I've added just a couple of tiny extra sparks-some beer for acidity and nutmeg for warmth-but nothing to take away from the nostalgia of it all. My version forgoes store-bought creamed soup for a velvety smooth sauce you make yourself, ideally with dreamy homemade stock as the base (but store-bought is great, too). All it needs is love and good tot arrangement.

It doesn't need anything fancy, no specialty this or that even adding parsley at the end sometimes feels wrong (but, hey, we are living in the Instagram age, so do it if you want). There's a reason it's a classic, and that it's as comforting as cuddles from a big furry puppy. but no new spin on a hotdish will ever come as close to giving Nick that new- Star-Wars-movie excitement as the classic: beef, creamed soup, flaccid veggies, tots. I will switch up the seasonings, sneak in vegetarian proteins, add 'trendy' vegetables, and, yeah, I'll eventually try to gracefully sprinkle in everything bagel seasoning. 'As a Tater Tot enthusiast with an endless desire to tinker, I will be experimenting with the hotdish equation until the cows come home. Cookbook author and Food Network's 'Girl Meets Farm' star Molly Yeh shares her version of the classic Midwestern meal called hotdish (typically ground beef, a starch-she uses Tater Tots-frozen green beans or peas and gravy or creamed soup baked in a casserole dish).

Best tater tot casserole and hotdish