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Who loves cheesy potatoes? I know it’s one dish our kids are excited to have at parties and holiday gatherings. The downfall is usually the high amount of sodium, fat, and calories tucked into it. Don’t get me wrong, we all love Grandma’s cheesy potatoes, but we enjoy them on holidays and special occasions, not on a routine basis. These mini hash brown cups are a healthy makeover to Grandma’s cheesy potatoes, with a crunch. They are super yummy and kids love being able to pick them up, and of course dip them in a little ketchup from time to time. 🙂
OK, LET’S START COOKING. HERE’S A LIST OF SUPPLIES YOU’LL NEED:
- Measuring cups
- Measuring spoons
- Mixing bowls
- Spoon or spatula
- Silicone mini muffin pans
KID SKILL LEVEL TASKS
Every child’s ability varies depending on maturity or cognitive and physical ability. Parents need to use their own discretion when assigning tasks. These are general guidelines for the Mini Cheesy Hash Brown Cups.
YOUNGER THAN 3 YEARS OLD
- Name and count ingredients with child
- Dump measured ingredients into bowl
- Assist with stirring ingredients together
- Press potatoes into mini cups with sandwich bags over hands (mixture contains raw egg, sandwich bags work nicely to protect their little hands)
3 – 5 YEARS OLD
- All of tasks from younger than 3 years old
- Count and measure ingredients
- Stir ingredients together
6 – 7 YEARS OLD
- All of the younger tasks
- Beat egg with fork
- Fill mini muffin pans with potato mixture (remind them to wash hands immediately after, as the mixture contains raw egg)
8 – 9 YEARS OLD
- All of the younger tasks
10 – 12 YEARS OLD
- All of the younger tasks
- Use the oven to bake the hash browns
- Before
- After
FRIENDLY REMINDERS:
- Wash everyone’s hands!
- Clean all work surfaces before starting.
- Leave tasting until the end. Your child might not understand the difference between a ready-to-eat ingredient and a raw unsafe ingredient.
- It is okay for your kitchen to get a little messy.
- Keep in mind that your child is learning, so patience is key!
Mini Cheesy Hash Brown Cups
- 1 bag (1 ¼ lb) shredded potatoes, thawed
- ½ cup shredded cheddar cheese
- ½ cup Panko crumbs
- 4 Tbsp olive oil
- 1 egg, beaten
- ¼ tsp garlic powder
- ¼ tsp onion powder
- ¼ tsp salt
- ½ tsp pepper
- Preheat the oven to 350℉.
- In a large bowl, mix together potatoes, cheese and Panko crumbs. Stir in olive oil and egg. Add remaining ingredients and stir until evenly combined.
- Using a silicone mini muffin pan, fill cups with approximately 3 tablespoons of potato mixture. Press and form mixture into cups slightly.
- Bake for 40-50 minutes at 350℉. I put the silicone mini muffin pans on cookie sheets for a little more stability.
- Allow potatoes to cool for approximately 5-10 minutes before removing from cups.
