A serving of food on a white plate. Broccoli, cheddar cheese, tater tots, and fried onions are visible.

The Yumbotron: A MaxFun Community Recipe

Posted by Stacey Molski on 8th May 2023

Maximum Fun is a network soon-to-be owned by its workers, made of shows owned by their creators, and supported by its members. So it’s only fitting that we also have a recipe in the 2023 edition of the MaxFun Family Cookbook created by… you! Using polls on social media during MaxFunDrive 2023, you voted on what to make, what went in it, and even what to call it. We’re including the recipe in our cookbook, but we wanted to share it with everyone in the community. So, we proudly present: The Yumbotron.

Extra note from the MaxFun Kitchen: unsalted soup will give you the most control over the final saltiness level, but if you can’t find it it’s not the end of the world. You probably won’t want to add any more salt, though! Whatever soup you use, try it once it’s mixed and add salt and pepper to taste, bearing in mind the cheese and tater tots will bring some salt to the party too.

INGREDIENTS:

1 15 oz can cannellini beans (or another bean of your choice), drained and rinsed or 1½ cups cooked beans
1 pound broccoli or broccoli florets, chopped into small (roughly ½”) bits
1 cup (4 oz) shredded cheddar
1 Tbsp Maximum Flavor seasoning (or your second favorite seasoning mix)
1 10 ¾ oz can condensed cream of mushroom soup, undiluted (see note above)
¾ cup milk, any percentage
1 tsp thyme, minced (optional)
¼ tsp nutmeg, grated (optional)
16 oz (at least) frozen tater tots
½ cup French fried onions
Pepper
Salt

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat your oven to 350°F.

Grease a 2-quart baking dish with your favorite cooking spray or vegetable oil.

Mix broccoli, beans, cheese, and your seasoning mix in a bowl. Make sure it’s well jumbled up, then spread it out evenly in the baking dish.

Mix together soup and milk until there are no more big lumps. If you’re using the thyme and nutmeg, throw those in too. Salt and pepper to taste (but see note above first).

Pour everything over the veggies in the baking dish.

Plop the tater tots on top. Make it nice and neat, make it random, it’s up to you!

Then place it into the oven for 30 minutes.

Pull out the baking dish and throw those French fried onions on there.

Put it back in the oven and check it after 15 minutes.  You’re looking for well browned, fully cooked tater tots and bubbling around the edges of the pan. If it isn’t where you want it, put it back and check every ten minutes or so until you get there.

Take it out of the stove and let it sit for 5-10 minutes. You don’t have to do this, but it lets it firm up a little for neater serving, and it gives you the chance to upload a few pictures to social media and tag us (@maxfunhq) so we can admire them.

And voila! Dress it up with a little vinegar-based hot sauce or a few drops of vinegar (sherry or apple cider would be good), crumble a piece of bacon on it, top with a poached or lightly fried egg, or simply enjoy as-is.

Do what you want! After all, it’s your personal Yumbotron!

 

A casserole-like dish full of broccoli, cheddar cheese, tater tots.

A serving of food on a white plate. Broccoli, cheddar cheese, tater tots, and fried onions are visible.