Tater Tot Hotdish

I'm originally from Minnesota, and if Minnesota is famous for one thing, it's hotdish. You might know it better as casserole, or something like that, but in Minnesota, it's hotdish. This is my mom's recipe, the same one that she used to make for me when I was little.

• Ready In: 1 hr 10 mins
• Serves: 4-6
• Yields: 4-6

Ingredients

• 1  lb ground beef
• 1 (1 lb) package  tater tots (you probably won't use the whole package, but this is usually the smallest size I can find)
• 2 (10 ounce) cans  condensed cream of mushroom soup (or 3 cans if you want it extra creamy)
• 1 (14 ounce) can  vegetables (or 2 cans, whatever kind you like, I like sweet corn, my mom uses green beans)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. While the oven is preheating, brown the ground beef (seasoning to taste as you cook) and drain off the grease.
3. Spread the beef in the bottom of a 2 to 2 1/2 quart baking dish.
4. Drain the liquid off the vegetables and spread them over the meat.
5. Using a rubber spatula, spread the cans of soup over the top of the vegetables and meat. Use the soup as is, straight from the can. Do NOT mix it with anything.
6. Arrange a layer of tater tots over the top of that.
7. Bake, uncovered, at 350 degrees for 50 minutes.
8. Top with your favorite variety of shredded cheese as you serve.