Potato Cakes

What's the only thing needed on a snow day? (Besides the more serious essentials, like shovels, snow boots, hats and gloves, etc.) Comforting...carb-loaded potato cakes, with a golden crust to hold in the creamy and warm inside. Did I mention these have bacon in them? I know, the story gets better...I don't know how this happened but it happened, I found creme fraiche at a health food store on sale! I couldn't wait to try it in my mashed potatoes and they came out great! The recipe is below for the mashed potatoes I made but if you have a tried-and-true mashed potato recipe, just set aside 2 cups for the potato cakes. For this recipe you'll need cold mashed potatoes, so leftovers from the fridge are great. Stay warm, happy weekend and enjoy!

• 1 pound skin-on Yukon Gold potatoes, roughly chopped
• 1 heaping tablespoon creme fraiche or sour cream
• 1 tablespoon crumbly Gorgonzola
• 1 tablespoon heavy cream
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
• sea salt
• ground black pepper
• 1/4 cup finely cubed bacon *optional
• plain or seasoned bread crumbs
• 1/3 cup flour, sifted
• canola oil for frying

Cook your potatoes until fork tender, drain and mash in the creme fraiche, cheese, cream, butter. Season with sea salt and ground pepper. Allow to cool and place in the refrigerator. Once you are ready to make your cakes, fry up the bacon in a touch of canola oil, until as crisp as you like. Allow to drain on a paper towel and mix into the mashed potatoes. Add in the flour and combine well. (Depending on the consistency of your mashed potato recipe, you may have to add more flour. They shouldn't stick to your hands as you roll them.) Form into little balls, (using a cookie dough scoop works great.) and then roll them between your hands to smooth them out. Press the balls into the bread crumbs on both sides, forming little cakes. Heat up the canola oil until hot on medium-high heat in a non-stick skillet. Fry in batches, browning on both sides. About a minute on each side is enough. Drain on paper towels, then move onto a paper bag, so they stay crisp. Serve with sour cream. Makes 22 potato cakes.