Cheap Eats: Cozy Comfort Casserole

This weekend ushered in the final days of the warmish fall season. Winter is almost here, people!

I decided to curl up today with one of my favorite dishes while watching Elf on television with my roommates. My aunt created the recipe for an easy, cheap and delicious casserole, which she calls "cozy comfort." I call it the only thing I actually enjoy cooking.

This everything-but-the-kitchen-sink recipe is really simple, too. It takes less than 10 minutes to prepare and 45 minutes to bake.

What you'll need
a glass baking dish, a frying pan and a strainer
vegetable oil spray
1/4 cup of milk
1/2 can of Cream of Mushroom soup
1/2 bag of mixed frozen vegetables
1 pkg. ground beef (or turkey, if you want to go leaner)
1 bag frozen tater tots
1/2 bag shredded cheddar cheese


Start by browning the ground beef in your frying pan on a medium setting.

Set the oven to preheat at 375 degrees and grease your baking dish so they will be ready when the meat is done.

Strain your meat and pour it into the glass dish. Then, pour in the milk and the can of soup and mix well.  You can also put a few tater tots on the bottom of the dish as a base.

After you've mixed your ingredients, pour on a layer of the mixed frozen vegetables. I used a Food Lion brand with carrots, peas, corn and green beans. On top of that, add the rest of the tater tots and top it all off with a layer of shredded cheddar.

Before it goes into the oven it looks like this:

Bake for 45 minutes and do some homework or something while you await the bliss. That's the hardest part.


But when time is up:

Enjoy the delicious warmth of the cozy comfort casserole!

In this pan, there's enough to save and eat it all week. Or bring it to a potluck! I brought it to one and it was gone in less than 10 minutes. At just $15, the deal is unmatchable.

--Amanda