Mashed potatoes get a twist, once breaded and fried, into delicious magical balls that bring a warm crunch, coupled with exciting soft cheesy centered gooeyness and the feeling of holiday cheer to the table when you serve these up. Try dunking them in blue cheese dressing, French onion dip, or leftover gravy. This recipe is an amazing way to utilize leftover mashed potatoes from Thanksgiving dinner or create a fun and exciting appetizer before the meal. You can change the taste by using different types of potatoes and adding in different flavors. Leftover mashed potatoes become a magical masterpiece all of your friends and family will enjoy. This is a great recipe for friends and family movie night, any game day, or just a nice change of pace for a unique fun creative dinner side dish.
INGREDIENTS:
PREPARATION:
STEP 1.) In a large bowl, combine mashed potatoes with cooked bacon, cheddar, chives, and garlic powder, and season with salt and pepper. Stir until all ingredients are incorporated.STEP 2.) Place eggs and panko in separate shallow bowls. Use a small cookie scoop to scoop 1” to 2” balls of mashed potato mixture. Roll into a ball in your hands, then dredge first in egg and then in panko. Repeat until all mashed potatoes are used. STEP 3.) Heat 3” of oil in a large cast iron skillet until candy thermometer reads 375°. Fry potato balls in batches until golden on all sides, 2 to 3 minutes. Drain on a paper towel lined plate and season immediately with more salt.