Cheesy Potato Bites

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Despite the fact that one of our kids is not a potato fan at all, I love to serve various potato side dishes with our meals. There are so many different options when it comes to potato sides and I always feel like I can find a good fit for any meal.

Personally, I’m a huge red skinned smashed potato fan. I could literally make a meal out of those! In fact, there have been times when I’ve boiled up a potato or two and mashed it with a little butter, sour cream, milk and garlic powder to have for a quick lunch. It’s just SO good!

The only issue I have with potatoes is that they’re not always the easiest to freeze. Their consistency and quality can really decrease sometimes. The only potato dish that I’ve had any success with freezing has been mashed potatoes. Until now that is.

Admittedly, these Cheesy Potato Bites are just a mashed potato spin-off, but they’re different enough that my family won’t make fun of me for serving mashed potatoes again!  They freeze wonderfully, making them a great substitute for convenience frozen potato products. (Although we won’t tell my husband that. He would be so sad to hear that the occasional tater tot splurge was no longer in our future.)

Cheesy Potato Bites

• 1 1/2 lb. potatoes, peeled and quartered (you can use any kind of potato. I had yukon golds on hand, so that’s what I used.)
• 4 T. butter or margarine
• 1 c. shredded cheddar cheese
• 1/2 c. flour
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1 t. salt
• 1/2 t. garlic powder
• 1/2 t. black pepper
• 1 c. breadcrumbs

1. Place the potatoes in a large pot filled with cold water. Bring to a boil and boil until potatoes are fork tender, about 15 minutes. Drain and return potatoes to the pot. Let sit for 2-3 minutes, just to absorb any liquid still left on the potatoes.

2. Add the butter or margarine to the pot and mash with the potatoes. Transfer the mashed potatoes to a large mixing bowl.

3. Add the cheese, flour, egg and seasonings to the mixing bowl. Stir to combine well.

4. Using 1-2 tablespoons of potato mixture at a time, roll into a ball. Roll the balls into the breadcrumbs until covered completely and place on a baking sheet. Repeat until done.

5. Drizzle the potato bites with some melted butter or spritz with baking spray. Bake at 350 degrees for about 15 minutes, until golden brown and lightly crunchy.

This recipe should make about 3 dozen potato bites, depending on the size.

To freeze the potato bites, flash freeze on a large dish or baking sheet until firm, then transfer to a plastic freezer bag.

This post is being linked to Tasty Tuesday at Balancing Beauty and Bedlam.