With Krista out of town, I’ve perfected a few very simple but very tasty recipes that any bachelor can quickly, easily cook for himself or (for you true bachelors,) that special someone. The first in my series of Bachelor Recipes: Ultimate Bachelor Tater Tots.
I love tater tots and can make a meal of them, but only if they’re a crunchy, golden brown. This can be surprisingly difficult, because the instructions on the package are lousy. Following said instructions, you come back when the alloted time is up only to find that they are not yet a crunchy, golden brown. Resetting the timer for 2 or 3 minutes, this can happen 3 or 4 more times before they’re just right – OR you eat them mushy because you’re too hungry and tired of waiting! Add to this the problem of waiting for the oven to preheat (I always get busy doing other stuff and forget to check back) and you end up being really hungry! Well, not any more. This recipe yields a perfect plateful of tater tots every time.
Ingredients: Tater tots, garlic salt, butter-flavored cooking spray, ketchup
Do NOT preheat oven.
Place a piece of aluminum foil on a cookie sheet, shiny side down.
Spray aluminum foil lightly with butter-flavored cooking spray. (Not the whole thing – just an area in the center which is slightly larger than you need for the amount of tots you’ll be cooking.)
Sprinkle garlic salt on top of buttered area. (Did you know that garlic salt is its own food group?)
Arrange tots on buttered area.
Spray tots lightly with butter-flavored cooking spray.
Sprinkle garlic salt on tots.
Set oven to 450 degrees and put tots in oven.
Set timer for 45 minutes.
NOTE: This recipe is perfect for my oven. Your mileage may vary. Keep a close eye on your tots the first time you try this (wouldn’t want to burn ‘em!), and adjust the time as necessary.
When timer goes off, remove tots from oven. Carefully grab two opposing corners of tin foil (it’s not hot) so they can be held between thumb and forefinger of one hand. Lift off of cookie sheet and grab one other corner in the other hand. Lift this corner to pour tots onto a paper plate. Fold up foil and place in recycling.
By the time you finish eating, cookie sheet will be cool. Put CLEAN cookie sheet back in drawer/cabinet.
Serve with ketchup.
Enjoy!!!
I’m a little scared of 45 min. @ 450F… but if it works for you, more power to ya!
Here’s one for YOU (is it in the cookbook, I don’t remember):
SALSA CHICKEN (serves 2)
2 boneless chicken breasts
1-2 C. salsa (depending on size of breasts)
1/2 C. rice (uncooked)
Lightly brown the chicken on both sides with a little olive oil in a saucepan. When browned, add the salsa so that there is some on top of the breasts and in the bottom of the pan, but not swimming in it. Cover, and simmer over low heat for 30 min, turning the breasts over after 15 min. While the chicken cooks, prepare the rice per package instructions and aside when it’s done. When the chicken is done, add the cooked rice to the pan and mix well with the salsa and pan juices. Serve immediately.
By: Wendy on December 18, 2008
at 2:49 PM
Remember, the tots are frozen and the oven isn’t preheated!
Chicken recipe looks yummy! I’ll have to try it.
Thanks for sharing, Sis!
By: donnybahama on December 18, 2008
at 3:06 PM
[...] tater tots started (see Ultimate Bachelor Tater Tots recipe, above) but sprinkle bacon bits on top of tater tots and set timer for 37 [...]
By: Ultimate Bachelor Breakfast Bowl « Life’s A Beach on December 18, 2008
at 3:19 PM