Sheridan and Allen.

Because sometimes comfort food needs to be on the menu. Winters are cold, and as much as I try to cook whole, clean foods, sometimes I have to give in, and the siren’s song of the Tater Tot is hard to resist.

• 1 package of Tater Tots – 32 oz
• 1 lb ground beef
• 1 onion – chopped
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 can condensed milk
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1 cup grated cheddar cheese (divided)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare a casserole dish by spraying it with olive oil. I used a 2.5 quart round casserole dish, but you could also use a 13 x 9 pan.

Place 25 tater tots in the bottom of the casserole and bake them in the oven for 10-15 minutes. They need to be soft enough so that you can smash them into a layer that covers the bottom of the dish.

Meanwhile, brown the ground beef and the onion in a skillet. Drain and discard the grease. Season with the Worcestershire sauce, garlic powder, and pepper.

In a separate bowl, combine the milks, and 1/2 cup of cheddar cheese.

Add the ground beef to the casserole dish and spread to cover the layer of smashed tater tots. Then pour the cheese soup mixture over the beef, and cover the cheese mixture with the rest of the tater tots. Sprinkle the remaining 1/2 cup of cheese on top of the tater tots.

Bake in the preheated oven until the casserole is bubbling and the tater tots are crispy on top. This should take 30-40 minutes.