Laine's Casserole

This is a recipe I got from Elaine Heatwole.  She is a dear friend from my Sunday School Class at Dayton Methodist Church.  When I was in need of a babysitter I called Elaine, all the kids called her Laine and eventually I did too, she had just had her daughter Sarah and I wondered if she had considered staying at home with her rather than going back to work.  Fortunately she stayed home and Jerilyn found Laine's home to be a second home.

When I would pick up my daughter Jerilyn, sometimes Laine had started dinner for her family.  There was one casserole that filled her home with a wonderful aroma and I asked if she would share the recipe.  I remember she remarked that it was the only casserole that her husband would allow.  Ha ha!  Imagine that.  I have made it many, many times and reheated leftovers as well.  It has been carried to Sunday Suppers and Swim Team Banquets and it is always a favorite.  It is another recipe (along with Grandma's Goulash) that I would make and keep warm for visiting friends and family when I didn't know the exact time they would arrive.

I guess it is a simple take on a Shepherd's Pie, just made a little simpler and Americanized.  With the best of my recollections, here it is:

Ingredients:
First, Vegetables:  Large bag of frozen vegetable- any kind you like- mixed is my favorite, but that doesn't matter.  Also a large can 28 oz or so of mixed veggies will do.  This is probably what I initially used many times- the kind that has beans, corn, carrots and potatoes.  You can also use a similar amount of fresh veggies- it just doesn't matter!!!!

Dry onion soup mix,  I also like to substitute Beefy Onion soup mix.

Tater tots- enough to cover the veggies.

Cream of mushroom soup.  I have also used cream of chicken and others would work too, cream of celery, etc.  I have also used the low-fat and low sodium version

1-2 lbs of lean ground beef- I almost forgot it!  It just depends on how meaty you want it.

Directions:
Brown the ground beef and spread evenly in a 9 X 13 baking dish.
Sprinkle the dry soup mix over the ground beef
Layer the veggies on next.
Add a layer of tater tots
Mix water with the cream soup to a consistency that you can spread/pour it over the tater tots.  Sometimes I use more than one can.

Pop in the oven at 350 degrees for about 30-35 minutes or until bubbly.  The aroma will drive you crazy  The potatoes seem to keep everything from drying out if you have to wait for company or reheat at a church dinner.

Enjoy!!!  And "Thanks Laine!"