Who would ever have leftover mashed potatoes? We would. We don’t like them. That’s right. Just like most dinner sides, we don’t like mashed potatoes. There is something about texture that just grosses us out.
Mom was all motivated to make a hearty meal the other night with steak and potatoes. Instead of just throwing on the instant mashed potatoes, she went through all of the work to peel them, chop them, boil them, and then mash them with all sorts of yummy dairy and garlic.
But we didn’t eat them. Sorry, Mom.
“What kid in America doesn’t like mashed potatoes?”
-Dad
Us?
Figuring Out What to Do with the Leftover Mashed Potatoes
Since we felt bad about not eating her food, we decided to see if we could find a way to make these leftovers more appealing. When we came across this recipe, we knew it was worth a try. Usually, if it involves the word “cake” it is kid-friendly.
Since we normally try to give our dog the leftovers, trying this recipe felt like a better option.
Preparing the Potatoes
After gathering our ingredients, we went to work on mashing a new kind of potato mixture. After adding the flour, cheese, and cilantro (because Mom made us), we added our beaten egg. We started with a masher tool, but this was difficult, so we ended up switching to a wooden spoon.
Although we had been trying to avoid it, it was time to get our hands dirty. We grabbed about 1/4 cup of potato mixture and shaped it into a patty.
Next, we set them in a wide bowl with the breadcrumbs to cover them.
Frying the Potato Cakes:
After making sure our pan was nice and hot, we added the oil and waited until it sizzled when we dropped a tiny bit of water in it.
Next, we carefully added the breaded potato cakes and let them brown for about 3 to 4 minutes on each side.
When they were finished, we set them on a paper towel so that some of the oil would be absorbed.
Potato Cakes are More Kid-Friendly
Maybe it is the word “cake” that changed things for us, but we all picked these up as soon as they were cool enough to eat them. They didn’t even make it until dinner. And honestly, they were much better right off the pan, as they got a little soggy after they sat too long.
Leftovers gone. Mom was happy. Mission complete.
How to Make Kid-Friendly Leftover Potato Cakes
Who would ever have leftover mashed potatoes? We would. We don’t like them. So we decided to try kid-friendly leftover potato cakes.
Ingredients
- 2 Cups Mashed Potatoes
- 1 Egg
- 1/2 Cup Shredded Cheddar Cheese
- 1/4 Cup All Purpose Flour
- 1 Tablespoon Fresh Cilantro, Chopped
- 1 Cup Plain Breadcrumbs
- 3-4 Tablespoons Olive Oil
Instructions
- Add leftover mashed potatoes, 1 egg, 1/2 cup cheddar cheese, 1/4 cup flour, and cilantro to a mixing bowl. Mix together to combine.
- Using a ¼ cup measuring cup scoop up the mashed potato mixture and form into a patty. Repeat.
- Add the breadcrumbs to a shallow bowl.
- One at a time lightly press a mashed potato ball into the bread crumbs to form a small cake and coat it in the breadcrumbs, make sure you coat
both sides. - Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add 2 tablespoons of oil and wait until the oil is hot, it should be shimmering, and if you were to add a
drop of water, it would sizzle. - In batches, add the mashed potatoes cakes to the oil. Cook 3 to 4 minutes until the bottom has turned golden brown. Flip and cook another 3 to 4 minutes. In between batches add another tablespoon of the oil if needed.
- Place done leftover mashed potato cakes on a paper towel lined plate to drain any extra oil before serving. Serve immediately.
Notes
Adapted from The Schmidty Wife