The Life of Mashed Potatoes
I've always been puzzled by the standard gourmand's policy that mashed potatoes are no good unless you eat them right away. Reheated mashed potatoes may not be quite as good as freshly made, but I think they're still pretty delicious. Melissa Clark's article in the New York Times about solving the "problem" of leftover mashed potatoes pushed me over the line, so now I'm dying to know: does everyone out there really finds day-old taters inedible?
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28 Comments:
Nope. I'm fine with them. If you reaheat in the microwave, they don't change much at all. And then you put gravy on top. Mmmmmm...
In the olden days, reheating them in a pot or frying pan did change them considerably.
If there's not much left, I'll sometimes toss them into the soup to make it a creamier style thicker soup. If there's a lot, I might use some in bread or make some sort of potato dumpllngs or pierogi or some other recipe. But really, I've gotten a lot better about not cooking like there are 30 people coming over when it's just a few. So the leftovers don't hang around long.
dbcurrie at 11:48PM on 11/19/08
left over mashed potatoes = the best part of thanksgiving.
mayoxqueen at 11:55PM on 11/19/08
They're great reheated. We also like to add american cheese slices to hot potatoes (I know - that's the only time I use it except grilled cheese, but it's really good this way) until they're melted and incorporated, cool, then make patties like pancakes and coat with instant mashed potato flakes, then butter the griddle and cook each side until golden brown. They are to die for delicious - honest!
PerkyMac at 12:04AM on 11/20/08
Not at all! My OH always insists that I make "an extra-large batch" of mashed potatoes so that he could have plenty of leftovers. Plus, there are so many possible uses, from croquettes to cottage pie to various fillings for various things (all right, my OH never actually lets me use leftover mash in all these wonderful application unless I make it separately for that particular purpose, but still). If the mash is good to begin with, it's good the next day as well.
brooke29 at 12:07AM on 11/20/08
add a little onion powder,some bacon bits make patties and fry in some oil for breakfast,better than hash browns mmmmmmmmm
bigbob at 12:14AM on 11/20/08
I am not crazy about day old mashed. They are fine but not what I like to waste carbs on. I am a day old stuffing person.
JerzeeTomato at 12:14AM on 11/20/08
I love them. Just reheat slow and add a little butter and milk to them.
pjracz10 at 12:40AM on 11/20/08
Leftover mashed potatoes a problem? That's just crazytalk.
@perkymac- I am so trying your way this year. Sounds soooo delicious.
StripeyChef at 1:03AM on 11/20/08
Welcome back, Robin! And congrats on the new bundle of joy! Hope mommy life is being good to you!
Anyway. I eat 'em reheated. Prefer fresh-made, but reheated is fine for a quick lunch or late afternoon snack, especially if there is some reheated gravy or pot roast or something on top! Sometimes I mix in a little shredded Tillamook cheddar. That's always yummy.
LoCo at 2:30AM on 11/20/08
leftover mashed potatoes? Not with my grandson at the table!
NanaJoie at 7:01AM on 11/20/08
SO and I dont care much for mashed spuds, but I do make a good sized batch, mostly for the potato pancakes. Now those are to die for! @perky, I add some dried onion flakes to mine and then coat and "fry" .
SO YUMMY!
huneybumper at 8:18AM on 11/20/08
@NanaJoie - My 10-year-old nephew has always hated mashed potatoes - he simply will not touch them! He is a totally normal child in all other respects but I'm pretty sure he's from another planet, because what kid doesn't like mashed potatoes???
Leftover mashed are awesome. I love them cold even. But my favorite use for them is vegetarian colcannon, with butter, garlic, and sauteed greens.
producestories at 10:17AM on 11/20/08
I've tried making potato pancakes out of them, but they don't hold their shape. It seems a damn shame to waste them. I just bake them and cover them with bread crumbs and Parm.........and (sigh) bacon. I have no frigging clue as to what it is, but I like leftover mashed potatoes that way.
BITTER at 10:42AM on 11/20/08
@BITTER ~ maybe it's the cheese that helps hold them together? I have no problem at all. Of course, my mashed potatoes have lots of butter and sometimes cream or sour cream or cream cheese and they probably help. I neglected to mention that I melt the american cheese into leftover MASHED potatoes, before coating them with potato flakes (they stick right to the potatoes - no egg or anything else required) and cooking in butter on a griddle.
