Governor Tim Walz's "Turkey Trot Tater Tot Hotdish"

For non-Minnesotans and non-politico nerds like me, Tim Walz may have come out of nowhere to national prominence as Kamala Harris’s running mate. But to those in the know, as soon as his name surfaced, we knew he was the pick. So yes, I called my shot a week before the announcement, bought ingredients early and made Tim Walz’s award-winning hotdish.

Chef Tim Walz

Democratic Governor from Minnesota

Favorite Food/Homespun Recipe: Homespun Recipe

Notable:

wearing Chappell Roan-esque hats; free school lunches for Minnesota children

Quotable:

“Turkey’s special.”

As always, I followed the recipe word for word directly from the governor who loves the word “weird,” no alterations.

INGREDIENTS

1 lb ground turkey

1 garlic clove, finely chopped

½ tsp dried sage

1 egg

½ cups chopped green onions

1 tsp freshly ground pepper, plus more as needed

2 tsp salt, divided

1 tbsp olive oil

1 lb of fresh green beans, stems removed and chopped into bite-sized pieces

4 slices bacon

6 tbsp butter, divided

1.5 cups chopped baby bella mushrooms

5 to 6 tbsp flour

2 ½ cups whole milk

½ cup half and half

¼ cup chopped onions

3 cups shredded sharp Cheddar cheese, divided

1 (32-oz.) pkg Tater Tots

INSTRUCTIONS

1) Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a medium bowl, combine turkey, garlic, sage, green onions, egg, pepper and 1 teaspoon salt.

Smart TikTok users (and Minnesotans) pointed out that he probably chose turkey because Minnesota is a top turkey producer. That explains the change from a more traditional beef base, so he can appeal more to his own (different kind of) base.

2) In a skillet over medium heat, heat olive oil and then brown the turkey mixture. Remove from stove and transfer mixture to a large bowl.

3) In a pot of boiling water, blanch green beans for 2 to 3 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, remove beans and plunge them into ice water. Once cool, drain completely and add to turkey mix.

First instance of blanching in nearly 150 recipes here.

4) In a skillet over medium heat, fry bacon until crisp. Remove from pan, and cool bacon on paper towels.

5) Chop bacon into ¼-inch pieces and add to turkey mix. Gently combine turkey mix, beans and bacon and spread in an even layer in a 9- by 13-inch baking pan.

6) In a large skillet over medium-high heat, heat 2 tablespoons butter. As soon as foam begins to subside, add mushrooms and cook, stirring continuously, until mushrooms are browned, about 4 to 6 minutes. Add to turkey mix.

7) In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt remaining 4 tablespoons butter.

So much butter. This cannot be a bad sign. More butter than some cookie recipes even.

8) Slowly and evenly sprinkle flour into the butter. Cook for 2 minutes, then slowly whisk in the milk and half and half. Cook for 2 more minutes, then add diced onions, remaining 1 teaspoon salt, and pepper to taste. After 1 minute, stir in 2 ½ cups cheese and cook, stirring, until melted.

A roux turning into a fresh-made cheese sauce? Instead of cheddar cheese soup?? Highly preferable.

9) Pour cheese mixture evenly over casserole.

10) Scatter Tater Tots over the top, then scatter remaining shredded cheese. Bake until golden brown, about 45 minutes. Remove from oven and serve.

Is this the most amount of steps in a recipe on here? Maybe. That usually means good things, and honestly, we know this can’t be disgusting, right? A hotdish is, at worst, warm. And yes, “scatter” means you’re not supposed to line them up in perfect patterned order.

Voila! If you want to actually watch me attempt to eat it, go to the Cookin’ with Congress Instagram or TikTok and now, YouTube Shorts. Okay, so the cheese on top didn’t really melt, which was surprising. I’m working with a new oven in the new house, so I thought maybe it was a combination of lower rack height, frozen tots keeping the cheese cold, and the anti-caking of the pre-shredded cheese. Still, 30 minutes at 375 with pre-shredded cheese should’ve melted it, it definitely did for Dianne Feinstein’s tamale pie.

Verdict:

No melting, no problem. God this was good. I mean really, really good. Go make it.