Loaded Mashed Potato Cakes

These were really delicious. The recipe called for packaged, refrigerated mashed potatoes (just my speed at the time since it was one of the first things I made) which some wouldn’t consider ideal, but it cuts down on the prep time significantly (which I suppose is how it was able to be featured in the WW 15 Minute Recipe magazine). They turned out great, so I wouldn’t change a thing. If it’s important to you to start with whole potatoes and mash them yourself I’m sure that would work just fine. The serving size is 2 potato cakes and it makes for a filling side dish or even a yummy breakfast!

*Sorry the picture is horrible, I took it with my old phone. I’ve since upgraded.

Loaded Mashed Potato Cakes

Yield: 8 (2 cake) servings

Ingredients:

• 1 (24 oz) package refrigerated mashed potatoes (such as Simply Potatoes – I used the “Country Style”)
• 1 ½ cups panko crumbs
• ¾ cup (3 oz) reduced fat shredded cheddar cheese
• 2 tablespoon real bacon pieces (such as Hormel, often found in the salad toppings section of the grocery store)
• 2 tablespoon chopped green onions

Directions:

1. Combine all the ingredients except cooking spray in a large bowl. Shape potato mixture into 16 (2 inch) cakes.
2. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add half of potato cakes to pan (or however many fit at once, you’ll need to work in batches). Cook 2 minutes on each side until golden brown. Repeat procedure with remaining potato cakes.

MyWW SmartPoints per (2 cake) serving: (SP calculated using the recipe builder on weightwatchers.com)

Green: 6 SmartPoints/ Blue: 6 SmartPoints/ Purple: 6 SmartPoints

Weight Watchers Points Plus:
4 per (2 cake) serving (P+ calculated using the recipe builder on weightwatchers.com)

Weight Watchers 5 Ingredient, 15 Minute Recipes, Winter 2010