Too Easy Hotdish Food

BUSY DAY HOTDISH

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Butter a 9-by-13-inch glass or ceramic baking dish.
• Heat a medium Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the butter, and once it melts, add the beef and sprinkle with 1 teaspoon salt. Cook, crumbling with a wooden spoon, until browned, 4 to 5 minutes. Add the bell pepper and scallions (saving a handful of the greens for garnish) and cook until the vegetables begin to wilt, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the paprika and several grinds of pepper, then stir to coat the beef in the spices. Stir in the corn.
• Sprinkle the flour over the beef and stir to incorporate. Cook and stir until the flour begins to toast, about 2 minutes. Add the broth and cream gradually while stirring. Bring to a simmer and cook until the sauce thickens, 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in the parsley, mustard, dill and thyme. Pour the mixture into the prepared baking dish. Arrange the curly fries in a tight layer over the top. Sprinkle with the cheese. Bake until the cheese and fries are crispy and the sauce is bubbly, about 40 minutes. Sprinkle with the reserved scallion greens and serve hot.

EASY TATER TOT HOTDISH

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400°F and grease a 9x13" casserole dish.
• Brown ground beef and onion over medium heat until no pink remains. Drain any fat.
• In a bowl mix together soup, sour cream, milk, garlic powder, dry mustard, ½ cup of cheese, and salt and pepper.
• Mix together beef, soup mixture, and mixed vegetables in the casserole dish. Layer tater tots on top and sprinkle with remaining cheese.
• Cover and cook for 30 minutes. Remove foil and cook an additional 20 minutes or until golden and bubbly.

A MINNESOTAN'S BEEF AND MACARONI HOTDISH

Steps:

• Cook beef in large skillet over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until browned, about 5 minutes. Transfer beef to a bowl.
• Cook macaroni, bell pepper, and onion in the same skillet over medium heat for 3 minutes. Add cooked beef, tomato sauce, tomatoes, Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce, salt, basil, oregano, ground black pepper, chili powder, garlic powder, and hot pepper sauce. Pour in beef broth. Cover skillet and simmer until macaroni is tender, about 15 minutes. Remove lid and simmer, stirring occasionally, until thickened, 5 to 10 minutes.

TOO EASY HOT DISH

Steps:

• 1. Spray a 9 inch x 13 inch cake pan with non-stick cooking spray. (I have also just lightly greased my pan with cooking oil or shortening.)
• 2. Put the meat in the bottom of the pan; spread it out as evenly as you can. Spread it out with your hands or the back of a spatula.
• 3. Add the two cans of cream of anything soup on top of the meat. Spread the soup evenly. (Use the soup fully condensed; DO NOT DILUTE.)
• 4. Put the frozen potatoes on top of the soup in a single layer and spread out evenly.
• 5. Spread cheese evenly over the potatoes.
• 6. Place, uncovered in a 400 degrees F. oven. Bake for 35 - 40 minutes, or until the potatoes on top are browned and crispy. (If you use a glass pan, it may bake a little faster.)
• 7. NOTE: I season the meat before I add it, and I season my potatoes before adding them. I don't usually add much salt, but I do add a little to the meat and potatoes. We like LOTS of garlic, so I add garlic and onions to the meat.

CHICKEN POT TOT HOTDISH

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400ºF.
• In a large skillet, melt the butter over medium-high heat. Add the onion and carrots and a pinch of salt and cook, stirring until soft, about 10 minutes. Stir in the flour so that it gets evenly distributed. Add 1 1/2 cups of the milk, stirring constantly until thickened. Repeat with the remaining 1 1/2 cups milk. Stir in the chicken broth base, peas, chicken, thyme, and a few turns of pepper and simmer, stirring often, until the chicken is cooked through and no longer pink, 10 to 15 minutes. Taste the mixture and adjust seasonings if desired.
• Transfer the mixture to an 11x8-inch baking dish (or other 3-quart ovenproof dish) and cover the bitch with Tater Tots. Arrange them snugly and neatly. Bake until the tots are golden brown. Begin checking for doneness at 30 minutes. Let cool slightly and serve with ketchup, if desired.