It wasn't until the Baron came along that I made potatoes a major staple in our kitchen. To him, potatoes are a necessity in our meals just as rice is. So since potatoes are such a versatile ingredient, I'm always looking for new ways to prepare them. Sometimes, I'll look for shortcuts to save on time after a long day and as a mom, I love the convenience of using some prepared ingredients on hand. Even better is when a sweepstakes or contest is involved for the chance to win $3000 in cash!

I recently partnered up with Simply Potatoes who have some great potato products and even pasta products available too! Our family loves Simply potatoes because they're made with fresh potatoes that are refrigerated, and never frozen or dehydrated. Made only with real ingredients and easy to prepare, what's not to love?!

I recently used their Simply Potatoes® Mashed Potatoes to create this quick and easy side dish using only 5 ingredients...

Sour Cream & Chive Potato Cakes

1 package Simply Potatoes® Mashed Potatoes

2 tablespoons chopped chives

2 tablespoons sour cream + more for serving

1/4 cup all-purpose flour or gluten free flour blend

2 tablespoons unsalted butter + more as needed

In a large bowl, combine the Simply Potatoes® Mashed Potatoes, chives, 2 tablespoons sour cream and 1/4 cup of flour.

Roll a golf-ball sized portion of the mashed potato mixture in your hands and carefully flatten it to create a small pancake about a 1/2 inch thick.

In a non-stick skillet over medium heat, add and melt butter. Add the pancakes a few at a time to the skillet and fry until lightly browned on both sides, being careful not to flip too soon so that it can firm up and not fall apart. Add more butter as needed to cook all the pancakes.

Heat 3 to 4 tablespoons of vegetable oil in a large sauté pan over medium heat. (Add enough oil to thoroughly coat the bottom of the pan.)

Serve hot as a great side dish!

Now it's YOUR turn! Join in the fun by submitting your original recipe for a chance to win a grand CASH prize of $3,000! Read up on the details here and add your recipe to the ring... you just might have the winning recipe!

The one (1) Grand Prize Winner will receive $3,000 cash (in the form of a check), with an approximate retail value ("ARV") of $3,000.

The one (1) People's Choice Winner will receive $1,250 cash (in the form of a check), with an ARV of $1,250.

The one (1) Sweepstakes Prize Winner will receive $750 cash (in the form of a check), with an ARV of $750.

Total ARV of all prizes is $5,000

For rules on how to enter the Sweepstakes click here.

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Simply Potatoes. The opinions and text are all mine.