Hamburger Recipe - aka "Hamburger Tater Tot Casserole"

 

Casseroles.  In many ways they seem so "old fashioned".  If you watch any of today's food TV shows, they might show a casserole once in a great while, but usually, they showcase yummy, pretty, tasty dishes that are called anything but a casserole.  It just seems they think of them as "old school", cheap, lazy, unhealthy, boring - the list could go on. Well, while rifling through my grandma's and aunt's recipe boxes, I came across more than a few casserole recipes.  In their lifetimes, feeding your family a casserole was respectable, practical, convenient and a down right good meal. In fact, I think I found this Hamburger/Tater Tot Casserole on at least 5 different recipe cards - in one box!!  Must have been thought of as a good one.  I also think though, my Grandma would hand write several copies of a recipe and have them ready to share at a moments notice if asked for the recipe.  That must be it.  I don't know how else to explain so many cards with the same recipe, in the same hand writing. This recipe card was an outlier - same recipe - different title though.

Since I have been on a casserole binge, I decided to make one for Bubba.  Due to baseball travel, he missed out on the Lasagna and Tuna Casserole and grumbled about it when he came home.  I actually think he had Casserole FOMO!!  I honestly have been under the impression he didn't like casseroles, so I don't usually make them.  I still don't think he cares for them, but he realizes my friends like them, so he is jumping on the band wagon.  I was surprised that somewhere in his childhood, he hadn't had this 70's casserole.  If those reading this think back, (and you were born in the 30's, 40's, 50's, 60's and 70's) you probably ate this - and probably more than once! Bubba jumped right in, stuffed his mouth full, fought off that burnt tongue feeling and mumbled something like "it's ood" with a surprised look on his face. (I think he was saying it was good - at least that's what he later claimed he was saying).  

Hamburger Recipe

Ground Chuck

1 1/2 lb chuck, something I can't read, so I just broke it up and spread it on the bottom of a 9 x 13 inch pan.

Season with salt, pepper, thyme and celery salt (I used celery seed cause it's what I had.  Cover with 1/2 C. chopped onion and 1/2 C. green pepper

1 can cream chicken soup

1 can cream mushroom soup

Cover with frozen tater tots.

Bake 35 to 45 or 1 hour at 350°

I actually combined the soups, the onion and green pepper, spread it over the ground chuck and then topped with the tater tots.