As a senior with a low income I qualify for what is called a commodities box of groceries once a month. Mashed Potatos are a staple of the box. So I have several packages. I love Mashed Potatoes and the instant ones are a great pantry basic. And since I have alot of them, I have even given some away.

Struggling financially, so these recipes are so appreciated Maria!

Lol! I love your recipes! "I had what I had." Now, that's reality!

Our family has never looked at leftover mashed potatoes as a "predicament.". They get fried up as "hash browns" the next morning for breakfast, lol. The potato pancakes looked super yum ... haven't had them in decades.

I've eaten MANY potato pancakes as a kid. My granny made them all the time, from real leftover potatoes.

Stuffing the loaded potato pancake mixture into a bellpepper of choice and heating in the oven until done is a yummy variation from one of the Weight Watchers quick start cookbooks from the late 1980's.

I was surprised that you didn't have shepards pie on your list. We take Campbells chunky soup, put it in a casserole dish and cover it with mash potatoes and cheese put it in the over to warm it through. If you have just a little left over stew not enough so everyone in the house can get a bowl you can put mash potato on the plate make a whole in them and pour a little stew over them like it's gravy. Thanks for the video.

Oh yes! I have instant mashed on my stock up shelf. I’ll be making the potato pancakes next week now!!! Thank you my friend 🙂

I use them to make a loaded potato soup. I get one can of diced potatoes, chicken broth, milk, and potato flakes. I up scale it for more people depending on how many are eating but I only one can of potatoes. Use the potato flakes to make it as thick or thin as your family loves. Top with favorite toppings. It is super yummy, quick, and cheap.

I have grown kids, and grand kids, I have been cooking for 40 years. Lately I’m just blah. Can’t get motivated or inspired. Then one day your channel was in my recommendations and I skipped it for a couple of days thinking, “maybe later” I have fibromyalgia and have been in a painful flare accompanied with deep fatigue, so I tend to cope by watching KZfaq, helps keep my mind off the pain, and my brain engaged so I can stay awake. I’ve watched at least 5 videos and swear I subbed, just looked and I wasn’t…well I fixed that. Just want to thank you for buckling down with your busy family and making these videos. There are 1,000’s of people everyday that think about making a KZfaq channel, but never make it happen. We need you out here, especially with our current economy!

I appreciate your budget friendly videos thank you for your effort and content

I actually use them to thicken soups as well sometimes

I bought the big bulk size box from Sam's club a few months ago and we got tired of them pretty quickly. Funny thing is I was just thinking about what else I could do with them when you posted this video. You must have read my mind 😂. I love your channel ❤

I love all your videos! It’s hard to get myself to cook and I love when you do simple recipes that don’t cost very much it’s so helpful 🥰

Maria. What wonderful idea is for boring boxed mashed potatoes! Thank you for sharing 💞

I love potatoes regardless man they good potato patties oh yeah

The ideas are endless! I love the potato pancakes any day all day! Leftover potatoes potato soup is good and easy too. I am enjoying your videos three times per week. Enjoy your weekend :)

My Mom always makes potato pancakes with any kind of leftover mashed potato. I don't think she even adds anything, just forms them like burger patties in butter. Mom has the patience of a Saint, fries them very low and slow on both sides until they're golden and crispy. She keeps them hot under foil in the oven while she makes her perfect fried eggs. They also require the patience of a Saint, lol! She never flips her fried eggs. She cooks them with a lot of butter and bastes the eggs with the butter until the whites are completely cooked and the yolks are perfectly runny. She serves them over the top of the potato pancakes and it's just amazing. I've tried to make it many times and fail. I have no patience! But if you do, they're incredible!

I add leftover chicken to my pancakes and top it off with cranberry sauce. Soooo good! Great videos, Maria!

I just found you today! OMGosh, you cook food I like, LOL! I've subscribed and will be going through every one of your videos. As a single senior it can be difficult sometimes just to figure out what I want to eat so these quick and easy meals are absolutely perfect!

