tater tot casserole

tater tot casserole, ©sarampeters

I have very distinct memories of a tater tot casserole from my teenage years. It the was the comfort food meal at diocesan youth conferences at a conference center in Boone, Iowa. Being a teenager, and the experiences therein, were awkward, uncomfortable and exciting. Who were going to be best friends at the conference.... who was going to have a falling out resulting in major drama.... who was going to have a crush on whom.... oh, yeah... how was God going to fit into all of this....

But the constant was the tater tot casserole.

I reached out to a fellow former youth conference attendee trying to find the recipe that has haunted my memory's taste buds. She offered an excellent recipe, though not the same, but it has become a staple comfort food in our home now.

My adult taste buds prefer this "new" recipe, and it is so easy to change up and adapt to your family's preferences.

Below is the recipe as I received it, and then my notes will follow:

TATER TOT CASSEROLE

Ingredients:

1 lb ground beef
1 medium onion
1 small bell pepper
3 Tb butter
2 Tb flour
1 1/2 C milk
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp dried thyme*
1/2 - 1 C veggie of choice (corn, green beans, peas, carrots, mix)
1 1/2 C shredded cheddar cheese*
1/2 bag of tater tots (enough to cover casserole dish)*

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 375˚
Brown meat, onion, and pepper together with 2 tablespoons of butter, and add salt and pepper.
Cook until meat is no longer pink, and veggies are softened.
In same pan, melt 1 tablespoon of butter on medium high heat and add 2 tablespoons of flour, mixing well.
Lower heat to medium low, and add in 1 1/2 cup of milk, stirring until smooth.
Add in 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon* of dried thyme, and veggies.
Add in 1 cup of shredded cheddar cheese, stirring until melted.
Put meat/cheese mixture in 9x9 casserole dish.
Top with tots and salt & pepper.

Cook for 45 minutes at 350˚.

Throw extra cheese on top of tots and place back in oven for 10-15 minutes.

Take out of oven and let sit for 20 minutes.

Serve.

Serves 4-6 (possibly a little more, but second helpings are a demand, so it doesn't go as far as it could!)


*Sara's Notes:

The vegetable I use for this is a can of green beans (to be added with seasonings). 

**Most often, I will also chop up a summer squash and a zucchini and cook that with the meat, onion and pepper. (It's a great way to get some added veggies into this dish!)

Reduce the thyme to 1/2 teaspoon. (this adjustment was the deal breaker for my husband -- the full teaspoon was too much, and he rolls his eyes every time I tell him we're having this for dinner (ingrained bad memory), but the reduced thyme makes this one of his favorite meals and he won't stop talking about it once it's made.)

Increase the cheese to 2 cups (1 1/4 -- 1 1/2 cups in the mixture, the rest on top)

I buy a large bag of tots, (can you have too many tots?) I will throw some in the bottom of the casserole dish, then pour the mixture, then cover the top with tots. 

The To-Do I Didn't Want To Do

On the first of each month I make a to-do list of things to focus on that particular month. 

I did it a month ago, and from my review, it’s clear I was not focused on the list. I chalk this up to not writing it in a conspicuous place, instead hiding the list of to-dos away in a file on my laptop.

I did get a couple of the items finished. Probably the one that surprised me the most was, by far and away, the one item I did not want to write down.

Even before I typed it, I remember thinking, “What?? I’m not writing that down!”.... and the more I tried to not commit it to paper, the more the voice in my head urged me to do it. 

The task?  Ask for help.

“Ask for help for what?” I thought. But it was clear that I was to type it out.... and wait. (Ugh!)

It is hard for me to ask for help. I prefer to do things on my own, and do them well. But 

God has been drawing Joe and me into a season where we cannot do things on our own, and we have to rely on Him each day for every single thing. 

About a week later, I found myself emailing a respected leader in our life, asking for help. We needed to connect with an advisor to get an objective perspective on something that was overwhelming me, as well as receive much needed encouragement. We met a week or ten days later, and were very uplifted by the meeting, and received the advice we needed. 

