Gluten Free Tater Tot Casserole

One day I was minding my own business, watching TLC, when I totally saw someone cooking Tater Tot Casserole on a special about the Duggars, who are the people with 19 children, if you can believe that. Well, actually I can believe it, because this is a great recipe that you can feed picky hungry kids and make a pound of hamburger go a long way. No wonder the Duggars are making it. I was under the impression that this is totally a Utah recipe, but apparently not. And I'm also figuring out that there are endless ways to vary the recipe, but here's how I do it:

First, brown 1 pound of extra lean hamburger and drain the grease. I add some dried minced onion while it's browning. Second, add 1 small package of frozen mixed vegetables to the meat and one can of Progresso Creamy Mushroom Soup and mix well. This Creamy Mushroom soup is a little hard to find, but it's worth it when you do. It's the only gluten free cream of mushroom soup I have found that actually tastes good. Third, spoon it all into a greased 8x8 baking dish and top with frozen tater tots. Fourth, pop it into a 375 degree oven for 35 minutes. Then top with shredded cheddar and back into the oven for 5 more minutes until melted and golden.I know mine looks like a 9x13 pan, because it is! I doubled my recipe when I made it, so there's a lot here.

This is seriously one of those recipes where I do the social experiment of making a plain, humble casserole and serve it on fancy dishes to see if I get any comments about how lovely the meal is. So far my husband is not playing that game. But we are full and it is also a meal that won't break the bank. Hey, in a recession, you gotta do what you gotta do.

Happy eating and don't forget the first episode of "Fish on Fridays" tomorrow!