I've made gnocchi with leftover instant mash. Very pillowy

My momma always used leftover mashed taters to make fried potato patties the next day with breakfast!!! LOVE THEM:)))

This is a good idea for left over regular mashed potatoes. Sometimes when I are really hungry I over do cooking potatoes more than we need or want so don't let them go to waste. At least this is my motto. I love your videos and love that those babies like Mamma's cooking too.

these are awesome and all taste great! for the potato pancakes try using shredded onion in the mix - OMG - so tasty and for another take on the cakes - you can omit the ham and use brown gravy to make them a superstar main entree. ( potato flakes are also a good soup thickener when you need something and are in a pinch without wondra, corn starch or flour) 😊

Great video! I second the comment about using instaspuds for potato soup. I've used them to thicken soups and stews for years! Also, glad to know you are regrowing your green onions! ❤

Love the instant potatoes- potato pancake idea. Gotta try it. Thanx! 👍

Potato tacos are GREAT. Corn tortillas, hard shell.

I want all of those recipes. I’ve had a box of instant potatoes in my pantry for ages!! Time to get it down!!

Great ideas!

I use the shelf stable milk (it doesn't last forever) while making instant taters. I make soups with them. I also add condensed mushroom soup as a gravy with them. Very yummy and cheap. Learned about that as a kid...I didn't know we were very poor, just thought everyone ate like we did.

You’re the best!👏🏻😊🥰

I always have left over mashed potatoes so really appreciate the pancake idea.

If you put the potato mixture in the fridge a while they're easier to shape into patties. Thanks for the recipies.

These look so yummy, Maria. I'm happy to see you more often in my sub feed. Hope you are well. Your baby boy is growing fast. He's so precious! 💗

I have poured half a can of soup over mashed potatoes in a soup bowl, to turn one serving of soup into two. Thank you for your ideas!

If you thin out the potato pattie mixture a bit with milk you make waffles in a waffle iron.

Thank you for all your great budget food ideas, as we live in Australia we have a very tight budget as well, again thank you.

Good recipes the potato pancakes would be good with beans and cornbread also slice of cucumber and onion oh yes please. Good ideas as always .

Thanks Maria, your great ideas help all the budgets and the sugestiones for leftovers are fantastic to my senior new reality, appreciate it.

Love these ideas. I don't generally buy instant mashed potatoes because we grow our own potatoes, but I'm going to buy a box for my pantry and give them a try. Thanks for making such great videos you have given me lots of inspiration in my cooking! Your family is amazing too!!

You are so creative!! Ty for posting this.

Love your videos. I use instant-mash-potato-powder to thicken soups,stews and sauces. Also, I use it in baking (add max.10% of the flour-content)...it makes the bread softer/fluffier/"lighter". I also use it as a base for single-servings of "potato"-soups. ...I'm a single-parent empty-nester...

Instant potatoes make a great potato salad too.

Thank you so much for the potato pancake recipe! They looked delicious.

Yes we always have them. Side note...I made the cream of chicken and bone broth! 😋

Often when I'm by myself for dinner I make that first recipe as my complete meal. A budget saver is that I use bacon bits... they're real, but sometimes they're "fatty"... I just put them in a pan for a few minutes and let it render down, just as I would any bacon I am "cooking."

Hi Maria, I am new to your channel, your videos came up on my smart TV withouth ever logging in, but yes I was watching similar contents for savings, but mainly for other reasons. Anyways, I have to tell you that I am impressed with your fundamental skills (not chef's skills! :) lol) that I have not seen for over 2 decades. I especially like you're not fake and u don't burn garlic!!!

So many great ideas! I would have a veggie with my potato pancakes! , just because I like veggies!

I love potatoes, my next life I want to be a spud.

Girl you just keep coming up with more great ideas, thanks for sharing ❤️❤️❤️

For your potato cakes, you could have just as easily added more potato flake as you could flour, I would imagine. They looked fantastic.

I loves potatoes pancakes Maria you need a cookbook for low cost meals

Luv your channel, thanks for the share.

Ben is adorable!! Great ideas Maria..always great videos to make new meals from boring foods🤩

Great potato recipes.

Great idea to do this video!

Wow, absolutely great recipe ideas. I would add one herb, my favorite for all potatoes, finely chopped fresh dill (no seeds) mixed in throughout. It adds such a great fresh taste. I grow my own dill and I dry it for winter use and will use that when my fresh is not available.

Great hints!

