Max, John and Henry all really liked this when I made it!
Ingredients
4 strips of bacon
1/2 yellow onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 lb ground sirloin
1 10.5 oz can cream of mushroom soup
3/4 cup milk
salt
black pepper
3 cup baby spinach, roughly chopped
1 cup frozen corn
8 oz shredded cheddar or colby jack cheese
1 32 oz bag of tater tots
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
chopped chives or scallions, for garnish
Instructions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Remove the tater tots from the freezer to allow them to thaw slightly while you prepare the filling. Heat a large cast iron skillet over medium heat. Add the bacon and cook until golden brown and extra crispy, 6-8 minutes. Remove to a paper towel-lined plate and leave the grease in the skillet. Set all of the bacon aside for topping later.
Add the onion to the skillet and cook until slightly softened, about 4 minutes. Add the garlic and cook 1 more minute. Add the ground beef and break into small pieces with a spatula. Cook the meat until no pink remains, about 6-8 minutes. Drain off excess fat or liquid, if you like. Remove skillet from the heat. Stir in the soup, milk, salt and black pepper and mix until smooth. Fold in the spinach to wilt slightly, then the corn.
Sprinkle the cheese evenly over the top pf the casserole. Arrange the tater tots on top, tightly together. Sprinkle the top with parmesan cheese and some more black pepper.
Bake 30-35 minutes until the tater tots are golden. Remove from the oven and crumble the cooked bacon over top. Let rest 5 minutes. Top with chopped chives or scallions, and serve.
