Instant Mashed Potatoes

RE: Instant Mashed Potatoes (Catracks)

Tue, 08 Apr 2008 13:52:57 GMT

quote:
Originally posted by sftreat

All of you upper crust snobs who have the gall to say I would NEVER serve instant potatoes make me gag. I suppose you roast and grind your own coffee beans and also grind your own peanuts for peanut butter. Oh yeah, and churn your own butter. Get off the horse and join the real world. We all use premade products every day. Every one every day. Got it?

I do grind my beans because Trader Joes makes a blend I love. I also have churned my own butter but it was more expensive and just the same as store bought. I get fresh peanut and cashew butter from my farmer's market. I do not have the ability to make other than farm cheese though, but I consider cheese to be a stratch staple. I can also make tortillas, but usually don't. I get them from a torillarilla that can do better than me. They do it from scratch.

In the real world it takes 10 minutes to boil potatoes and only a few more to mash them with salt, pepper, butter and milk. Instant potatoes are glutinous and don't really taste of the potato to me. This site is made up of food lovers who normally take their time and effort to produce or find a place with good tasting food.

I really have stopped most packaged, processed foods from coming into my kitchen. You can flavor noodles, potaoes and rice better from scratch. I will buy pre-made pasta, but the ingredients are simple and it is authentic enough. I can make it though. I also use some cake mixes because my baking is not yet up to par, but I am getting better. I can now make biscuits, pie crust and quick breads better than anything in a store. My huumus is better and cheaper too.

Today is ham and navy bean soup from scratch. No, I didn't grow the beans or smoke the ham, but the beans have been soaking and the ham bone when into the beans to simmer.

It's not about being snobby and upper crust. I got this way of cooking from my farm and peasant grandparents.

RE: Instant Mashed Potatoes (Ort. Carlton.)

Tue, 08 Apr 2008 01:26:50 GMT

Dearfolk,
Or, as Bobby Darin said at the end of his all-but-forgotten 1960 hit "Artificial Flowers," "Gimme da real thing!"
I concur, 100% (plus some).
Folks, I just don't go for instant anything.
From-Scratching The Surface, Ort. Carlton in Always-Edible Athens, Georgia.

RE: Instant Mashed Potatoes (Ort. Carlton.)

Tue, 08 Apr 2008 01:24:34 GMT

Dearfolk,
Or, as I concocted in a fake letter to a friend in the eighth or ninth grade: "Dear Sir, I love to eat 3 or 4 packs of Borden's Instant Mashed Potatoes quickly followed by a couple quarts of Welchade. Sincerely Yours, B. Levi Overeat. BLO/at"
Maybe that's why I'm having so much truoble losing weight... it's the exploded purple ghost of B. Levi Overeat haunting me....
Untryingly, Ort. Carlton in Amazing 30601-Land.

RE: Instant Mashed Potatoes (Ort. Carlton.)

Tue, 08 Apr 2008 01:19:17 GMT

quote:
Originally posted by UncleVic
I do suggest them to alot of my customers for rodent control. Mice will eat the dry flakes (they love the stuff). Then once the mouse drinks some water, the spuds expand in their guts killing them. Makes a nice non-toxic, organic alternative to chemicals.

UncleVic,
But how do you sleep through all those little mouse explosions? -- I would think that it might get a bit noisy at your place....
Come To Poppa, Un-Mouse-Housed Ort. Carlton in Otherwise-Varmint-Filled Athens, Georgia.

RE: Instant Mashed Potatoes (Scarlett)

Mon, 07 Apr 2008 22:35:47 GMT

Idanoan's are what I buy. I always have them on hand so, I make them when I want them, in single servings, and to me they are good.

I don;t like the 'powdered'instant potatoes but do like the 'flake' type.

RE: Instant Mashed Potatoes (godsil)

Mon, 07 Apr 2008 22:13:44 GMT

God bless y'all! Fakey flakey dried tators are a guilty pleasure to me. I worked for a few years as the dreaded "school cook". We worked with all the somewhat scary "commodities" from Uncle Sam. Believe me, those commodies were used gratefully at times and other times, with humor. ( OMG...what to do with 20 large cans of low quality salmon with bones...umm, salmon patties that the kids called "cat food".

But, I digress. I came to love and appreciate dried tator flakes done up with reconstituted dry milk and LOTS of real butter. Made in a huge Hobart floor model mixer.

