Bacon-Wrapped Tater Tots

Normally I am not one to sing the praises of convenience foods, but recently I have begun to embrace Tater Tots. I never thought I would find myself saying this because I was scarred as a child when my mother served me a vile casserole of smoked sausage and tots. I’m sure there were other things in this ‘70s hot dish that was prevalent at the time, but even though I liked smoked sausage and Tater Tots individually, the combination always reminded me of what I’d turn into my dog’s food bowl in the evening, so for a long time I was put off of both.

Recently a coupon for a free bag drew me back to them and one evening, too tired to do anything else, I warmed some up to go with a rotisserie chicken. I was quite pleasantly surprised! I loved the crunchy exterior along with the creamy potato interior. I have to admit, they are back in my favor. So when I saw this recipe scattered all over Pinterest, I knew I had to give it a try. I altered the recipe a bit for ease. The original version required small cubes of cheese that I found a bit cumbersome to wrap in bacon. I just used slices of cheddar from the deli that I cut in half, and then into strips, and I found they rolled quite nicely with the bacon. While you may be tempted, don’t go overboard with the brown sugar. Trust me when I tell you this. I decided that more would be better, when in this case it wasn’t. I ended up having to throw out my Silpat because that stuff cooked and burned, and made one heck of a mess.

These would be wonderful as a snack, or a nice addition to a brunch buffet. I imagine they would be tasty dipped into ranch, marinara, or any of your favorite dipping sauces. Me? I just ate them as is and enjoyed every delicious mouthful.

Bacon-Wrapped Tater Tots

2 cups frozen Tater Tots, thawed

4-5 slices sharp cheddar cheese, halved, cut into strips

4 slices bacon, quartered

1/4 cup brown sugar, packed

Chopped parsley, for garnish, if desired (I didn’t desire it.)

Preheat oven to 400° F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat; set aside.

Wrap each tater tot and cheese slice in a piece of bacon. Dredge each tater tot in the brown sugar, pressing to coat.

Place tots, seam side down, onto the prepared baking sheet. Bake for 20-25 minutes.

Serve immediately, garnished with parsley, if desired.

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If you prefer meat wrapped with meat, you will love this recipe!

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