PerkyMac at 11:05AM on 11/20/08
@Perky -- that sounds yummy!!!
I like adding mine to turkey pot pie instead of cubed potatoes...sort of thickens the gravy a bit in the pie...nom nom nom
juliebugsmama at 12:22PM on 11/20/08
i had the exact same thought when i read that...
sloppy at 12:31PM on 11/20/08
Hmm, I like leftover mashed potatoes, especially reheated in the microwave with a bit of cheese and stirred well.
nightowl at 12:56PM on 11/20/08
What? There's such a thing as leftover mashed potatoes? It doesn't matter how much my husband and I make (well...we don't make 20 servings), that's always the first thing to go.
MMmm skin-on mashed red potatoes. I know what I'm having (partly) for dinner tonight...
Cassaendra at 12:56PM on 11/20/08
I'll probably be having a leftover burger, deconstructed and de-bunned, mixed with some pasta and cheese.
nightowl at 3:13PM on 11/20/08
@nightowl ~ why no T-day dinner? I'm going out (first family dinner early afternoon, second friends dinner around 8 pm), but will cook a turkey and fixin's for me, too. You're welcome to join me!
PerkyMac at 3:25PM on 11/20/08
Thanks, everybody...glad to know I'm not crazy b/c I like to eat them plain, although now I have extra incentive to make the fried patties I've been dreaming about when I have leftover mashed potatoes, which is not often & definitely not after this holiday. My mom makes a mean post-Thanksgiving shepherd's pie with everything layered in a pie plate. I like it at least as much as the meal itself.
@LoCo, thank you! She is a doll. I'm so eager to see what she likes to eat besides milk...but I'll have to wait a few more months.
Robin Bellinger at 4:17PM on 11/20/08
Haha thanks, Perk, I might have to take you up on that, I'm still not sure about Thanksgiving plans. I actually meant tonight, since Cass mentioned what she was having for dinner tonight.
For Thanksgiving, I have 3 options. Go to a potluck-type Thanksgiving with a few friends and one friend's dad. Go to a sushi restaurant with a friend and a few of her friends that I don't know well. Or make a dinner for just me and the boy.
I'm thinking I'll just fly north and join you. I'll make biscuits and have the boy make me an apple pie to bring!
nightowl at 4:25PM on 11/20/08
@PerkyMac - mix the cheese into the taters? I'll try it. I've also tried egg and flour, to make some sort of pancake out of them. The results are, well, unfortunate. A fried egg and mimosa can cover up a sin like that quite well.
BITTER at 4:56PM on 11/20/08
@Robin--ditto on congratulations. I have a 4-month-old boy and am loving watching his little personality develop! And sipping a hot cup of Mother's Milk Tea as I type. Lord, can that boy eat.
@Perky--OMG that sounds flippin' awesome. In the rare event that there are leftover mashed potatoes, I am so trying that.
My boss makes a T-day leftovers casserole with layers of turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes and gravy that is delectable. I think it'd be even better with some cranberry sauce thrown in too. And I'm also perfectly fine with plain, reheated, mashed potatoes too.
buffy at 5:20PM on 11/20/08
@Robin and @Buffy - I knew we had some new babies to celebrate. Congrats on your baby girl and baby boy. Do they have real or screen names??? ;-D
Aunt Jone should have had her baby by now, too? I lose track of time and people. Congrats to all the new moms. Updates pretty please with mashed potatoes on top? You have to let your other family (us!) know what's going on. I feel like I have two more grandchildren! Hooray!!!
btw:
My daughter took in a little 5 year old named Destiny, so now I have 2 granddaughters, a year apart in age. I can't wait to meet her.
PerkyMac at 7:46PM on 11/20/08
@Robin and @Buffy - congratulations on your little ones! Here's to a new generation of foodies!:-)
@Perky - Congratulations on your new granddaughter, this must be so exciting! You'll have to tell us when you meet her:-)
brooke29 at 8:19PM on 11/20/08
@Perky--how about screen name Angel? ;)
buffy at 10:40AM on 11/21/08
@juliebugs In the past I have made chicken pot pies with a mashed potato top kind of like shepard's pie. My husband loves the way the top gets a bit golden and crispy.
Another use if you don't like leftover mashed potatoes (although my husband loves them swimming in leftover gravy) is to make mashed potato doughnuts. Very moist, tender and cakey.
Congrats to all the new moms and grandmom!
dhorst at 10:48AM on 11/21/08