Hey y’all!
Today is National Tater Tot Day. Or something to that effect. Did you know that? I mean I did because I’m a food blogger and of course I know all the food holidays so that I can celebrate them appropriately. Or, as my husband says, so I have an excuse to eat bad foods periodically. Let’s be honest. It’s not like I’m celebrating National Apple Day. Now, National Apple Pie Day…. that’s what I’m talking about.
Anyway. WHO DOESN’T LOVE TATER TOTS? Raise your hand. Right now. Now put it back down, because you should be ashamed of yourself. But I’ll forgive you if you make this recipe. Because this will convert the unconverted.
Totchos. Yes, a mix of those adorable little school lunch puffs topped with all the glorious toppings that normally blanket a bed of tortilla chips. Tots + nachos = totchos.
They’re pretty effing good. In fact, they almost taste more like a supremely topped baked potato instead of nachos. But they are sooooo good. My husband and I polished this whole plate off in like under 5 minutes. We were hungry that day.
There’s a secret to this dish though – you can’t get generic tater tots. No store brand. The best tater tots on the market, the ones that won’t turn soggy and fall apart when you stab them, the ones that will hold up to all those glorious toppings, are the Extra Crispy Ore-Ida tater tots. No, Ore-Ida isn’t paying me to say that. Their Extra Crispy line of EVERYTHING is better than all other frozen potato products on the market, in my opinion. Even their Extra Crispy fries taste like they’ve been deep fried. They turn our crispier than some fried fries!
Of course, you have to make your own homemade cheese sauce too. I think it’s about time my cheese sauce have its own post. I’ll work on that.
In the meantime, make these tots, share them, don’t share them, enjoy them, and Happy Tater Tot Day!
Ingredients
1 bag Ore-Ida Extra Crispy Tater Tots
1 recipe homemade cheese sauce
2 links chicken or pork chorizo
1 ripe tomato, seeded and diced
Sliced scallions, for topping, if desired
Pickled jalapenos, for topping, if desired
Sour cream, for topping, if desired
Minced cilantro, for topping, if desired
Directions
1. Prepare the tater tots according to the package directions. If you are still making the cheese sauce and prepping everything else when they are finished, keep them warm on the baking sheet.
2. Prepare the cheese sauce as directed in my link. Add as much Tabasco or Chipotle Tabasco as you’d like (the more, the better!).
3. Remove the chorizo sausages from their casings, and brown in a skillet over medium heat. Break into crumbles with a spoon or spatula. Drain if needed – I did not need to drain my chicken chorizo.
4. When your cheese sauce is ready, it’s time to assemble your totchos. Remove the warm tater tots to a platter, or keep them on the baking sheet if desired. Drizzle with the homemade cheese sauce. Top with the browned chorizo. Then top with any additional toppings you desire – diced tomatoes, scallions, pickled jalapenos, and sour cream round out the platter in my picture. If I’d had cilantro that day, I would have added it. I’ve had the cilantro in the past, and that’s what makes it more nacho-like to me. If you’re going for more of a supreme-baked-potato flavor, leave the cilantro off.