Ingredients
- 4-5 cups Frozen Tater Tots
- 1 cup Milk
- ¾ cup CheeseGrated; I like Cheddar!
- 2 ea Large eggs
- 0.5 tsp Kosher Salt
- 1 tsp Black Pepper
- 1 tsp Onion Powder
- 3 Tbs Cornmeal topping
Directions
I got the recipe for this super easy potato casserole from one of my dear American friends.
She handed it to me a few years ago after I first tasted it at her house. I asked my friend about the origin of her potato casserole, and she just shrugged her shoulders, “That’s what Momma used to put on the table when she got home after work and fed us a quick dinner. We had it at least once a week for years!”
I like that this recipe can be done in a fast and furious fashion. Boom! And you have a nice side for your main entree. I have tried serving the easy potato casserole with glazed chicken thighs and baked pork. It’s also very good when made for breakfast with eggs and sausage! Finally, for a good, hearty dinner try to serve it with Bacon-Wrapped Hamburger Roll.
A (Very) Brief History of American Casseroles
The Dictionary defines the origin of “casserole” as such:
“n.
1706, “stew pan,” from French casserole “sauce pan” (16c.), diminutive ofMiddle French casse “pan” (14c.), from Provençal cassa “melting pan,”from Medieval Latin cattia “pan, vessel,” possibly from Greek kyathion, diminutive of kyathos “cup for the wine bowl.” Originally the pan, sincec.1930 also of the dishes cooked in it, via cookery phrases such as encasserole, à la casserole.”
First of all, the American history of casseroles cannot be separated from Pyrex that first introduced casserole glass cookware on the market back in 1913.
Norman Rockwell painted his famous Thanksgiving-themed “Freedom from Want” back in 1943. If you look at the feast table, you can see a nice casserole dish on it!
In 1947 Harry Truman gave the nation his “Food Conservation” speech in which he asked folks to stick with “Meatless Tuesdays”. That was supposed to help Europe to cope with their post-war recovery. As a result, his wife, Mrs. Bess Truman, came up with a tuna noodle casserole dish designed specifically for for this occasion.
1950s Casserole Revolution was not far from then..
So from 1950s, the one-dish meals became a true staple and one of the most popular homemade foods in America. Countless versions of chicken and rice, macaroni beef, easy potato and Mexican-style casseroles emerged in the mid-century cookbooks. Finally, in 1955 Miss Dorcas Reilly, a test kitchen worker at Campbell’s Soup Company, invented one of the most popular casserole dishes ever: Green Bean Casserole!
To this day, new casserole recipes pop up on popular websites every year! It seems like this dish will never go out of style!
Now, on a gluten-free note…
…when you buy frozen tater tots, PLEASE MAKE SURE THERE IS A GLUTEN-FREE SIGN ON THE BAG! Because those are pre-cooked potatoes, there is a good chance that they were cross-contaminated with gluten-containing foods. Here is a link to a list of gluten-free items from Ore Ida brand (and several others) posted by Karen Joy on her website a few years ago. I buy Ore Ida tater tots, and my whole family enjoys them.
Here is how to make Vintage Easy Potato Casserole:
Steps
1 Done | Set ¼ cup milk aside in separate bowl. Mix milk with cornmeal and let rest. In a sautéing pan cook frozen tater tots on medium just until they start falling apart. Use the pan that you are going to bake casserole in. |
2 Done | Mix milk, eggs, salt, pepper, onion powder in separate bowl. Add milk and egg mixture to potatoes, mix well. Add grated cheese, mix till combined. |
3 Done | Sprinkle cornmeal mixture on top of casserole. Bake on the middle rack for 35 minutes. Enjoy! |
