Taste: Changes are coming
Three years ago, I made a really tough decision to leave my full-time job at the Aberdeen American News for one at the Aberdeen Area Convention and Visitors Bureau, but I didn’t cut ties completely and was able to keep writing this column.
Earlier this month, I made another tough decision to end this column. There have been a lot of big changes over the last year, both in my professional and personal life, and I feel it’s time to move on.
It was nearly nine years ago that I moved to this city; over the last decade, it’s been amazing to integrate myself in the community. There are amazing people here that make this place special.
I have really enjoyed writing about food. I love cooking and eating and I love sharing.
The people I’ve met because of food — through this column especially — prove that food is the glue that holds our society together.
It’s been fun trying viral recipes or old favorites; learning new techniques or divulging my secrets.
The foods of the Midwest often get mocked by those that don’t know the true delight of combining cream-of soup with protein and potatoes, but I hope I’m one of several voices that are elevating cuisine made from shelf-stable ingredients and preserved garden bounties.
These dishes can be made quickly and are crowd pleasers; they were made popular by women that didn’t have time to make a child eat.
It’s not just old favorites. I hope I’ve introduced readers to new ingredients and new devices.
New ingredients trend in and out and an evening experimenting with a new recipe can turn into a new addition to the regular rotation. Viral recipes have been fun to try and review.
I know I’ve made people less afraid of their air fryers and I hoped I’ve done the same with the electric pressure cooker. There’s always going to be a new gadget, and they’re fun to check out.
While the column won’t show up in the Aberdeen American News, I’m not going to stop writing about food. I actually want to get a little more personal and write more about fitness and rejecting diet culture — topics I’ve touched on in this space but haven’t gone too deep.
For those that think they’re going to miss this column, make sure to watch the @aberdeentaste Instagram account for updates. I’ll keep documenting my adventures in the kitchen.
Going purely online can make it easier to link original recipes, tag other food writers and it makes it easier to save recipes on platforms like Pinterest.
Thank you so much for reading my words and trying these recipes over the last few years. It’s meant a lot to me when someone recognizes me out in the world and tells me about trying a new food because they read this column.
Traditional tater tot hotdish
Ingredients
1 to 2 tablespoons of neutral oil.
1 medium yellow onion.
1 to 2 pounds of ground beef.
1 12-ounce bag of frozen green beans.
2 10.5-ounce cans of cream of mushroom soup.
1 two-pound bag of frozen tater tots.
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 350.
Add neutral oil to a large skillet, preheat for a few minutes on medium heat. Add chopped onion, season with salt and pepper to taste and cook until translucent.
Add ground beef, one pound for a smaller crowd, two for a larger group. Brown until cooked through, stirring occasionally.
If the skillet can go into the oven, flatten meat and onion mixture into an even layer. If the skillet is not oven-safe, add beef and onion mixture to the bottom of an oven-safe dish.
Add a layer of green beans, and then a layer of condensed soup. Top with a layer of tater tots, lining up neatly.
Bake for 45 minutes to an hour, until the frozen beans and tots are cooked through and the soup is bubbling. Serve with ketchup.
This article originally appeared on Aberdeen News: Taste: Changes are coming
