This post is written by me on behalf of Tyson Foods, Inc.. All opinions are entirely my own.
Holidays with my family can be a little loud. Often times, a little crazy too with so many mouths to feed. Mostly though, they are filled with love, family, good times and great food! With meals needed for everything from breakfast, to lunch, dinner, hors d’oeuvres and dessert, food is a holiday memory maker throughout. This year I’m adding to my great food items with an appetizer that is perfect for everyone from the toddlers to grandma and grandpa. I’ve been working on holiday recipes with a family favorite, Wright® Brand Bacon. I can use it for multiple meals, multiple times to bring joy during the holidays. One way I’m doing that is with Wright® Brand Bacon Cheeseburger Totcho Skewers that I paired with Bacon Ketchup Dipping Sauce. These were selected by my kiddos and hubby as the must–have appetizer this year.
Every year I like adding some new foods to my holiday food/party repertoire. It can be a challenge at times. Coming up with foods that everyone will eat. I have six kids that range in age from 8-24 and two of them as you all know, are on the Autism Spectrum. That means sensory issues often play into food options when planning meals. Add in that my sister and brother-in-law have five too and kid friendly is a must when planning out foods for our holiday gatherings. Now, while I do want the kids to like the food I also want it to be something us adults will crave. As we all know, kids love bacon, cheese, burgers, potato tots and ketchup. Wright® Bacon Cheeseburger Totchos were a no brainer for everyone. Placing them on skewers to make them easier for little hands to manage? Brilliant!
Once I had the idea for this recipe I knew I had to run with it immediately! I headed out to my local Meijer Supermarket. We got a Meijer store by me (FINALLY!) almost two years ago. It has become my go to store for groceries. I’m a coupon fan so I love pairing sales, coupons and mPerk offers to save each time I go. Once in the store, I headed to the meat department and picked up Wright® Brand Bacon. It’s a favorite of mine because it is hand-trimmed, hand-selected, naturally smoked and tastes amazing!
One of the great things about this recipe is that most of the components can be prepped in advance. Which, is a must for big holiday gatherings or parties. The bacon can be cooked and chopped up a day or two early. The ground beef can easily be browned up earlier in the week. Onions will be just fine diced up and stored in a baggie in the refrigerator or freezer until the are ready to use. You can even go ahead and make the Bacon Ketchup Dipping Sauce the day before and just store it in an airtight container.
This recipe is a great way to keep little hands busy. This is definitely a kid-friendly appetizer not only to eat but also to make. During the holidays there is so much kitchen time that little ones often want to be included and feel like they are contributing too. These Wright® Bacon Cheeseburger Totcho Skewers snd the Bacon Ketchup Dipping Sauce are a perfect for the mini wanna-be chefs in your family. Plus, with all the upcoming holidays it gives them a chance to become experts at making it.
- 1 32 oz. Package of Potato Tots, cooked per instructions
- 12 Slices of Wright Brand Bacon, cooked and chopped up
- 1/2 lb. Ground Beef, browned and drained
- 2 c. Cheddar Cheese, shredded
- 1/2 of a Red Onion, diced
- Mini wooden skewers or long wooden toothpicks
- 1 c. Tomato Ketchup
- 2 slices of Wright Brand Bacon, cooked and finely diced
- 1/2 tsp. Onion Powder
- 1/4 tsp. Garlic Powder
- Preheat broiler in oven or toaster oven.
- Place two potato tots onto each mini skewer or wooden toothpick.
- Place the skewers onto a foil lined baking sheet.
- Top the potato tots with 1/3 of the shredded cheddar cheese.
- Place the pan under the broiler for 2-3 minutes to get the cheese melting.
- Remove the pan from the broiler.
- Top the potato tots and melted cheese with the ground beef, bacon and the rest of the cheese.
- Place the pan back under the broiler for a few more minutes or until the cheese is melted.
- In a bowl stir together the ketchup, bacon, onion powder and garlic powder.
- Refrigerate until ready to use.
- Be sure to keep an eye while the pan is under the broiler. Broilers can differ greatly in how close the pan is to the heat. Things can go from good to bad quickly.