Also, during that time, I was reflecting on my performance at work, realizing there was a gap between what I was giving and what I could be giving. I took the store manager at his word and asked him to help me overcome a couple of challenges I had noticed in my job performance. I didn’t take the easy road and ask a question I knew the answer to, I dug and said, “This is where I’m really struggling, how can we change it?”  I’ve continued to do that as we chat at the end of each shift what my opportunities were that day. 

The results of asking for help have been quite interesting. 

The first meeting I mentioned, resulted in a little bit of networking that never would have happened otherwise. 

At work, I have grown my performance and have been just shy of achieving a high honor within the company for attaining certain statistics. Actually, I’ve been just short three weeks in a row, all for different statistical reasons. But I haven’t been close to achieving that honor for at least four months, and then close calls three weeks in a row!

I realized that I am where I am for a reason. If I don’t take advantage of the lessons God has for me at this particular time and place, I won’t be able to move on to the next thing God has for me. 

Too many times in life, I’ve had an opportunity to grow and learn, and I shut the door because of my selfishness or laziness. Looking back on those seasons, I wish I could have taken fuller advantage of what was in front of me. I’m in that kind of a place right now. And I want to take in what I can so that it prepares me for what is to come. 

The last few days, I’ve been overcome with gratitude.... for everything I have.... for the little things I passed by... my appreciation has increased ten-fold or more for things I took for granted. 

I feel the lessons that God is teaching are sinking in. Perspective is shifting and that needs to happen to welcome the next season of life.  

I can now look back with confidence that it was Him leading me to write what I thought was ludicrous -- ask for help. 

Is there an area of your life that asking for help could unlock lessons and blessings? 

Sloooooooooowwww Dooooooooowwwwwwwnnnnnnnnn

©sarampeters 2014

I’ve been so stinkin’ restless the last few days. I’m tired, worn out, irritable, and just done. 

I can’t quite pin it down, though I’ve tried: increased hours at work -- though a blessing to our financial struggle -- has kept me away from home and what I need (and want) to do, my circadian rhythm is off and I can’t get out of bed before 8am because I’m up until midnight each night, I’ve got so much to do I’m simply overwhelmed, the talking and being with people constantly has drained my tank and I’m on fumes and can’t get downtime to replenish and renew, the worries of money and life stuff is taking precedence in my thoughts.... 

I’ve noticed I’m piddling away a lot of time on my phone and on TV. I have to be doing something, listening to something, watching something all the time. My hands and brain are fidgety.  And I’m realizing how some of my time is outright wasted and I could have time to read if I didn’t piddle so much. 

And then today..... I was walking in my yard, snapping photographs of the daffodils, hyacinth, pear trees budding and dogwood starting to burst open... and it hit me -- 

I haven’t stopped. 

Even in my capture of images on a beautiful bright blue sky day, I felt hurried. There’s a freeze taking hold the next couple of nights and I don’t know what it will do to the blooms and buds. So I had to hurry and grab some photos so I had some good early spring pictures. 

And then as I stood under the Bradford pear tree, it dawned on me. I need to be still. I just need to stop and see what’s surrounding me, and really look and take it in and thank God for His miracles. 

Slowing down. Yes, it’s hard. But we must do it. It is vital to our health and existence to slow down and be still. The photo I took at the moment of this realization wasn’t even a good shot, but it reminds me of what I wouldn’t have seen if I hadn’t stopped. 

Taking an extra moment and deliberately gazing on the flowers opening on a pear tree came alive to me. The sky was extra blue and I saw several jet trails spanning horizon to horizon. The birds’ songs were louder. The air a little clearer. 

My heart a bit lighter, my head less fuzzy, my countenance softer.... 

Be still. 

Know God is God. 

Accept each moment with joy and as the gift it is. 

encouragement

Encouragement

1. the act of giving hope or support to someone.

2. the expression of approval and support.

3. the feeling of being encouraged.

I guess I shouldn’t be.... but I am simply AMAZED at how God meets me where I am. 

Yesterday was a difficult day on many levels. It was a physically exhausting day, mentally taxing, spiritually wearing... and I was having a bad hair day, and frustrated that I needed a haircut badly. (Ladies, you know that can be the straw that breaks that poor camel’s back... and all on HUMP DAYYYYYY nonetheless.....oh fine, I’ll stop!)

