Instant Mashed Potatoes

"Joe Christl" wrote in message > Hello all.

Quoted message said:

Strange enough, I actually enjoy Instant Potatoes. My
grandmother would make these to perfection, however I
cannot. They're coming out pasty. I don't know if I am
following the instructions properly or not.

I combine 1 1/2 cups of milk, 1/2 cup of water, 2 Tblspns
of butter, heat in a pan, then mix in a cup of flakes. Off
with the heat and stir.

However they seem pasty to me. Am I not heating the
mixture enough before adding the flakes? I wait til I see
bubbles around the edge of the pan before adding the
flakes. Or is there some other trick to this, that I am
missing?

I know many people hate these boxed potatoes, but I
actually think they're worth it, and when made right taste
good too. I would buy the 5 lb bag of regular potatoes,
but I'd only get 2 or three used till I'd start seeing
eyes and wrinkles on the rest of them. And to buy them a
few at a time is about as expensive as a 10 lb bag.

Anyway, like I said my grandma had this done to
perfection, but she took this secret to her grave.

Anyone have any thoughts on this? Any tips you'd like
to share?

Thanks, Joe

I use instant potatoes if my son-in-law comes to dinner. He
can eat three bowls all by himself. I can't critique your
recipe or method, since these often vary. However, I use
potato pearls and when I make them: I don't use milk, but
water. Into the water go a good bit of cream cheese and
probably 4 ounces of butter (remember, I'm cooking in
quantity), plus salt and pepper. After the water comes to a
boil and breaks up the cream cheese and butter, I pour all
that liquid on top of the potato pearls (which are in a
separate pot), stir well then let sit for about five
minutes. It's hard to tell them from the "real thing". I
think the actual secret is the cream cheese.

Dora

Quoted message said:

Strange enough, I actually enjoy Instant Potatoes. My
grandmother would make these to perfection, however I
cannot. They're coming out pasty. I don't know if I am
following the instructions properly or not.

I combine 1 1/2 cups of milk, 1/2 cup of water, 2 Tblspns
of butter, heat in a pan, then mix in a cup of flakes. Off
with the heat and stir.

However they seem pasty to me. Am I not heating the
mixture enough before adding the flakes? I wait til I see
bubbles around the edge of the pan before adding the
flakes. Or is there some other trick to this, that I am
missing?

I know many people hate these boxed potatoes, but I
actually think they're worth it, and when made right taste
good too. I would buy the 5 lb bag of regular potatoes,
but I'd only get 2 or three used till I'd start seeing
eyes and wrinkles on the rest of them. And to buy them a
few at a time is about as expensive as a 10 lb bag.

Anyway, like I said my grandma had this done to
perfection, but she took this secret to her grave.

Anyone have any thoughts on this? Any tips you'd like
to share?

Thanks, Joe

Since they are only the two of us I buy the Betty Crocker
potatoes that come in a box. You'd be surprised at how good
they are. About $1.00 USD when on sale.

I also keep 2-3 real potatoes on hand for use in pot
roasts, etc.

(Joe Christl) said:

I combine 1 1/2 cups of milk, 1/2 cup of water, 2 Tblspns
of butter, heat in a pan, then mix in a cup of flakes. Off
with the heat and stir.

What kind of milk do you use? And are you using real butter?

--
Siobhan Perricone "This isn't right. This isn't even wrong."
- Wolfgang Pauli, on a paper submitted by a physicist
colleague

I only boil the water, add that to the milk and butter and
salt, stir, add flakes.

take care Liz

On 23 Jun 2004 05:27:39 -0700, [email hidden] (Joe

Christl) said:

Hello all.

Strange enough, I actually enjoy Instant Potatoes. My
grandmother would make these to perfection, however I
cannot. They're coming out pasty. I don't know if I am
following the instructions properly or not.

I combine 1 1/2 cups of milk, 1/2 cup of water, 2 Tblspns
of butter, heat in a pan, then mix in a cup of flakes. Off
with the heat and stir.

However they seem pasty to me. Am I not heating the mixture
enough before adding the flakes? I wait til I see bubbles
around the edge of the pan before adding the flakes. Or is
there some other trick to this, that I am missing?

