Bacon Cheddar Potato Cakes With Homemade Ketchup

Bacon week continues with Bacon Cheddar Potato Cakes with Homemade Ketchup. Both of these recipes were ones I had saved on my Pinterest boards (follow me here). Mashed potatoes are mixed with bacon and shredded cheese, then formed into cakes and pan fried. They are simple to make and it’s easy substitute the filling for whatever you have in the fridge that strikes your fancy. The drawback is you have to plan ahead because the mashed potatoes need to cool in the refrigerator. They’re worth the trouble and make a fun lunch or something to munch on while watching your favorite team.

After making many different potato cakes over the years I’ve learned to avoid leftover mashed potatoes made with a lot of butter, milk, cream cheese, etc. Those type of potatoes don’t hold their shape very well. Instead I’ll cook potatoes specifically to be made into cakes. I’ll mash them with a little salt and pepper only. Let the potatoes cool in the fridge until you’re ready to use them.

The original recipe from Taste of Home called for a quarter cup “real bacon bits”…but you’re going to cook four or five strips of bacon and cut them into bit sized pieces, right? The recipe also calls for a half cup of chopped green onions. I had some caramelized onions in the fridge so I chopped them into smaller pieces and used them instead. You’ll find the pin here.

Rather than make balls, I formed my potatoes into small patties. A small cookie scoop, like this one (affiliate link) was helpful for portioning the potatoes. I was able to make 24 patties.

The ketchup I served with these cakes comes from this pin and was shared by My Whole Food Life. It uses tomato paste and is flavored with vinegar and honey. You’ll be amazed at how easy it is to make. When purchasing tomato paste check the labels. There are brands that slip some extra preservatives or high fructose corn syrup into their paste. The original recipe called for white wine vinegar, but I didn’t have any. I used white vinegar and a white balsamic vinegar. The next batch I’m going to flavor the ketchup with some molasses and standard balsamic vinegar.

Ingredients:

For the ketchup:

• 6 oz can tomato paste
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 2 tablespoons white vinegar
• 3 tablespoons white balsamic vinegar
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
• salt to taste

For the bacon cheddar potato cakes:

• 2 cups mashed potatoes
• 1 egg, beaten
• 3/4 cup sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
• 1/4 cup caramelized onions, chopped fine
• 4 – 5 strips of bacon, fried and cut into itty bitty pieces
• 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped fine
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1/2 cup fine bread crumbs
• oil for frying

Method:

For the ketchup:

1. Mix all the ingredients in a small sauce pan and mix well.
2. Heat thoroughly. Adjust the seasonings to your taste.
3. Store in the refrigerator for several weeks. Thin with a little water or vinegar as necessary.

For the bacon cheddar potato cakes:

1. Mix the potatoes, egg, bacon, onions, cheddar cheese, parsley, salt and pepper thoroughly in a medium bowl.
2. Form the mix into patties and coat with bread crumbs. Allow to stand for 15 minutes before cooking.
3. In a small to medium skillet measure enough oil to come about halfway up the sides of the cakes.
4. Fry the cakes for 3 – 4 minutes per side or until a nice golden brown color. Drain on paper towels.
5. These are best served warm, but can be reheated (the oven is preferable to the microwave for this sort of thing).

You could easily use this recipe to make 6 full sized patties for a meal. Don’t be afraid to experiment with ingredients. It’s a great way to stretch a small amount of leftovers. How about broccoli and chopped chicken? Or a little corned beef and chopped cabbage? Peas would be fun, too. As long as you have enough potatoes to form a patty you’re in good shape.