BTW, you actually omitted a specific brand mentioned in the recipe. I don’t think I need to spell out which one. 
Love it! Excellent variation (I think - of course there is no substitute for testing, but instinct tells me you have good ideas).
It starts with a “kuh” sound, right? Camphor, or something like that? I know a “P” sound - you know, that upstart soup company, Progresso - is right out.
ETA related to following post: alright, Schell’s Beer it is!
Walz’s recipe specifies Schell’s beer.
But does that meet Becks specs? I doubt it. Walz is an imposter, as am I. I do cook for my family, but I’m not the main cooker and I cannot provide my bona fides here. I would love too, but they would be scoffed at and discounted so I won’t even try.
Idk, do you look the part? That’s all that matters.
Agreed, 100%. And I will not comment on who I am or what I look like. I have immediate family that is VERY disparate. I have one sibling with Hispanic family members. I have one sibling with Asian family members (we’ve raised some of them). My wife and I have very interesting mixes in our fams. You know what party makes my family nervous?
I believe you. My husband didn’t cook often, and probably doesn’t look like he ever did, but when he did cook it was damned good. He made excellent chili (in my opinion) and bean soup among other things.
I have no specs.
Just called it like I see it.
It’s fine if you don’t.
All kinda ridiculous.
Oh, sorry. Another opinion. 
(BTW, I happen to like Walz. I think he’ll make a great VP)
[Moderating]
This thread is about Walz’ hot dish recipe, not about what “type” he is. Let’s avoid the hijacks, please (and everyone else, drop the subject as well).
Deleted, for obvious reasons.
Can you use loaded tater tots and still have it be legit?
Prior to Tim Walz’ appearance on the scene, I had never heard of “hotdish.” But given the recipes and comments posted, I’m curious to try it. It sounds good.
Hotdishes are just glorified casseroles. If you have Campbell’s soup, tinned meat/fowl/fish, and pasta/macaroni in your pantry, you can whip one up in no time. It’s a handy way of cleaning out your fridge, if you belong to the “no food wasted” crowd.
Which is the actual mistake in the recipe. Miller High Life (the Champagne of Beers) is the only beer to use when cooking brats. 1 to 2 tallboys plus sufficient water. Onions and (maybe) garlic in the boil.
@CairoCarol - I would add 1/4-1/2 tsp of cayenne to that instead of white pepper. I find cayenne to be a better “brightener” than white pepper, but I’m Southern so that may influence. I love white pepper but it can be ‘spicy’ even in low quantities. Cayenne isn’t hot until you can really taste it - at least IMHO.
To the OP: That’s exactly the kind of recipe I would expect to find in Granny’s book 'o recipes. She would assume she had certain things and so wouldn’t specify them until needed (i.e. the topping cheese - of course she has cheese!).
Lol, i find capsaicin toxic. White pepper is okay, if you don’t over do it. But if you start adding cayenne, i ain’t eating that dish.
In our family home, white pepper was preferred. Black pepper was okay, but white pepper was what was on the table. If you can allow that it sneaks up on you, it’s not bad; but again, you don’t want to overdo it.
I’d personally be very happy with that. Long live the variations!
It is really good, however you end up making it. In layers or everything but the tater tots mixed together, with green beans and corn or with pea….
‘Hot dish’ is a regional name for that kind of homey, hearty casserole~where I grew up in Iowa it was called ‘tater tot casserole’ and is always a hit at potlucks or brought in to feed teachers staying late for parent/teacher conferences, funeral lunches or dinners. Same dish, just distinctive, localized names for a dependable comfort food that has the added bonus of warming the house up baking in the oven for an hour. It’s easy to assemble the night before or the morning of and then slide into the oven an hour before it’s needed. Transports well covered with foil wrapped in an old blanket on the floor of your car.
If any people with personal familiarity with Midwestern/Minnesota cuisine would like to weigh in on how “funeral potatoes” intersect with “hot dish” (or hotdish, not sure which is most authentic), I’ll read with interest.
I’ve got a couple, maybe more, “funeral potato” recipes tucked away to try sometime (at least one from the SDMB, I think) but haven’t gotten around to trying one yet.