Quick Potato and Carrot Latkes

Here is another Rachel Ray Recipe (from her small "comfort food" book).
Ingredients:
Vegetable oil, for frying
1 sack (24 ounces) shredded potatoes for hash browns
1 large carrot
1 medium onion
2 eggs, beaten
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
3 tablespoons matzo meal, cracker meal, or all purpose flour

Procedure:
Heat 1/2 inch oil in a large skillet over medium to medium-high heat. To test oil, add a piece of bread to the pan. It should turn golden brown in a count of 10. Adjust heat as necessary.
Place potatoes in a large bowl. Using a hand grater, grate the carrot and onion into the bowl. Add beaten eggs, salt, baking powder, and meal or flour. Combine vegetables and meal with a wooden spoon. Drop mixture into oil in 3 inch mounds. Press down gently with spatula to form patties. Friy in batches of 4 to 6 patties, 1 inch apart, until golden, about 3 minutes on each side. Drain on a paper towel or parchment-lined tray.

I did this with regular potatoes that I shredded myself, but its a pain. Also, making potato pancakes is a messy business and takes a lot of practice.