Frugal Family Feast: Tater Bite Casserole
Casseroles can be a budget-friendly way to feed a hungry crowd. This week’s Frugal Family Feast features Tater Bite casserole, made with savory ground beef and those little potato puffs just about everyone loves.
Chef Rey De La Osa, resident chef at Publix Aprons Cooking School, shared his recipe for this casserole with Money Talks News founder Stacy Johnson. Watch the video and read on for the recipe.
Tater Bite casserole is a fun, tasty and easy meal that’s reminiscent of shepherd’s pie, with the interesting twist of the crunchy potato bites on top. This recipe lives up to the Frugal Family Feast requirements, allowing you to serve the casserole, small salad and fresh bread for less than $15. The final tally was only $13.63.
Chef Rey started by baking the little hash brown puffs, sold in the freezer section, according to package directions. You can also saute them in a frying pan in a little bit of vegetable or canola oil. After they’re crispy, set them aside.
Next, brown the ground beef with the seasoning blend for five to seven minutes, until it is fully cooked and the meat is not pink. Add the soups and vegetables. You can arrange the Tater Bites on top of the mixture or serve them on the side.
This casserole cooks up in just a half hour.
Tater Bite Casserole – courtesy of Publix Aprons Cooking School
Ingredients:
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2 tablespoons canola (or vegetable) oil
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3 cups frozen Tater Bites or Tater Tots
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1 cup frozen seasoning blend (onions, celery, bell peppers)
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1 1/2 pounds ground beef (chuck)
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1 cup condensed beefy mushroom soup
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1/2 cup condensed tomato bisque soup
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1 (8.5-ounce) can peas and carrots, drained
To prepare casserole:
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Preheat large nonstick saute pan on medium heat for two to three minutes. Add oil, then add Tater Bites. Cook and stir eight to 10 minutes or until golden. Remove from pan. If you prefer to use the oven, cook according to package directions.
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Add seasoning blend and ground beef to the same pan. Brown for five to seven minutes, stirring to crumble meat, or until no pink remains.
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Stir in both soups, along with peas and carrots. Cook three to five minutes or until mixture thickens. Arrange Tater Bites on top of beef mixture and cook another three to five minutes, until Tater Bites are hot. Serve and enjoy.
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This article was originally published on MoneyTalksNews.com as 'Frugal Family Feast: Tater Bite Casserole'.