Hearty Beef and Potato Casserole

Submitted by Bridget Leigh

"This recipe came from a church cookbook, so I have no way of knowing whether it came from another source, or if this was someone's own creation. Regardless, it has been a family favorite ever since. Make sure you thaw the broccoli first, so it gets cooked enough. Otherwise, you will end up with cold, half-frozen broccoli in your casserole. (Ask me how I know . . . )"

 

• Ready In: 38mins
• Ingredients: 10
• Yields: 1 casserole
• Serves: 8-10

ingredients

• 4 cups frozen tater tots (I buy "Crispy Crowns", which are like flat, disc-shaped tater tots.)
• 1 lb ground beef
• 10 ounces frozen broccoli, thawed
• 1 (2 7/8 ounce) can French-fried onions
• 1 medium tomatoes, chopped
• 1 (10 1/2 ounce) can cream of celery soup
• 1⁄3 cup milk
• 1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded
• 1⁄4 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1⁄8 teaspoon black pepper

directions

1. Place potatoes on bottom and sides of a 9" x 13" casserole dish. Bake at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for 10 minutes.
2. Brown ground beef and drain. Place beef, broccoli, 1/2 can onions and tomatoes in potato shell. Combine soup, milk, 1/2 cup cheese and seasonings and pour over beef mixture. Bake, covered, for 20 minutes, at 400 degrees Fahrenhiet.
3. Top with remaining cheese and onions. Bake uncovered 2-3 minutes longer, until cheese is melted.

Reviews

[Darkhunter]

I tried to give this a higher review, but in all conscience, cannot. I prepared the entire 8-10 serving recipe, as I thought it would be good for additional freezer meals. It was a very good looking dish after baking. As dinner last night, it was disappointing, with a very salty taste (due I'm sure to the tater tots, the FF onions and the soup), and really bland. I carefully scooped the filling out of the potato shell and tried to doctor it up with sour cream, some diced tomatoes with oregano and garlic and additional spices like fresh garlic, onions and parsley, basil and oregano. Cooked all of this together for a few minutes and placed back in shell. Baked 20 minutes and sprinkled some sharp cheddar over top and baked an additional 5 minutes. It did taste somewhat better, but still much too salty for our tastes. I think the original recipe would probably be kid friendly, but not so much to adults. Thnx for posting, though, Bridget and keep posting. After all, this was just my own opinion. Made for My-3-Chefs 2008.