Let’s sum up that I was quite discouraged.

Today I woke up, and from the first few moments, I found encouragement dotted throughout the day. I received a text from a dear friend, followed by Facebook notifications of encouraging comments that had been left in the hours prior. I found encouragement through my Bible Study group, as God confirmed through our discussion things He’s been whispering to me this week, as well as just showing me I am not alone in my struggles. A phone call with said dear friend was filled with more encouragement that astounded me. At work, a co-worker complimented my hair and I had to stop myself from explaining my struggles with the boy band mop on my head and just accept the kind word. A conversation with a couple of customers was edifying and mutually encouraging. When I left work tonight, it was SNOWING!! (and yet my weather apps showed 0% chance of precipitation...) My husband told me I looked cute tonight (that always helps!). And uplifting comments came my way this evening through Facebook (quite fitting to bookend the day with Facebook comments!). 

I needed today. It was, by far, not a perfect day, but the encouragement was just what I needed. God saw fit to fill the day with that particular provision. 

I love the first definition of today’s key word: the act of giving hope or support to someone. 

Today many reached out giving hope.... laying support at my weary feet. And you brought life. Your support, your time, your precious words are treasures in my heart and I dearly cherish them. 

There are days when I want to ask God, “Where are you????” and when I’m patient..... and willing to wait...... the next day will show up and He whispers, “everywhere........”  

My 500 Words, #EmptyShelf & Photo-A-Day

2014.... ready or not ..... here I come!!

I love a new year. 

Clean slate. Fresh start. Hope. Expectation. Dreams. Goals. Mile long to-do lists. 

My mind is abubble with thoughts rampantly racing through my brain, trying to catch a glimpse of what the year may have in store. 

This year is no different..... Yet, I feel this year is different. 

Maybe it’s my (yet again) naïve self living in the dreamworld of my imagination that this year will really be the year that will be the milestone marker of life. The year that I look back and say, “Wow, that 2014 sure was amazing!” The year that I conquer struggles and achieve daring deeds and emerge victorious all happy and grinning and shaking my fist in the air, screaming, “I DID IT!!!” 

A reality check in the form of a cynical and snide little voice whispers in my ear, “Sure, you say this every year, and look where you end up -- a year of wasted time, opportunities passed by, and you didn’t risk much did you?” 

But I really and truly (at this moment) want this year to be different. It feels like a “poop or get off the pot” year. I can no longer just say, “Hey, I want to do X, Y & Z.”  

I’ve got to do it...... THIS year.

So as this year is settling in (at the end of the day on January 1st), I have found myself, perhaps, already biting off a bit more than I may be able chew.  But, then again, for people who know me, this is typical. But I’m excited. I have just this month in view. A sprint of sorts. Surely I can concentrate on a couple of goals for just 31 days, right? (Check in with me around the 11th or 14th of this month... and if I have fallen away on these goals, please encourage the heck out of me to get back with it and help drive away that cynical voice that may be beating me up at that point.)

I have signed up for 2 challenges -- one for this month, and one for the year. Of course I have a little side challenge I want to work on as well. The main purposes of the challenges are to instill disciplines that will create the habits that I want my life to have. 

Writing.

Reading.

Photography. 

That is not the actual order of importance for me, but more the order of urgency of the particular challenges I have chosen. Let’s break them down.

Writing

I am about to finish reading the book You Are a Writer by Jeff Goins. Thinking of myself as a writer is difficult and I feel a bit fraudulent in declaring such a statement. A little while back, I heard Jeff in an interview where he encourages those who write to declare themselves  writers. (“I am a writer!”) And only after declaring oneself such, will that person actually start believing it, thus acting like it and pursuing the craft with more diligence. The book goes into this concept in more detail. 

Needless to say, I was a little giddy when I received Jeff’s email newsletter introducing his challenge for January -- write 500 words every day for the month of January. 

500 words doesn’t sound outlandish, but certainly an amount of discipline is needed -- especially for the every single day for 31 days part. (Even at this point, I am about to knock on the door of 600 words already.) 

