Glenn’s Tantalizing, Tasty and Terrific Tator Tot Tasserole:

I got this out of the Indianapolis Star and made some modifications to it.

This was one of the dishes at this years Independence Weekend picnic at Fort  Harrison:

• 1lb ground beef
• 1 can mushroom soup
• 1 can cream of chicken [or cream of celery] soup
• 1-2 cups of shredded cheese [I use a mix of Monterey Jack or Colby with another cheese]
• 1 32oz bag of shredded hash browns*
• 1 32oz bag of tator tots*
• at least one finely diced onion**

*The original recipe called for just the tator tots, using the whole bag. I’ve tried it with just tator tots and just hash browns and then half of each, which turned out to be my favorite texture and flavor wise. If you want to use all of both then double up on the meat. You could also increase the soup and cheese but I've only doubled the meat and it came out fine.

1. Brown beef and drain
2. Grease baking dish [about 13X9]
3. Combine beef, soups, half of the cheese and half the hash browns
4. spread in bottom of baking dish
5. layer the onions** over the mixture
6. layer half the tator tots over the onions, pushing the tator tots into the mixture
7. layer the remainder of the cheese over the tator tots
8. cook in oven*** to temperature on tator tots bag or until brown

**don’t be shy with the onions, if you leave them out you will regret it. to mellow the flavor rinse and drain the diced onions in cold water.

***You can also put it in a covered grill over indirect heat.