RE: Instant Mashed Potatoes (TraderJ)

Tue, 18 Mar 2008 13:55:07 GMT

quote:
Originally posted by David_NYC

quote:
Originally posted by TraderJ

IMHO...I am not a fan of instant mash, but the ones you can get from sams club in the red box..Idahoan I think is the name...It already has dry milk in it so you just add water. If you make them a little thicker than what the directions say...not bad...esp. if you use them for a sheppards pie or filler , or potato cakes , put a little chesse on top...MMmmm

TraderJ:
Could you tell us if you buy the Idahoan Real Premium Mashed Potatoes:
http://www.samsclub.com/shopping/navigate.do?dest=5&item=193850
or the Potato Pearls Excel Potatoes:
http://www.samsclub.com/shopping/navigate.do?dest=5&item=339971

A manager for Old Country Buffet told me about Idahoan Real 10 years ago after I asked him how I could make potatoes as good as they were serving at the time. I was buying them in supermarkets in a approx. one pound package, but they started to disappear from supermarket shelves. While I doctor them up with butter, sour cream and black pepper, they are closer to made-from-scratch than any other type I ever tried.

The Idahoan Real Premium Mashed Potatoes...I haven't tried the other you mentioned...but heck...for $5.00 and the box makes 64 servings..it's cheap enough to try them all!

RE: Instant Mashed Potatoes (roossy90)

Tue, 18 Mar 2008 13:05:20 GMT

quote:
Originally posted by Greyghost

I would never second guess Uncle Vic.

Neither would I!....

RE: Instant Mashed Potatoes (baileysoriginal)

Fri, 14 Mar 2008 16:49:49 GMT

mbrookes - go to the Hungry Jack website - they have recipes for oven fried chicken and oysters so you can probably get an idea for how to do fish using seasonings and such to suit your taste.

I really didn't know that instant potato flakes could be used in so many different ways.

RE: Instant Mashed Potatoes (mbrookes)

Fri, 14 Mar 2008 16:27:56 GMT

I use instant potatoes for thickening gravies, soups, stews etc.because I can't have gluten (wheat,barley, rye, oats)
Please, someone, tell me how to use them as coating for fried fish.

RE: Instant Mashed Potatoes (leethebard)

Fri, 14 Mar 2008 05:21:39 GMT

I have not found a better mashed brand yet..if there is one let us know!!!!

RE: Instant Mashed Potatoes (dancinhomer)

Thu, 13 Mar 2008 11:05:01 GMT

Idahoan brand are far and away better than any other instant mashed potato you will find.

RE: Instant Mashed Potatoes (leethebard)

Thu, 13 Mar 2008 10:59:54 GMT

Sounds like Amish mashed potatoes...common Amish name!

RE: Instant Mashed Potatoes (TooPhat)

Thu, 13 Mar 2008 10:06:46 GMT

I also use the pre-mashed potatoes. The brand I use is Yoders, don't know if these are regional or not. I add some extra butter, salt and pepper. They taste great, my family loves them. Really handy when everyone is tired and ready to eat.
Pam

RE: Instant Mashed Potatoes (tkitna)

Thu, 13 Mar 2008 01:22:04 GMT

quote:
Originally posted by Rick F.

Not "instant," but I suppose equally contemptible, are the tubs of pre-mashed potatoes sold under the name, "Country Crock." We use them all the time here, lumps and all.

I use them on a regualr basis too Rick. The kids and wife like them and so do I. Oh well.

RE: Instant Mashed Potatoes (Rick F.)

Wed, 12 Mar 2008 23:14:50 GMT

Not "instant," but I suppose equally contemptible, are the tubs of pre-mashed potatoes sold under the name, "Country Crock." We use them all the time here, lumps and all.

RE: Instant Mashed Potatoes (brittneal)

Wed, 12 Mar 2008 16:10:01 GMT

Baccccccccck in my Chef says it was the mark of an inferior cook t thicken clam chowde with instant spuds. Noone would ever know unles you told them and the result is suprisingly good.
For a fish coating I mix 1/3 breadcrumbs, 1/3 bisquick and 1/3 instant mashed. Its delicious. It tastes like the fish has a french fry batter.
britt

RE: Instant Mashed Potatoes (rebeltruce)

Wed, 12 Mar 2008 10:42:59 GMT

I like instant mashed potatoes, if I don't have any potatoes in the house and have a craving for mashed potatoes I always have a box on hand.

Even Julia Child said they are OK with cream and plenty of butter, if they are good enough for Julia then they are good enough for me, she happens to be a personal hero of mine.

I wouldn't hesitate to serve them to friends. With enough cream and butteer they are fine!

RE: Instant Mashed Potatoes (leethebard)

Tue, 11 Mar 2008 05:21:17 GMT

sftreat,
Good points...I bet some of them are the same folks admitting to eating at Arby's or ,gag,Pizza Hut for lunch,then going home at mixing some instant mashed potatoes!!!Some of us have fickle stomachs,indeed!

