I am absolutely in LOVE with this recipe – I could not believe how quickly my family ate these bites up
I am in the middle of moving – so I am trying to use up what I have in the kitchen so I do not have to trek it across town – so I am challenging myself to use it ALL up!!!
I had these bacon bits from a previous recipe ( but not something I normally use) and that got me thinking about doing some sort of baked potatoes and with football season starting up I knew I wanted to make some sort of snack you could eat with your hands
I am very happy how these bites turned out – I hope you enjoy them too!
These loaded up baked potato bites are one of the best things to happen to my snack lineup in a long time and for good reason! They’re everything you love about a baked potato piled high with all the toppings, just in a bite-sized package. Set out a platter on game day, or the next time you have friends over, and watch how quickly they disappear!
Ingredients:
2 cups leftover mashed potatoes
2 tablespoons of flour
2/3 cup of shredded cheddar cheese
3 strips bacon
1/3 cup scallions, chopped
1 egg
1 ¼ – 1 ½ cups Italian bread crumbs
Oil for frying
Salt and Pepper
Ranch or Honey Mustard for dipping
Directions:
Take potatoes out of the fridge and let sit for a few minutes to take the chill off a bit. Meanwhile shred the cheese, chop scallions, and cook bacon then dice finely. Add potatoes and flour to a large mixing bowl and stir to combine well, then add cheese, bacon, and scallions. Take about a heaping tablespoon of mixture and roll with hands into a small ball. It if doesn’t hold its shape, add a little more flour to make the potatoes sturdy. Repeat until done.
Heat oil in a medium sauce pan – or use your fryer – over medium/medium high heat to about 350-375 degrees. Whisk egg into a small bowl and season with salt and pepper. Place bread crumbs in an additional bowl. Dip each ball in egg and then roll in bread crumbs until fully coated. Set aside on a sheet pan.
TIP: Alternatively Bake in the oven until golden brown at 350-375 degrees for a lower fat option
Test oil with one ball. The oil should bubble when the potato is in oil and the ball should take about 1-2 minutes to brown and cook through. (It takes longer the oil needs to be hotter, if it browned too quickly on the outside and the inside is still cold, the temperature needs to be lower.) Once the oil is ready, add potato balls in small batches and fry for 1-2 minutes – it will depend on size. Remove with slotted spoon and place on a paper-lined plate to allow excess oil to drain off. Repeat until done.
Allow to cool for a minute or two and serve with dipping sauce
