Tender Taters Recipes

COPYCAT BIG MARY CHICKEN SANDWICH WITH TATERS

Steps:

• Pound the chicken breasts out to an even thickness; about a half inch. Lightly season them with salt.
• Mix all of the ingredients in the flour dredge together well. I like to use a whisk in a round bottom bowl to make sure everything is evenly mixed. A food processor also will mix them up well.
• Make an egg wash by whisking together the eggs and water.
• One at a time dip the breast pieces in the flour and spice mixture, then dip quickly into the eggwash and then a final time into the flour and spice mix, pressing the mix firmly into the meat to get good contact.
• Heat a skillet on the stove with about a half inch of canola oil covering the bottom. You will want to carefully regulate the temperature here so that the chicken does not brown too quickly. The thinness of the breast meat practically guarantees that it will be fully cooked by the time the outside is browned. I find just below medium heat works well. I use a burner setting of about 4½ out of 10 on the dial and fry them gently for about 4 or 5 minutes per side until golden brown and crispy. (You can, of course, use a deep fryer for the chicken if you prefer. Keep the heat at 350 degrees until they are golden brown. About 8 -10 minutes)
• Drain on a wire rack for a couple of minutes before making the sandwiches. Use plain mayo or the spicy mayo on both the un-toasted top and bottom buns, adding just fresh lettuce to the sandwich and a pickle slice on top. A club sandwich version adding bacon and tomato is also excellent!
• Toss the potato wedges in the1/4 cup milk and drain the milk off.
• Toss the wedges in the remaining flour and spice mix and deep fry for about 8-10 minutes or until golden brown and fully cooked. Alternatively, you can lightly oil a cookie sheet and place the taters on it, drizzling a little extra oil over the top.
• Bake in a preheated 400 degree oven for about a half hour. Turn them half way through the cooking time.

CHEESEBURGER CASSEROLE WITH TATER TOTS®

Steps:

• Place onion in a microwave-safe bowl and cover with water. Microwave on High until soft, 7 to 8 minutes. Drain.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Spray a 9x13-inch casserole dish with cooking spray.
• Cook and stir ground beef in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until browned and crumbly, 5 to 7 minutes. Drain and discard grease.
• Transfer beef to the prepared casserole dish and spread onion pieces evenly over top. Spread soup over the onions and sprinkle Cheddar cheese evenly over soup. Layer frozen potato nuggets in rows on top of the cheese.
• Bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes. Lightly spray the potato nuggets with cooking spray, and bake until cooked through and crunchy, about 10 minutes more.

PULLED PORK TATERS

Steps:

• Place roast in a 5-qt. slow cooker. Top with onion. Combine the ketchup, root beer, vinegar, Worcestershire, hot sauce, salt, pepper and mustard; pour over top. Cover and cook on low until meat is tender, 6-8 hours., Meanwhile, scrub and pierce potatoes. Bake at 400° until tender, 50-55 minutes., Remove pork; shred meat with two forks. Skim fat from cooking juices; transfer to a large saucepan. Bring liquid to a boil. Combine cornstarch and water until smooth; gradually stir into the pan. Bring to a boil; cook and stir until thickened, 2 minutes. Return meat to cooking juices; heat through., With a sharp knife, cut an "X" in each potato; fluff with a fork. Top each with butter and pork mixture; top with sour cream. Sprinkle with cheese and, if desired, green onions.

SCALLOPED TATERS

Steps:

• In a large bowl, combine the hash browns, soup, milk, cheese, 1/2 cup butter, onion, salt and pepper. Pour into a greased 5-qt. slow cooker. Cover and cook on low until potatoes are tender, 3-4 hours. , Just before serving, combine the cornflake crumbs and remaining butter in a pie plate. Bake at 350° until golden brown, 4-6 minutes. Stir the potatoes; sprinkle with crumb topping.