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Homemade tater tots are a great way to use up leftover mashed potatoes!

I’ll admit that sometimes I just can’t with leftovers. At least not more than a day or two. After a couple days I’m so over whatever that food is. Even if it was one of my favoritest foods ever in the whole world. I don’t want to eat it every single day for a week. {Dear Tacos and Cheese, I’m not talking to you. Promise. Love Always, Me.} So when we were stuck with three large containers of mashed potatoes after Thanksgiving we all got tired of eating leftovers pretty fast. Except Nicole. She can eat leftovers for weeks and not get sick of them. Weirdo.

I’ve had tater tots on the brain since the roomie and I watched a movie the other day where they served tots for dinner. And it doesn’t help that this tater tot nacho video thing keeps making the rounds on Facebook. And I have to watch it every. single. time. If you’re gonna be brave and make homemade tater tot you usually use grated potatoes but I’ve never really cared for that texture. Even in the store bought frozen variety.

Enter gobs and gobs of leftover mashed potatoes. Or really just the rest of the leftover mashed potatoes. Now I’m just wondering when we’re going to make more. Not that we need more any time soon. Seriously, who makes 15 pounds of mashed potatoes for 5 people for Thanksgiving? Crazy people, that’s who.

They come together super quick and fry up even faster. I bet they’d taste great if you fried then froze them for your own frozen tater tots! Then you can just pull them out of the freezer whenever and pop them in the oven. Oooo and make those tater tot nachos! Yes, please!

Mine are about 1 Tbs but feel free to make them a little smaller if they’re intended for little mouths and not grown ups having a throw back. I think next time I’m going to grate some cheddar cheese in there because everything tastes better with cheese. Oh, and do yourself a favor and make sure your potatoes are salted to your liking BEFORE you add the egg in there, ok? You’ll thank me later.

What’s your favorite way to use up leftovers?

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Homemade Tater Tots {Leftover Recipe}

Yield: 24 tots

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 8 minutes

Total Time: 28 minutes

Homemade tater tots are a great way to use up leftover mashed potatoes!

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Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups leftover mashed potatoes
• 1 egg, beaten
• 2 Tbs flour
• 1/4 cup Italian bread crumbs
• 2 Tbs parmesan cheese + more for serving
• Salt to taste
• 1 1/2 cups vegetable oil

Instructions

1. Salt potatoes to taste and mix in egg and flour until completely incorporated.
2. Mix bread crumbs and parmesan cheese in a separate bowl and scoop potato mixture by rounded tablespoon, coating thoroughly in bread crumbs.
3. Shape into rounded rectangles and lay on a cookie sheet. Refrigerate while your oil heats, about 10 minutes.
4. Heat oil in a medium sauce pan to 350 degrees. Drop 4-6 tots in hot oil, careful not to over crowed the pan, and fry for 1-2 minutes until golden brown.
5. Allow to drain on a paper towel and sprinkle with coarse salt and parmesan cheese.