“Bader” Tots

Regular readers of this blog will know that I am a baseball fan, specifically a Cardinals fan. One of the players on that team, the centerfielder, is named Harrison Bader. His nickname is “Tater,” and local Sonic restaurants, in support of the team, decided to name a special version of their tater tots, “Bader Tots.” I caught onto this and thought, hey, I can make these myself.

I showed the above picture to my number two son, who looked at me with his best to “how can I possibly be related to you?” look and said to me, “You know those are just loaded tots, right?” Okay, I didn’t know that, nonetheless it makes no difference, I decided to make my own. My own, naturally, are better than any you can get at a fast food restaurant because I make my own chili, I make my own ranch, I make my own cheese. That is the genius of this snack. The drizzles. (And I’m not going to stay ‘fo shizzle.’ No. That would be wrong.)

At any rate, it is nothing more than, as the above photo would indicate, tots covered with chili, and various other tasty additions. The order of ingredients is below. Following that you will find the cheese sauce recipe that I use that, let’s face it, makes the entire thing.

“Bader” Tots

Tater tots, baked according to pkg. directions

 Chili
Chopped onion
Ranch Dressing
Cheese Sauce 

Sliced jalapeños (I used Melissa’s Pickled Jalapeños)

Layer ingredients in the order listed, and enjoy watching your favorite baseball team beat their opponent…unless it’s the Cardinals.

Cheese Sauce for Bader Tots

½ pound American cheese, cut into thin strips
¾ cup half-and-half
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
½ teaspoon dry mustard

Place cheese in a double boiler, add remaining ingredients. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until all is melted, combined, and super delicious.

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If you like tots like I do, try these Bacon-Wrapped Tater Tots.

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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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