Huffington Magazine Issue 34 | Page 77

EAT NOW Exit LIKE MOST GREAT American holidays, the Super Bowl is a free day pass to eat whatever you want. And because we’ll burn so many calories watching the 49ers and Ravens run around (that’s how it works, right?), there’s no reason to hold back. In this spirit, we bring you: Totchos. Tater tots have been on the rise since the days of Napoleon Dynamite, and this nacho recipe is the perfect showcase for their finer virtues. The crispy nuggets of potato are baked, then topped with seasoned beef, cheese sauce, salsa, guacamole, sour cream, green onion and crumbled bacon. You may never go back to regular old nachos again. Recipe from Girl Cooks World  Yield: 4 as a main course or 8 appetizer-sized servings HUFFINGTON 02.03.13 TOTCHOS SUPREME INGREDIENTS DIRECTIONS 32-ounce bag frozen tater tots 3-4 slices bacon ■ ¼ onion, finely chopped ■ 1 large clove garlic, minced ■ ½ lb very lean ground beef ■ 1 ½ teaspoons chili powder ■ ½ teaspoon ground cumin ■ ¼ teaspoon paprika ■ ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper ■ ¹/8 teaspoon oregano ■ ¼ teaspoon salt ■ ¼ teaspoon black pepper ■ 15-ounce jar salsa con queso/ cheese sauce, heated in the microwave (or make your own nacho cheese) ■ salsa ■ guacamole ■ sour cream ■ several green onions, finely chopped  1. Prepare the tater tots using the oven method instructions on the package. Err on the side of overbaking because you’ll be adding a lot of wet toppings, and you want the tots to remain as crunchy as possible. ■ ■ 2. While the tater tots are baking, fry the bacon until crisp in a large frying pan. Remove and set aside to cool. Ladle out all but about one tablespoon of the bacon grease. Add the onion and garlic to the frying pan and cook over medium heat until softened. Add the beef and stir to mix. Once the beef is no longer pink, add the chili powder, cumin, paprika, cayenne pepper, oregano, salt and pepper. Stir to incorporate and then cook several additional minutes until the flavors have melded and the meat is cooked through. 3. Once the tater tots have finished baking, use tongs or a spoon to transfer to a large platter or individual plates. Top with the seasoned beef, salsa con queso, salsa, guacamole, sour cream and green onions. Crumble the bacon over the top and serve immediately.