Guest Post: Tater Puffs

Today, I am so excited to have Susan of Sticky, Gooey, Creamy, Chewy sharing a guest post! Susan's blog was one of the first one's I got hooked on, and I even won one of her Top Chef giveaway's! She is a fabulous food blogger, and each post is entertaining and informative. Continue reading for more on her Tater Puffs! I know I can't wait to make them myself!

First of all, I’d like to thank Patsy for inviting me here today. I hope she’s having a wonderful time on her well-deserved vacation! Regular readers of Patsy’s blog already know that she’s a busy working mom who strives to find healthy, delicious and family-friendly recipes to serve her family and to share with all of us. As a working mom myself, I well understand this challenge. So today, I’d like to share a dish that is sure to please just about any picky eater you might have at home, young or old. I call them Tater Puffs, and they’re my homemade, healthier version of everyone’s favorite – Tater Tots.

Did you know that today, Americans consume approximately 70 million pounds of Tater Tots each year? That’s a lot of potatoes, people! What are these little spudly morsels and why do we love them so? Tater Tots are little bite-sized nuggets of hash browns made from deep-fried, grated potatoes. They were first created in 1953, when Ore-Ida founders, Nephi and Golden Grigg were looking for new ways to use potato shreds that were left over after making French fries. To say the least, they were really on to something, as Tater Tots have become one of the most popular side dishes around, appearing everywhere from school cafeterias and fast food joints to our own kitchen tables.

You might be asking yourself why I would bother messing with something as beloved as Tater Tots. Well for one thing, Tater Tots are fried and these homemade Tater Puffs are not. If you’re trying to cut down on fat or don't tolerate fried foods well, this is a plus. Also, if you make them, you can tweak the recipe any way you like. And of course, frozen food in a bag doesn't have one very important ingredient that you can only get at home - lots of love!



I make my Tater Puffs with pre-shredded packaged hash brown potatoes. You could certainly peel and shred your own potatoes. I have done that, but honestly, I really can't tell much difference the end result. I also like to add some grated cheeses, onion and diced ham to the puffs before they are baked in mini muffin tins. Tater Puffs are a super easy and tasty crowd-pleasing dish. And, they go with everything from hot dogs to an elegant roast chicken.
So, what are you waiting for? Go forth and make thee some Tater Puffs!


Tater Puffs

Ingredients

• 1 20 ounce package pre-shredded hash brown-style potatoes
• 2 lg. eggs, lightly beaten
• 4 Tbs. flour
• 1/2 tsp. baking powder
• 1 small sweet onion, coarsely grated
• 2 thick slices deli ham, chopped into small bits (about 1 cup)
• 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F., and lightly spray a mini-muffin tin with non-stick cooking spray.
2. Mix all ingredients together in a large bowl. Spoon a rounded tablespoon of the potato mixture into each prepared mini-muffin cup.
3. Bake until golden brown, about 25-30 minutes.

Makes approximately 36 Tater Puffs.