I know many people hate these boxed potatoes, but I
actually think they're worth it, and when made right taste
good too. I would buy the 5 lb bag of regular potatoes, but
I'd only get 2 or three used till I'd start seeing eyes and
wrinkles on the rest of them. And to buy them a few at a
time is about as expensive as a 10 lb bag.

Anyway, like I said my grandma had this done to perfection,
but she took this secret to her grave.

Anyone have any thoughts on this? Any tips you'd like
to share?

Thanks, Joe

"Joe Christl" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Hello all.

Strange enough, I actually enjoy Instant Potatoes. My
grandmother would make these to perfection, however I
cannot. They're coming out pasty. I don't know if I am
following the instructions properly or not.

I combine 1 1/2 cups of milk, 1/2 cup of water, 2 Tblspns
of butter, heat in a pan, then mix in a cup of flakes. Off
with the heat and stir.

However they seem pasty to me. Am I not heating the
mixture enough before adding the flakes? I wait til I see
bubbles around the edge of the pan before adding the
flakes. Or is there some other trick to this, that I am
missing?

I know many people hate these boxed potatoes, but I
actually think they're worth it, and when made right taste
good too. I would buy the 5 lb bag of regular potatoes,
but I'd only get 2 or three used till I'd start seeing
eyes and wrinkles on the rest of them. And to buy them a
few at a time is about as expensive as a 10 lb bag.

Anyway, like I said my grandma had this done to
perfection, but she took this secret to her grave.

Anyone have any thoughts on this? Any tips you'd like
to share?

Thanks, Joe

You're probably stirring too much. Just sort of fluff them
with a fork.

Kathy

In article said:

Hello all.

Strange enough, I actually enjoy Instant Potatoes. My
grandmother would make these to perfection, however I
cannot. They're coming out pasty. I don't know if I am
following the instructions properly or not.

I combine 1 1/2 cups of milk, 1/2 cup of water, 2 Tblspns
of butter, heat in a pan, then mix in a cup of flakes. Off
with the heat and stir.

However they seem pasty to me. Am I not heating the mixture
enough before adding the flakes? I wait til I see bubbles
around the edge of the pan before adding the flakes. Or is
there some other trick to this, that I am missing?

My guess is that you are adding the flakes too fast. Stir in
some wait for them to absorb the water, then add more, and
more till you get the consistency you like.

I had a roommate who said I was the master at them. My
secret was patience. Adding slowly allows them to take up
the liquid and for them to swell.

--

Charles The significant problems we face cannot be solved at
the same level of thinking we were at when we created them.
Albert Einstein

Quoted message said:

I combine 1 1/2 cups of milk, 1/2 cup of water, 2 Tblspns
of butter, heat in a pan, then mix in a cup of flakes. Off
with the heat and stir.

I take the pan off the heat before adding milk and then
potatoes. Make sure to cover pan after stirring . Try it
this way and see if it helps. Adding the potaoes while on
the heat may be cooking them too fast and making them pasty.

Florence

When I used to make the instant, I found that if I gently
mixed in the flakes with one of those cheap 3 prong wooden
forks, let it sit covered & then gave it a quick gentle mix
with a spatula, they would turn out much better.

On 23 Jun 2004 05:27:39 -0700, [email hidden] (Joe

Christl) said:

Hello all.

Strange enough, I actually enjoy Instant Potatoes. My
grandmother would make these to perfection, however I
cannot. They're coming out pasty. I don't know if I am
following the instructions properly or not.

I combine 1 1/2 cups of milk, 1/2 cup of water, 2 Tblspns
of butter, heat in a pan, then mix in a cup of flakes. Off
with the heat and stir.

However they seem pasty to me. Am I not heating the mixture
enough before adding the flakes? I wait til I see bubbles
around the edge of the pan before adding the flakes. Or is
there some other trick to this, that I am missing?

I know many people hate these boxed potatoes, but I
actually think they're worth it, and when made right taste
good too. I would buy the 5 lb bag of regular potatoes, but
I'd only get 2 or three used till I'd start seeing eyes and
wrinkles on the rest of them. And to buy them a few at a
time is about as expensive as a 10 lb bag.

Anyway, like I said my grandma had this done to perfection,
but she took this secret to her grave.

