit of worldly pleasure, spiritual devotion, and what she really wanted out of life. This beautifully written, heartfelt memoir touched a nerve among both readers and reviewers. Elizabeth Gilbert tells how she made the difficult choice to leave behind all the trappings of modern American success (marriage, house in the country, career) and find, instead, what she truly wanted from life. Setting out for a year to study three different aspects of her nature amid three different cultures, Gilbert explored the art of pleasure in Italy and the art of devotion in India, and then a balance between the two on the Indonesian island of Bali. By turns rapturous and rueful, this wise and funny author (whom Booklist calls “Anne Lamott’s hip, yoga- practicing, footloose younger sister”) is poised to garner yet more adoring fans.
The Cellist of Sarajevo by Steven Galloway . . . I found this book eeriely haunting. This is the description from the publisher's website: This brilliant novel with universal resonance tells the story of three people trying to survive in a city rife with the extreme fear of desperate times, and of the sorrowing cellist who plays undaunted in their midst.
Refuge by Terry Temest Williams . . . It's not often that I read a book twice, primarily due to the fact that there are SO MANY books I want to read! However, I have read this book three times. The word "refuge" refers to many things . . . a bird refuge, Tempest's own refuge with the bird refuge, her refuge within her family. It's a powerful read. I suggest reading it with a bird book in hand. I did that on the second read and it added much to the enjoyment of the novel. Here is what one reviewer had to say: From Library Journal -- Williams, a naturalist at the Utah Museum of Natural History in Salt Lake City, uses the rise and fall of Great Salt Lake and the fluctuations in wild bird populations that inhabit or migrate through the ecosystem as a personal metaphor. Her diary-like personal reflections cover such issues as helping family members through the traumatic process of living and dying with cancer. She also reflects upon women's place within the Mormon Church and touches on citizens' conflicting civic responsibilities as stewards and exploiters of the earth. Finally, she ponders federal responsibility for irradiating Utah land and people during 11 years of above-ground atomic testing. Williams's book is difficult to pigeonhole because she wrestles with a wide range of ethical questions in her struggle to find understanding. Her book may be of particular interest to public libraries in Southwestern states.--Laurie Tynan, Montgomery Cty.

Crabtree Kitchen Creations and Culinary Commentary

Monday, June 29, 2009

Tater Tot Hot Dish

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