Tater Tot Chili 3-Way

Chili is very important to Husband’s family. The prefer the Cincinnati variety, well known under names like Gold Star or Skyline Chili; it’s a soupy sauce with a tad of sweetness, always served with cheddar cheese, and put on top of various starches. We’ve made it at home on top of fried potatoes and baked sweet potatoes, but after a long run, I turned to my recent craving: tater tots.

How did we, as a society, ever relegate tater tots to the realm of elementary school cafeterias and far into a table full of fried snacks for the big game? These little tubular rolls of crunchiness are pretty divine. The fact that for less than two dollars I can get 6-8 servings of these things in a frozen bag from the grocery store is nothing less than extraordinary.

Recipe is pretty simple:

1. Prepare tater tots according to the instructions on the bag.
2. Heat up chili from a can in a small saucepan.
3. Assemble prepared ingredients on top of each other. Cover in shredded sharp cheddar.
4. Consume with gusto.

The crunch is essential for me – some people eat Cincinnati-style chili on spaghetti, but it’s just all soft to me, while the tots (or regular fries) provide some texture variety. I appreciate the melding of the flavors and the fact that not a lick of it is good for me. I don’t mind running an extra half hour this week though, to dig in to this treat once in a while.