Ingredients:

• 32 ounces Tater Tots
• 1 pound ground beef
• 1 cup onions and peppers mix, from the frozen section
• 10 ounces Ro*Tel tomatoes
• 2 cups corn kernels
• 10.5 ounces cream of mushroom soup, undiluted
• 2 cups Cheddar, shredded
• 1 cup sour cream

Instructions

• Place Tater Tots in a greased pan and put them in a 425F oven for about 5 minutes. Remove from the oven and set aside.
• Add the ground beef and onions & peppers mix to a skillet. Cook until the meat is no longer pink.
• Add the Ro*Tel and simmer for 5 minutes to let the extra liquid evaporate.
• Remove from heat and stir in sour cream, cream of mushroom soup, corn, and ½ cup of cheese.
• Stir until blended.
• Spoon into the bottom of a greased 13×9 inch baking dish.
• Sprinkle with 3/4 cup of the remaining cheese.
• Top with the Tater Tots, arranging them in a single layer.
• Cover with the remaining cheese.
• Cover the pan with aluminum foil.
• You can stop at this point and put the casserole in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
• Bake at 425F for 20 minutes. Remove aluminum foil.
• Bake 10 more minutes, or until the top is golden brown.
• Serve hot.

Notes

• You can make cowboy casserole in your slow cooker. Just spray the inside with non-stick spray, layer the ingredients like you would for the casserole dish, cover and cook on low for 6 hours.
• Put this together this up to 3 days ahead of time and refrigerate until ready to bake and serve.
• You can also freeze the baked casserole, tightly covered, for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in your refrigerator and bake as directed.
• Make this even more budget friendly by stretching it with a can of Ranch style, pinto or black beans. Just add with the corn. Drain the black or pinto beans but leave the sauce on the Ranch style if you’re using those.
• No Tater Tots? Use mashed potatoes, au gratin potatoes, or cornbread batter over the top!
• Make this is small, foil tart pans or mini-loaf pans and freeze for individual sized servings. Perfect for those times when everyone in the entire family is going in different directions.

INGREDIENTS

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
• 1/2 cup grated yellow onion (~1 small onion)
• 2 teaspoons minced garlic (2-3 cloves)
• 1/2 cup finely chopped carrot (~1 medium carrot)
• 1 cup finely chopped red bell pepper (~1 bell pepper)
• 1 pound lean (90/10) ground beef
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 1 can (14.5 ounces) crushed tomatoes
• 1/2 cup ketchup (Heinz recommended)
• 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
• 2 tablespoon light brown sugar, (See Note 1)
• 1 teaspoon dry mustard powder
• 2 teaspoons beef bouillon powder
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 1 teaspoon red wine vinegar, optional
• Brioche buns (or your favorite hamburger buns, for serving)
• Optional: butter for toasting buns

INSTRUCTIONS

• PREP VEGGIES: Peel an onion and grate it on the large holes of a cheese grater. Mince the garlic, finely chop (or grate on the large holes) a carrot, and finely chop the red pepper. ALTERNATIVELY, add a coarsely chopped carrot, coarsely chopped red pepper, and garlic to a food processor and pulse into diced pieces.
• COOK VEGGIES: Add 1 tablespoon olive oil and 1 tablespoon butter to a large cast iron skillet and place over medium-high heat. Add in the onion, garlic, carrot, and bell pepper. Sauté for 6-8 minutes or until liquid from the veggies has evaporated and veggies are mostly tender. Using a wooden spoon, press the veggies to the edges of the skillet and add 1 pound ground beef in the center of the pan. Let stand for 45 seconds in the heat and then stir and crumble the meat into small pieces. Cook until no longer pink and cooked through, about 5-8 minutes. As you crumble and cook the meat, incorporate the veggies into the meat.
• SAUCE: Add the 1 tablespoon tomato paste and 1 can crushed tomatoes. Stir for 2-3 minutes to bring out the sweetness of the tomatoes. Add the 1/2 cup ketchup, 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce, 1 tablespoon brown sugar (See Note 1), 1 teaspoon ground mustard/mustard powder, 2 teaspoons beef bouillon powder, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Stir well and then reduce the heat to low. Simmer the mixture until sauce has thickened, about 15 minutes, stirring every few minutes. Prepare the buns while the sauce is cooking. Once thickened, stir in the 1 teaspoon red wine vinegar if desired. Season sauce if needed.
• FINISH: Remove the skillet from the heat. Spoon the mixture on top of toasted buns (See Note 2) and enjoy immediately.