Scrub potatoes and cut into large cubes. Put in a medium sized pot; fill with cold water and 1 Tbsp salt. Bring to a boil.
Parboil potatoes until they are tender, drain and let them cool slightly. Grate them in a food processor and squeeze out excess liquid.
Place potatoes in a large bowl and lightly mix in cornstarch, salt, pepper, garlic powder and onion powde
Add vegetable oil to a ½ in. thick heavy bottomed skillet and set over medium heat.
When oil is hot, form thumb-sized balls of the potato mixture and fry until a golden brown color is reached, about 15 sec. each side.
Drain excess oil off on paper towels,and let tots cool. Place a layer on the baking sheet, transfer to the oven and bake until crispy. Able 15-20 minutes turning over once.
For Buffalo Bacon Tater Tot Pie: Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a pie dish that is lightly coated with cooking spray place tater tots and press down on them lightly. In a medium sized skillet place diced bacon and cook until crispy removing from skillet and pat drying with a paper towel to remove excess oil. Top the pie dish with bacon and cheese, bake until the cheese melts (about 5 minutes). While baking combine sour cream and buffalo sauce. Drizzle the pie with the buffalo sauce mix and top with freshly cut chives.