Pizza Tot Casserole
Food is woven into childhood memories, is it not? I still remember butterscotch pudding eaten in ice cream cones, and chocolate snowball cookies at Christmas from my own childhood. The first time I made Pizza Tot Casserole I had no idea that it would end up becoming a family favorite that is fondly remembered by now-grown children.
Virtually every time we eat this casserole for supper, one of the boys reminisces about the first time we ate it.
They had been gone all day on a field trip to a Civil War museum, and returned home cold and hungry. Tumbling in the front door with coats and papers, they were greeted by the aroma of a hot supper. Earlier that day I had flipped through a magazine and discovered this simple recipe. The table was set with a pretty tablecloth and candles for cozy atmosphere. They even remember drinking chocolate milk with that meal, since it was a rare treat.
Funny how it’s the simple things like family meals that shape our children’s memories of home.
Meals don’t have to be fancy or expensive to be memorable, so don’t feel like you’re not enough. A hot meal together at the end of the day goes a long way towards making your family feel cared for.
Pizza Tot Casserole
leftover spaghetti sauce (or a couple of jars/cans of spaghetti sauce), preferably with meat
4 cups shredded mozzarella cheese (for a 9 x 13 pan, adjust accordingly)
1 pkg. frozen tater tots
Spread the spaghetti sauce in a pan. Cover with cheese and top with tater tots. Bake at 400 degrees until tater tots are golden brown, about 25-30 minutes.
I’m sure the magazine recipe was more polished and exact, but cooking for families is rarely either.
Charlotte, Just put this on the menu for this week!! Kids are going to love it! Thanks!
Hope you enjoy it, Denny! (I like how easy it is!)
This recipe sounds like a real kid-pleaser for sure! But, it doesn’t sound particularly healthy and low-whatever!! When you were on your weight-loss journey, did you eat meals like this — and just adjust the portion size? Or did you begin to make different types of meals for yourself or for your entire family?? Thanks for sharing your life with us! You are always an inspiration!
I didn’t eat special foods or make different meals for myself. I lost all my weight eating pizza, hamburgers and ice cream. I ate when I was hungry and stopped when I was full, which was usually a small portion while I still had lots of extra weight on my body. I didn’t obsess over ingredients because if you’re eating small portions, you’re getting less fat, less carbs, less whatever. So yes, I ate Pizza Tot Casserole while I lost weight!
I love reading about your lovely home and family. As a mom to 6 young kids it a simple reminder of how I want my home to be. Thank you.
Aww, thank you. You’re wise to have a vision of what your family life to be.
Charlotte, doing well over here. Will definitely try this recipe and might add pepperoni and mushrooms or other stuff. Yum! Thanks for sharing your secrets! 🙂
This recipe is delicious! I made it this past weekend and my son and I loved it! Its simple and quick to put together and made the house smell so good while it was baking!
this sounds good – I occasionally have done tater tots like loaded baked potatoes (cheese, bacon bits, chives and sour cream), but we are big pizza fans so I’m going to try this as soon as I get more sauce :o)
This sounds like something my kids would love! And it’s simple enough that it could be tossed together without a whole lot of effort and time. Perfect! Thank you 🙂
This looks so yummy and simple. I am always looking for simple recipes I can make for my hubby and 6 kiddos.
This will be added to our menu – the girls will love it!
Thanks for sharing the recipe. It sounds good. We had a breakfast casserole with tater tots over the weekend. If you get a chance check out some of my family favorite recipes on my blog Recipe for Life at: deborah-bateman.blogspot.com
Blessings,
Deborah H. Bateman-Author
Charlotte-
This recipe has become a family favorite. We add a pound of ground beef to up the protein, but it still keeps it easy. In fact, we keep these ingredients on hand as an emergency meal, since the cheese can go in the freezer. If there is a sudden pizza craving, or we forget to plan for dinner, this works great in a pinch. Especially if you are skilled in the area of browning ground beef from a frozen state 🙂 And lastly, it is a fun gift for a new mom or busy family – a “Tater Tot Casserole Kit”. Thanks for the recipe!
I love finding new recipes to try. TatorTots pizza casserole sounds great.