By Tom's mule book arrived in the library. The librarian called to say it was already checked out on the hold list — six names, all of them horse people from the valley, two of them people he'd shod horses for in the 1980s. That number of holds in a library this size is significant. She said: I think you should know he's a local treasure. I said: He knows but he doesn't like to hear it.' She said: I'll keep saying it anyway.
Easter is in two weeks. Prime rib or ham depends on who I ask — Mom votes ham because that's what her family did, Dad is neutral, Tom voted prime rib in a text that took him twelve minutes to type and which I keep. Prime rib wins by democratic process. I've been making the Easter prime rib for five years now and I've decided it's the Easter tradition. The ham is Thanksgiving's tradition and prime rib is Easter's. The categories are established.
The spring magazine column — the one about calves and the recognition of the person who was present at the worst moment — is written and submitted. The editor called it "the most difficult emotional territory" I'd covered in the series. I said it was also the most common territory for anyone who works with animals. She said she thought the column might change how some readers thought about the relationship between care and trust. That's a good thing for a column about cows to do.
Made a potato gratin Sunday with the last of the winter potatoes and the first of the spring chives. The crossover of seasons in a single dish. The richness of winter giving way to the fresh edge of spring. I ate it and felt the year moving forward at exactly the right pace.
That Sunday gratin got me thinking about potatoes as a kind of seasonal marker — the way they carry winter’s weight and still show up bright when you need them to. With Easter two weeks out and prime rib already claimed as the main event, I wanted something for the table that has that same honest, reliable quality Tom has: nothing fancy, just exactly what it’s supposed to be. These Nacho Tots deliver that — crispy, loaded, and the kind of thing people gather around without being asked.
Nacho Tots
Prep Time: 10 min | Cook Time: 30 min | Total Time: 40 min | Servings: 6
Ingredients
- 1 bag (32 oz) frozen tater tots
- 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
- 1/2 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 1/3 cup pickled jalapeño slices
- 1/4 cup black olives, sliced
- 2 green onions, thinly sliced
- 1/2 cup pico de gallo or fresh salsa
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
- Salt to taste
Instructions
- Bake the tots. Preheat oven to 425°F. Spread frozen tater tots in a single layer on a large rimmed baking sheet. Bake for 25–28 minutes, turning once halfway through, until deep golden and crispy.
- Season and layer. Remove from oven and immediately sprinkle with garlic powder, smoked paprika, and a pinch of salt. Scatter the shredded cheddar and Monterey Jack evenly over the hot tots.
- Melt the cheese. Return the pan to the oven for 3–4 minutes, just until the cheese is fully melted and beginning to bubble at the edges.
- Add toppings. Remove from oven and top with jalapeño slices, black olives, and green onions. Add dollops of sour cream and spoon pico de gallo over the top.
- Serve immediately. Bring the pan straight to the table — these are best eaten hot, right off the sheet, while the cheese is still pulling.
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories: 340 | Protein: 9g | Fat: 18g | Carbs: 36g | Fiber: 3g | Sodium: 620mg