Monday, December 8, 2008

Food Storage: Using Instant Mashed Potatoes



Trish asked me how she could go about using some of the instant potatoes she had in her food storage. Like Trish, I really don't like instant potatoes (my family doesn't like them either), yet I have some in my food storage. I am trying to use them up gradually. They don't have a 30 year shelf life like grains (stored in #10 cans with an oxypack), and I am just not into processed foods. My first thought about how to use them was as simple as combining them with regular mashed potatoes; using them as an extender. They could be used to make a cream of potato soup.

I have made tortillas using instant mashed potatoes. Anyway, I thought it would be a good idea to do a search on using instant mashed potatoes and here is what I found!
Over at recipeczar, I found a recipe for leftover mashed potato pancakes that I'll be trying soon. I think that I can fry up some of the bacon I have in the freezer, crumble it, and add it to the recipe. These could be served with eggs for breakfast. I'll give those a try on Saturday morning. Thinking about mashed potato pancakes, I remember my grandmother making them!
I love Salmon Patties, and I found a recipe at the frugal life for these using mashed potatoes. By the way, it isn't a bad idea to have a few cans of salmon in your food storage!
Bread or rolls using mashed potatoes are a great way to use your food storage potatoes. They make a nice dinner roll. In my old, red Betty Crocker's Cook Book, there is a recipe that is good. I also found another recipe at the frugal life.
To finish off your mashed potato meal (really, don't serve all of this at one meal...I'm just kidding!), you could serve a chocolate cake that uses mashed potatoes.
I will be trying a few of these recipes this week, and will post what I make. Let me know if you try one of these recipes and how it turned out. Or perhaps you have a great recipe that you'd like to share. Let me know!

7 comments:

Trish said...

Oh! We had potato cakes when I was a little girl in North Carolina! Good idea!
And I own a Red Betty Crocker cookbook. I'll check into that too.
All such great ideas! I'll see if I can incorporate a couple into next weeks meal plan.
Can't wait to see how things turn out for you too.

Unknown said...

I saw a contestant use instant mashed potatoes on Top Chef to make Gnochi. I have always wanted to try that recipe. The judges said they couldn't tell the difference!

Sleepless In St. George said...

ok...so now i need ideas to use breakfast sausage.....not the links but the chub rolls....got a bunch for a quarter at walmart....so want to use them up!

Jodi said...

I don't mind instant potatoes on shepherd's pie. And I LOVE potato biscuits and they are just fine with the instant ones.

Glenda said...

Jodi, potato biscuits sound great! I'll have to find a recipe that I can share. Tyler, Gnochi...who would have thought? Sleepless...I'll be working on the tomato juice and sausage dilemas for you this week!

Rita said...

My daughter is gluten intolerant (recently diagnosed as celiac) and I recently heard someone say that instant potatoes can be used as a thickener. I haven't tried it yet, but I was thinking the next time I make scalloped potatoes and ham, instead of using flour as a thickener, I'd use the instant potatoes.

Glenda said...

Rita, yes, instant potatoes can be used as a thickener as can rice. I posted earlier that cooked rice can be added to soup stock to make it thicker. Both of these are good alternatives that are gluten free.