Everything looked good. I really like mashed potatoes.

Great video!

I love making potato pancakes with the left over mashed potatoes....and potato soup.

For the first one, if you have ranch dressing on hand, you can use that instead of the milk & ranch seasoning mix.

When you said leftover mashed potatoes, I immediately thought of potato pancakes, my mother had potato pancakes often for supper

My mom used to use instant mashed potatoes to make fried chicken. It always came out so crispy and good. I don’t remember if she used flour of not as well. I’ll have to ask.

Yay Maria!!!!! 🤗🤗

I really enjoy your channel... Great ideas... keep them coming...

Corn in potato pancakes is how my Mama always made them.....YUM!!!

This was great. Here, in Australia, instant potatoes aren't really a "thing". We have a single brand. Just one. And they're on the very bottom of the supermarket shelf where no one looks. Presumably it's mostly campers, or people who live remotely and need to keep a legitimate "emergency" pantry that would buy them. Outdoors are so cheap and plentiful here, that we just buy and use those. And I have a (very old now) Thermomix, so perfect mashed potatoes take 20 minutes. But I'm totally intrigued by this video and just how quick they were. I might get some to try, and keep on hand in my own emergency pantry.

Can you show us your growing scallions 😀 Recipes are great, can’t wait to try them 🥔

Lol I made potato pancakes the other day and I just added Pancake mix to them instead of Flour and they were quite good 😀👍

Great ways to use leftover s.

Great ideas and very helpful. Thanks!

I love the easiness of the boxed potato pancakes will have to try. Way easier than having to shred your own potatoes. Will try for the family.

Awesome! Thank you so much for sharing!😀

I always add some cream cheese to my mashed potatoes and McCormick perfect pinch steak seasoning

Some great idea here. The pancakes look especially yummy. :)

Your little guy isprecious❤❤😂

My mom used to make the potato cakes. I pointed out to my sister the other day buying the instant potatoes that don't need milk for storage, is probably a better way to go. She doesn't keep milk around so why buy it for instant? I buy the bacon bits at Costco and add them, also the bacon to eggs, salads etc. It's a good buy and it lasts a good while.

Awesome ideas, thanks for sharing ❤️❤️❤️

спасибо, просмотрела!

Mmmmmm. Love your ideas. Try frying your potatoe pancakes with bacon grease instead of oil.

I really liked it when you accidentally called leftover mashed potatoes "mashedovers!"

I use 3 cans of cream of whatever soup, 3 cans of water, 1 box of potatoes, 5cups mix veggies, and simmer until desired consistency (this can vary for each person). Then pour a cup over chicken and rice.

Looks good. TYFS

Great recipe

Thanks for the tasty ideas

In Ireland we have instant mash but I don't know of anyone who eats it as a potato side. We do use it as a coating for southern fried chicken though! Next time I'm in America I want to try those Idaho ones! They look so good and I'm curious!

Great ideas indeed! Your recipes are always inspiring, thank you. Everything looks soooooo good. Lots of love. ⚘

This is great,,, my bf always wants the instant (yuck),,,so now it gets interesting. I can do this!

Great recipes!🌺

I Really enjoyed this video Maria!😊 Thank you for some Yummy ideas!😋😋

I mix up the potatoes with a little flour and 1 egg . I fry them and serve with syrup on them, for breakfast. Childhood favorite.♥️

Great tips! Thank You!

love this.

Sounds yummy

Thank you for the ideas. I will use them all but I will use regular mashed potatoes for some reason I cannot eat instant m ashed potatoe even KFC mashed potatoe because it makes me sick. Please keep making content. I watch all of your uploads.

Love instant mashed potatoes 🥔

My mom would make just normal tator cakes from left over mashed potatoes, with just onions. Never would of thought of adding ham and cheese. Just bought a box at our store. I normally like mashed potatoes from normal potatoes. But like you said when the potatoes run out or go bad. You have the box. It all looked yummy.

These all looked quite good thanks for sharing I grew up not using instant mashed potatoes and only started using them as I got them in commodity boxes and it was kind of a different thing just to use them I've done some of these recipes or similar with leftover regular mashed potatoes but never tried it on the instants thanks so much for sharing with that potato pancake thing actually looked really good

Yummy