CHEESY MASHED POTATO PUFFS

Steps:

• 1. Heat the oven to 400°F and lightly grease the cups of a mini-muffin tin.
• 2. Whisk together the mashed potatoes, the eggs, 3/4 cup of cheese, the chives, and ham. Season, if necessary, with salt and pepper. The seasoning will depend on how seasoned your mashed potatoes were to begin with.
• 3. Mound a spoonful of the mixture in each muffin cup. Sprinkle the tops with the remaining 1/4 cup of grated cheese.
• 4. Bake for 20 minutes, or until the potato cups are set, browned on top, and heated through. Let cool for about 5 minutes in the pan, then use a spoon or knife to gently release them from the pan. Serve immediately with dollops of sour cream, if desired.
• 5. Make-Ahead Notes You can bake these and refrigerate for up to 3 days. To reheat and re-crisp: arrange the puffs on a baking sheet and bake at 400°F for about 15 minutes (depending on size). I assume these also freeze well, but I haven't experimented with this yet myself. If I froze them, I would thaw overnight in the refrigerator then follow the reheating instructions above.
• 6. More Flavoring Ideas for Mashed Potato Puffs Loaded Baked Potato: Cheddar cheese, cooked bacon, chopped green onions, served with sour cream and chives Curried Potato Puffs: 1 teaspoon curry powder (or to taste), chopped red onion, chopped jalapeño pepper, served with yogurt and cucumber. Goat Cheese & Spinach: Fine chopped spinach, minced garlic, crumbled goat cheese. Italian-Inspired: Finely chopped sun-dried tomatoes, chopped basil, finely chopped shallots, served with a smear of tomato sauce.