RE: Instant Mashed Potatoes (sftreat)

Tue, 11 Mar 2008 05:17:19 GMT

All of you upper crust snobs who have the gall to say I would NEVER serve instant potatoes make me gag. I suppose you roast and grind your own coffee beans and also grind your own peanuts for peanut butter. Oh yeah, and churn your own butter. Get off the horse and join the real world. We all use premade products every day. Every one every day. Got it?

RE: Instant Mashed Potatoes (brittneal)

Tue, 11 Mar 2008 05:14:45 GMT

We keep a boiling vat of Hungry Jack over the front door. This is only to discourage salesmen and Jehova's Wittnesses.
britt

RE: Instant Mashed Potatoes (bwave)

Tue, 11 Mar 2008 01:29:35 GMT

Oh god no, how hard is it to make mashed potatoes?? And mashed potatoes shouldn't have cow juice in them, just potatoes and margarine.

RE: Instant Mashed Potatoes (Shara)

Tue, 11 Mar 2008 01:16:35 GMT

I never thought to use them to thicken soup (a great idea!) or as breading. Does the breading with them come out similar to panko (Japanese) breadcrumbs? I'm addicted to those and make great oven baked chicken fingers with them. It seems like they would be similarly crunchy or should I just stick with the panko?

RE: Instant Mashed Potatoes (David_NYC)

Tue, 11 Mar 2008 00:28:43 GMT

Thanks for the tip. Paradise turns out to be Paradise Valley Creamy Instant Mashed Potatoes. From this I learned that the Idahoan Real potatoes are also now made by the same company, North American Foods, LLC. It is a merger of RD Offut, Idahoan Foods and United II Potato Growers of Idaho. This may explain the rejiggling of former Idahoan products.

RE: Instant Mashed Potatoes (bob12312357)

Mon, 10 Mar 2008 22:53:40 GMT

quote:
Originally posted by leethebard

We're all guilty of being in a hurry,sometimes. One of the oldest time savers is instant mashed potatoes. They seem to be getting better lately. Costco just started carrying a new one. Can't remember the name ,but its the one in the light blue packaging.Close to home mashed.
How do you out there feel about using the instant???Any brands yo'd recommend.Always open to suggestions. Also ever had Instant served to you in a restaurant???

Ohh,bro that stuff is good eats. Even got pieces of skin in there. Doesn't taste at all like dried potatoes from KFC or somethin. Heck,the instant is better then my moms homemade. Paradise somethin its called.

RE: Instant Mashed Potatoes (Robearjr)

Mon, 10 Mar 2008 20:53:09 GMT

As a kid I loved instant mashed potatoes. I'm not sure why, it was probably because they didn't have the lumps that my mom's potatoes had.

I still don't like my mom's mashed potatoes, but I also turned against the instant kind as well. I much prefer red bliss potatoes that are smashed.

RE: Instant Mashed Potatoes (David_NYC)

Mon, 10 Mar 2008 15:06:09 GMT

quote:
Originally posted by TraderJ

IMHO...I am not a fan of instant mash, but the ones you can get from sams club in the red box..Idahoan I think is the name...It already has dry milk in it so you just add water. If you make them a little thicker than what the directions say...not bad...esp. if you use them for a sheppards pie or filler , or potato cakes , put a little chesse on top...MMmmm

TraderJ:
Could you tell us if you buy the Idahoan Real Premium Mashed Potatoes:
http://www.samsclub.com/shopping/navigate.do?dest=5&item=193850
or the Potato Pearls Excel Potatoes:
http://www.samsclub.com/shopping/navigate.do?dest=5&item=339971

A manager for Old Country Buffet told me about Idahoan Real 10 years ago after I asked him how I could make potatoes as good as they were serving at the time. I was buying them in supermarkets in a approx. one pound package, but they started to disappear from supermarket shelves. While I doctor them up with butter, sour cream and black pepper, they are closer to made-from-scratch than any other type I ever tried.

RE: Instant Mashed Potatoes (leethebard)

Mon, 10 Mar 2008 07:55:15 GMT

Yes, they're the sam one's from Costco and they ARE pretty tasty!

RE: Instant Mashed Potatoes (jellybear)

Sun, 09 Mar 2008 09:49:34 GMT

TraderJ has got it right,The ones from Sams are a staple in my house.I will put them up against fresh any day.

RE: Instant Mashed Potatoes (UncleVic)

Sat, 08 Mar 2008 20:38:17 GMT

quote:
Originally posted by leethebard

wow,that mouse story is wild....true??????

Yup, it be true. You can Google it to verify. 1st time I read about it I was a kid.