TATER TOT APPETIZERS RECIPE RECIPES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Remove the tater tots from the freezer to let them thaw slightly while you prepare the filling. Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add the bacon and cook until golden brown and extra crispy, 6-8 minutes. Remove to a paper towel lined plate and leave the grease in the skillet. Set all of the bacon aside for topping later. 
• Add the onion to the skillet and cook until slightly softened, about 4 minutes. Add the garlic and cook 1 more minute. Add the ground beef and break into small pieces with a wooden spoon. Cook the meat until no pink pieces remain, 6-8 minutes. Drain off excess fat or liquid, if you like. Remove skillet from the heat. Stir in the soup, milk, salt and ½ teaspoon black pepper and mix until smooth. Fold in the spinach to wilt slightly, then the corn.
• Sprinkle the cheddar cheese evenly over the top of the casserole. Place the tater tots on top in a single layer, arranging them in concentric circles (or just toss them on and push them very close together.) Sprinkle the top with parmesan cheese and the additional 1/4 teaspoon of black pepper. 
• Bake 30-35 minutes until the tater tots are golden. Remove from the oven and crumble the cooked bacon over top. Let rest 5 minutes. Top with chopped chives or scallions and serve.  

Steps:

• Heat oven to 400 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and grease with half of the oil.
• Place potatoes in a bowl of cold water and agitate for 10 to 15 seconds. Drain.
• Transfer 1/2 of the potatoes to the bowl of a food processor and pulse until broken down into rough 1/4 to 1/8th inch pieces, about twenty-five 1-second pulses. Transfer to a clean dish towel and repeat with the remaining potatoes.
• Wrap dish towel around processed potatoes and squeeze well to remove as much liquid as possible. Discard liquid and transfer potatoes to a medium microwave-safe bowl. Microwave for 1 minute, stir, and then microwave for 1 more minute.
• Stir potatoes — they might be a little sticky — then let cool for 2 minutes. Sprinkle the salt, onion powder, cornstarch, parsley, cheese, and a few grinds of black pepper over the potatoes. Gently mix in to combine. (The mixture will be sticky, a rubber spatula or fork work well).
• Shape potatoes into cylinders about 3/4-inch wide and 1-inch long. Place shaped tater tots onto oiled baking sheet.
• Drizzle tops of tater tots with remaining oil then bake until golden brown on the bottom, about 10 minutes. Carefully flip each tater tot — using two forks helps to wiggle any tots that are more stuck to the foil than others — then bake until the second side is golden brown, another 10 minutes.