Anyone have any thoughts on this? Any tips you'd like
to share?

Thanks, Joe

Denise, Brian & Wyatt (May 31, 02)

A good friend will come and bail you out of jail... A
true friend will be sitting next to you saying,
"Damn...that was fun!"

Dora, What are *potato pearls*??

~~~(¯`º·._mousepotato_.·º´¯)~~~

Siobhan Perricone said:

On 23 Jun 2004 05:27:39 -0700, [email hidden] (Joe

Christl) said:

I combine 1 1/2 cups of milk, 1/2 cup of water, 2 Tblspns
of butter, heat in a pan, then mix in a cup of flakes. Off
with the heat and stir.

What kind of milk do you use? And are you using real
butter?

Well, the reason I asked this was because if you're using
skim milk and some sort of margarine, you're not going to
get the same results as you would using whole milk (or even
cream) and real butter.

I use cream and a lot of butter in mine. But I'm a dairy fat
heathen 🙂

--
Siobhan Perricone "This isn't right. This isn't even wrong."
- Wolfgang Pauli, on a paper submitted by a physicist
colleague

"~~~(¯`º•._mousepotato_.•º´¯)~~~" <[email hidden]> wrote in
message "]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Dora, What are *potato pearls*??

~~~(¯`º·._mousepotato_.·º´¯)~~~

It's just the brand name given these. (I get them from a
wholesaler.) Actually, I imagine it's because they really
are like pearls, or large grains of rice, rather than
flakes. The main difference between the two that I found was
that I have to add the boiling liquid to the pearls, rather
than the other way around, stir like crazy, let sit for five
minutes and stir again.

Dora

Don't have anything like that around here...: ( Closest
thing that comes to that is something called "Potato Buds"
(Betty Crocker I *think*)!! They're not round or pearl-like
though. Thanks for the response ; )

~~~(¯`º·._mousepotato_.·º´¯)~~~

Joe Christl said:

Hello all.

Strange enough, I actually enjoy Instant Potatoes.

You're not the only one. There's something about the
structure of dehydrated spuds that makes them cook up just
like fresh.

Quoted message said:

My grandmother would make these to perfection, however I
cannot. They're coming out pasty. I don't know if I am
following the instructions properly or not.

Use less fat.

Quoted message said:

I combine 1 1/2 cups of milk, 1/2 cup of water, 2 Tblspns
of butter, heat in a pan, then mix in a cup of flakes. Off
with the heat and stir.

I don't know how much spud flakes you're using. Reverse your
proportions of milk and water, and cut your butter in half,
or use none. Garnish with butter if you want more.

Quoted message said:

Anyone have any thoughts on this? Any tips you'd like
to share?

I use a brand called "Idahoan" that comes in red foil
packets that makes about 3 cups each. I just use water and a
pat of butter or margarine (whichever needs to be used up)
and they're plain great.

--Blair "And great plain.
But not great plains. Those
are hilly and green."

I add more potato flakes than it calls for because I like
mine fairly stiff - especially if you're going to put gravy
or a sauce on them. Kate

--
Kate Connally “If I were as old as I feel, I’d be dead
already.” Goldfish: “The wholesome snack that smiles back,
Until you bite their heads off.” What if the hokey pokey
really *is* what it's all about? "][email hidden]

[email hidden] (Charles Quinn) wrote
in message

Quoted message said:

My guess is that you are adding the flakes too fast. Stir
in some wait for them to absorb the water, then add more,
and more till you get the consistency you like.

I had a roommate who said I was the master at them. My
secret was patience. Adding slowly allows them to take up
the liquid and for them to swell.

I think I am either adding the flakes too fast, or doing
doing what K. Reece said, stirring too much.

I am going to try a combonation of this and see what
happens.

Thanks all.

Siobhan Perricone <[email hidden]> wrote in message

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

What kind of milk do you use? And are you using real
butter?

Well, the reason I asked this was because if you're using
skim milk and some sort of margarine, you're not going to
get the same results as you would using whole milk (or
even cream) and real butter.

I use cream and a lot of butter in mine. But I'm a dairy
fat heathen 🙂

I generally use 2% milk and margarine.

Joe C.