What attracted me was the commitment of writing every day. Writers write. To be a writer, I have to write. And though I love the idea of writing every day, it is way too easy for me to get distracted, then tired, and come up with 12 excuses of why I’ll sit and write tomorrow. I am also aware that within the 31 days, I will likely hit a slump, wonder what in the world I should write, etc., etc.  I realize I need to hit those times and work through them anyway.  Through the challenge, Jeff has already promised writing prompts to help with the flow. 

But more than anything, at the end of this month, I want to look back and say, “I did it. I wrote every day for an entire month and logged more than 15,500 words.”  I don’t plan to have every day’s writing published, but I imagine a fair share of it will show up here on my blog. Leave me a comment and let me know you’re out there! 

If you enjoy writing, or would like to take a stab at the challenge, visit www.goinswriter.com/my500words . There is a great community forming already. Already at the time of this writing, there are almost 700 in the Facebook Group that Jeff set up, and over 400 blogs are linking up. 

Reading

If you know me, you know I love to read.  You know there are few circumstances in life in which I wouldn’t rather be reading. Day of wintry weather? Stay in, snuggle up and read. Beautiful sunny day? Sit on the porch with a delicious cup of yumminess and read. If given a few extra hours in the day, I would surely say, “I’ll use the time to read!” 

And no one knows more than my husband how many bins of books are residing in our attic, while I insist that I will get through them all before I leave this earth. (He has threatened -- quite convincingly, I might add -- that if I die before him, the first thing he’ll do is drag the books down and throw them in the street or have a magnificent bonfire in the backyard.  Yeah, he’s not much of a reader... but don’t hold it against him. He squishes bugs and other important things that allow me to forgive him this little insufficiency.)

Another writer/blogger/speaker I have been following in recent times is Jon Acuff.  The day after Christmas, I discovered Jon’s post from Christmas Eve -- http://acuff.me/2013/12/empty-shelf-challenge/

The Empty Shelf Challenge is about clearing a bookshelf and adding books that are read this year.  This excites me on several levels -- keeping track of the books I’ve read, but also being a part of the community that is doing #EmptyShelf, I’ll discover great books, as well as fellow readers and even other bloggers. Jon has a board on Pinterest for readers to add photos or screenshots of their empty shelves (and this includes Goodreads and e-reader apps as well as physical bookshelves) and shots as they add books to their shelves. I’m currently reading two books I hope to finish soon so I can add the books to my #EmptyShelf. 

(If you are on Goodreads, but we’re not friends yet, please leave a comment or follow me on twitter at @saranades -- I’d love to connect!)

Photography

This is where my heart lies.  In my youth, I was a musician. I couldn’t think of anything coming close to making me feel the way music did.  Though I miss my music days (you’ll still find me singing in the car and banging my hand on the steering wheel), photography, a close second, evokes emotions and thoughts that many times I cannot even express. I absolutely love being struck with such awe at a photograph that someone has taken, as well as that moment when I snap the shutter and know I have captured a moment unique in time. 

I have fiddle-farted around with my photography for 10 years. But this year. This is the year I want to really sink into it and see what happens. 

I have ideas, goals and dreams for this year in this area, but what I’m willing to share is that I want to grow and learn. I still have so much to learn -- technical knowledge that will allow me to understand my tool and my surroundings a bit better. But most importantly, I want to be still.... and listen..... and engage my surroundings with my eyes wide open.  And find that moment, that angle, that bit of wonder in the ordinary to capture and then share with the world. 

So it may seem a little anti-climactic, or confusing, to say that my challenge on the side is an Instagram challenge. I’m not hoping to capture a shot of a lifetime with my iPhone on Instagram. But the challenge does test me in consistency, discipline and looking around for a shot that will correspond to that day’s assignment. For that reason, I look forward to this challenge, and it will carry forth into grander ideas with my trusty DSLR. 

If you are on Instagram, connect with me!  My user name is saranades.

This post, aka Day 1 of My 500 Words, exceeded my thoughts and expectations. This is quite lengthy and I certainly did not plan on that, but it gives a good background of what I’m up to this month. If you are still reading, thanks for hanging in there. (And look at that! Exceeded 1500 words! Yes, I’m known to be an overachiever of sorts.... ) I’ll shoot for brevity another day...