The Tatertot Casserole Awakens and It Is Meatless
I accidentally became a vegetarian back in May 2014, and where it's been one of the greatest accidents of my life (right up there with accidentally getting into a career in international education after accidentally getting into graduate school, which happened shortly after I accidentally married the partner I'd accidentally started dating in 2000), it hasn't been without its scant sacrifices, one of which being tatertot casserole, which was the very first dish I ever learnt to make and was one of my comfort foods before the whole no-meat thing happened.
I am pleased to report that, much like meat being back on the menu for the Uruk-Hai in The Two Towers, tatertot casserole is now back on my meatless menu, and it is better than ever. I did not actually cry with the first bite of this version of the casserole, but it was a near thing. I have missed this dish, so, so much.
Related: How did I not know about mushrooms OR Star Wars until I was in my 30s? I mean, I've always liked them on pizza (mushrooms, that is, not Star Wars, you could probably figure that out), but man, they are a versatile little food! I think I may be in love. *_*
Ingredients
1 1/2 lb sliced baby portobello mushrooms, rinsed
1 medium yellow onion, coarse-chopped
Black pepper to taste
10 slices American cheese
1 10.5-oz can cream of mushroom soup
1 1-lb bag frozen mixed vegetables
1 2-lb bag frozen tatertots
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325*F.
- Rinse the mushrooms and distribute them evenly across the bottom of an ungreased 13x9" pan.
- Coarse-chop your onion and distribute the pieces evenly across the mushrooms.
- Sprinkle with black pepper. The more you use, the spicier the dish will taste.
- Layer with cheese. I put two rows of 4 slices down the long sides of the pan, then split the remaining two slices of cheese in half lengthwise and put them down the center. It pretty much covers it completely.
- Dollop the cream of mushroom soup over the cheese and spread it around evenly with a spatula. Well, mostly evenly. Don't work too hard.
- Spread the frozen mixed veggies around on top of that.
- Top with frozen tatertots. It'll make a nice pretty grid pattern that's actually pretty helpful for cutting up the casserole to serve when it's baked.
- Bake 1 hour 45 minutes, then remove to a wire rack to cool.
The way I serve this out, one pan makes 8 servings, which is Monday-to-Thursday lunch for myself and my seriously spoiled partner. If you're a cool kid an make two pans of it at a time, that's (Monday:Friday) + (Monday:Wednesday) for two people, and that's just cool. COOL I TELL YOU.
*flies away*
I am pleased to report that, much like meat being back on the menu for the Uruk-Hai in The Two Towers, tatertot casserole is now back on my meatless menu, and it is better than ever. I did not actually cry with the first bite of this version of the casserole, but it was a near thing. I have missed this dish, so, so much.
Related: How did I not know about mushrooms OR Star Wars until I was in my 30s? I mean, I've always liked them on pizza (mushrooms, that is, not Star Wars, you could probably figure that out), but man, they are a versatile little food! I think I may be in love. *_*
The Tatertot Casserole Awakens and It Is MEATLESS!
Ingredients
1 1/2 lb sliced baby portobello mushrooms, rinsed
1 medium yellow onion, coarse-chopped
Black pepper to taste
10 slices American cheese
1 10.5-oz can cream of mushroom soup
1 1-lb bag frozen mixed vegetables
1 2-lb bag frozen tatertots
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325*F.
- Rinse the mushrooms and distribute them evenly across the bottom of an ungreased 13x9" pan.
- Coarse-chop your onion and distribute the pieces evenly across the mushrooms.
- Sprinkle with black pepper. The more you use, the spicier the dish will taste.
- Layer with cheese. I put two rows of 4 slices down the long sides of the pan, then split the remaining two slices of cheese in half lengthwise and put them down the center. It pretty much covers it completely.
- Dollop the cream of mushroom soup over the cheese and spread it around evenly with a spatula. Well, mostly evenly. Don't work too hard.
- Spread the frozen mixed veggies around on top of that.
- Top with frozen tatertots. It'll make a nice pretty grid pattern that's actually pretty helpful for cutting up the casserole to serve when it's baked.
- Bake 1 hour 45 minutes, then remove to a wire rack to cool.
The way I serve this out, one pan makes 8 servings, which is Monday-to-Thursday lunch for myself and my seriously spoiled partner. If you're a cool kid an make two pans of it at a time, that's (Monday:Friday) + (Monday:Wednesday) for two people, and that's just cool. COOL I TELL YOU.
*flies away*
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