I made Tim Walz’s Turkey Trot Tater-Tot Hotdish ahead of his debate with JD Vance. Here’s how to prepare the easy meal.

However, Vance was trolled by social media users after an awkward visit to a doughnut shop in Georgia the same month.

Walz has also presented himself as something of a foodie on social media, sharing posts showing off sandwiches and telling his followers about his love for corn dogs. He’s even won the Minnesota congressional delegation’s hotdish competition thrice since 2013.

Ingredients

• 1 lb of fresh green beans, diced
• 4 slices of bacon
• 1 clove of garlic, finely chopped
• 6 tablespoons butter
• 5-6 tablespoons flour
• 2 1/2 cups whole milk
• 1/2 cup half-and-half
• 2 teaspoon salt
• 3 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
• 1 lb ground turkey
• 1/2 teaspoon sage
• 1 teaspoon pepper
• 1 egg
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1/2 cup green onions
• 1/4 cup chopped onions
• 1 1/2 cup chopped baby bella mushrooms
• 1 package of tater tots

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 375°F.

2. Put ground turkey into a medium bowl and mix in garlic, sage, green onions, egg, pepper, and 1 teaspoon salt.

3. Heat 2 tablespoons of butter. Once the butter foam subsides, add mushrooms to the melted butter.
4. Gently stir butter and mushrooms for 4-5 minutes or about 2 minutes after the browning point. Remove from heat and add to the baking dish.

5. In a saucepan, melt the remaining butter over medium heat and sprinkle flour into the butter. Let cook for 2 minutes, then slowly whisk in milk and half and half. Cook for 2 more minutes, then add diced onions, salt, and pepper. After a minute, stir in 2 1/2 cups of cheese until melted.

   Once prepped, the recipe is straightforward. You dump everything into a 9-by-13-inch baking dish and bake it in an oven. The ground meat acts as the hotdish’s base, covered in layers of green beans, bacon, and mushrooms.

   When I first read the recipe, I assumed it would be fairly basic, but I was pleasantly surprised by some of the choices Walz made with the hotdish. I loved that he used a cheddar cheese sauce for one of the layers because it helped combine all the ingredients.

   I also loved that he used butter instead of oil throughout the recipe. Admittedly, it’s not healthy, but it added a rich flavor and reminded me of good ol’ Southern cuisine.

   Taste-wise, I thought the hotdish had good seasoning evenly proportioned in each bite. The tater tots were crispy after baking in the oven, adding a necessary crunch to an otherwise soft entreé.

   The only thing I’d change is adding a few drops of hot sauce into the roux for an added kick, which may be too much for Walz himself. Overall, the recipe is solid. Based on my experience, it’s a great weeknight meal for large families or people tuning in for debate night.

   Read the original article on Business Insider