Best Ever Tator Tot Casserole

• Meat

  • 1 lbs Ground beef or turkey

• Produce

  • 2 Carrots, medium
  • 1 large stalk Celery
  • 2 cups Green beans, frozen
  • 1 Onion, medium

• Canned Goods

  • 1 12 ounce can Cream of mushroom soup

• Condiments

  • 2 tbsp Ketchup

• Baking & Spices

  • 1 Salt and pepper

• Dairy

  • 2 cups Cheddar or colby jack cheese, mild
  • 1/4 cup Sour cream

• Other

  • tator tots (1 regular size bag
  • 1 Small zucchini or 4 ounces of mushrooms, finely chopped or grated, (if i don't have either of these i use another celery stalk

Found on reallifedinner.com

Description

Ingredients

• 1 or 1½ pounds ground beef or turkey
• 1 medium onion, finely chopped or grated
• 2 medium carrots, finely chopped or grated
• 1 large stalk of celery, finely chopped or grated
• 1 small zucchini or 4 ounces of mushrooms, finely chopped or grated, (if I dont have either of these I use another celery stalk)
• 1 medium potato, finely chopped or grated.
• 2 cups frozen green beans
• 1 12 ounce can cream of mushroom soup
• ¼ cup sour cream
• 2 tbsp ketchup
• salt and pepper
• tator tots (1 regular size bag)
• 2 cups shredded mild cheddar or colby jack cheese

Directions

• In your food processor or with a grater or your favorite knife, chop the carrots, celery, onion, potato (and zucchini and mushrooms if you are using them) very finely, so they will just be tiny specs when cooked.
• In your largest saute pan add the ground beef and tiny veggie specs. Cook until ground beef is browned and veggies are tender. (make sure to generously salt and pepper this while it is cooking. (you should use at least ¾-1 tsp salt and about ⅛ tsp pepper.)
• At this point start preheating your oven to 350 degrees.
• I like to put my green beans in the bottom of the 9x13 pan and put them in the preheating oven for a few minutes to help them defrost so they will cook more evenly with the casserole. (set a timer for 4-5 minutes if you are worried about forgetting they are in there.) (If you dont want to do that, you can put them in a bowl of warm water for a few minutes and get the same effect.)
• Once beef and veggies are ready add the cream of mushroom soup, sour cream and ketchup. Mix thoroughly.
• Pour mixture over the defrosted green beans in the bottom of your 9x13 casserole dish.
• Put a layer of tator tots over the meat/veggie mixture.
• Place in the 350 degree oven (uncovered) for 45 minutes.
• Take casserole out and cover with the two cups of shredded cheese, return to oven for 10-15 minutes or until cheese is melted to your preference. I like it to be starting to brown a little. I sometimes put it under the broiler for a few minutes if it isnt doing it on its own.
• Once the cheese is browned the casserole is ready to serve to people you love.