What do you do with instant mashed potatoes? Do you have leftover hurricane supplies or food pantry items you’re not sure how to use?
For my homemade potato pancakes I prefer to use real mashed potatoes whenever I have them leftover. Of course, raising six sons, there weren’t many days when they didn’t finish the mashed potatoes. I learned that instant potatoes will work in a pinch either to increase the leftover mashed potatoes or in place of them.
I keep instant potatoes around to thicken soups, or to add to batters to make them stiffer.
Potato Pancakes
Ingredients:
2 cups instant potatoes
Cajun seasoning
2 Tablespoons butter
2 Tablespoons sour cream
½ cup cheddar cheese
¼ cup chopped bacon or real bacon bits
½ cup flour
2 eggs
Oil for cooking
A little milk to loosen the batter to the consistency of pancake or waffle batter.
Melt butter, stir in potatoes, add sour cream and eggs. Stir in flour, loosen batter with milk if necessary. Fold in cheese and bacon. Spoon onto hot, lightly oiled skillet or griddle. I use a folding griddle similar to a panini press to cook faster. Cook until firm and golden, and the cheese starts to melt.
I use these for breakfast, dinner, or snack. They are great for a side-dish or after a long day of work, they become the main dish.
Sausage Potato Pie
1 lb. turkey sausage (you can use whatever sausage you like but turkey you don’t have to drain)
¼ cup chopped onion
Pie shell (I use store brand refrigerated pie shell)
2 cups instant potatoes
2 Tablespoons butter
2 Tablespoons sour cream
½ cup cheddar cheese
½ cup flour
2 eggs
Cook sausage and onions until meat is browned and onions soft.
In a separate bowl, mix instant potatoes with butter, sour cream, eggs and flour. Add in cheese.
Preheat oven to 350.
Prepare pie shell:
I use a low-sided Corningware dish lined with parchment paper, allowing about two inches on either side to hang over for removing from dish. (It makes a prettier display for the holidays.)
Put cold pie dough in dish. (Cold dough is flakey crust.) Don’t over work it but push it down flat around the bottom and pinch the sides to make it stand up. (Over working it can make it tough.) With a fork, poke holes in the bottom, I go all around the bottom ring and into the middle to keep it from bubbling up.
Layer sausage and onions on bottom and top with potato batter. Bake until potatoes are golden, and cheese starts to melt.
Let cool before cutting.
Mini Egg/Potato Pies (Potato Quiche?)
2 cups instant potatoes
2 Tablespoons butter
3 Tablespoons sour cream
½ cup cheddar cheese
½ cup chopped bacon or real bacon bits
½ cup flour
4 eggs
Ritz crackers
Cupcake tin
Cupcake liners (I use silicon liners)
Put crackers in the bottom of each cupcake liner. Mix all the other ingredients together then spoon into cupcake liners.
Bake at 350 degrees for approximately 20 minutes or until firm and golden.
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