topic Re: Hungry Jack Instant Potatoes in Recipes

Hungry Jack Instant Potatoes

KentuckyWoman — Sun, 12 Nov 2017 17:30:11 GMT

A couple of weeks ago, we had a meal at our church for some special senior members. Well, they asked me to fix mashed potatoes. I am a really good cook but mashed potatoes are not my speciality. Panic ensued. I bought a box of Hungry Jack and did a trial run at home. Husband didn't know the difference. I purchased a large box (serves 34) to fix for the luncheon.

Where the instructions called for water, I substituted milk. I heated the milk slowly until it was hot and steaming. I also threw a whole garlic clove in the milk and removed it before adding the potatoes. I added butter, salt, pepper, then put the potatoes in baking dishes, added extra butter, sprinkled a little cheese on top and baked at 350 degrees until the potatoes were heated threw and the cheese was bubbling. There wasn't one spoonful left and several people commented that the potatoes were delicious. I felt guilty...sort of.

Have you used a "fast food" cheat like instant mashed potatoes? If so, what was it and how did it turn out?

Re: Hungry Jack Instant Potatoes

BirdieGal — Sun, 12 Nov 2017 17:40:44 GMT

Oh sure! DH loves mashed potatoes in many different ways. He wants them often. Well sometimes there isn’t enough time to make from scratch, sometimes I don’t have any potatoes.

I use the Idahoan yukon golds in the pouch. I put in sour cream and cream cheese (doesn’t taste like cream cheese). And of course butter!

He knows they are not scratch and says to constantly “why would you ever make from scratch again, these taste like it!”

He particularly likes my green mashed potatoes. So does our daughter and she doesn’t like mashed potatoes.

So don’t fret. You did great!

Re: Hungry Jack Instant Potatoes

shaggygirl — Sun, 12 Nov 2017 17:42:59 GMT

Stove Top Stuffing.....always. Bob Evans Mashed Potatoes, already mashed, a few dabs of butter, a few shakes of pepper and a sprinkling of paprika on top.

Re: Hungry Jack Instant Potatoes

I am still oxox — Sun, 12 Nov 2017 17:52:47 GMT

I make microwave mashed, they are great, peel the potatoes cut to uniform sizes, microwave till done no liquid, add fixings, I usually use chicken broth instead of butter, you will end up with amazing mashed that are so easy

Re: Hungry Jack Instant Potatoes

momtochloe — Sun, 12 Nov 2017 18:03:01 GMT

I really like Simply Potatoes version(s) of mashed potatoes. I bought them on sale last Thanksgiving and snag them whenever they are on sale.

For those that live alone and live near a Trader Joe's, they have frozen mashed potatoes that are delicious and you can make a single serving at a time. They come in little frozen disks you pop into the microwave, you take out as many as you need and throw the rest back in the freezer. I am planning on buying both a bag of their regular potatoes and sweet potatoes for Thanksgiving. I don't have a microwave anymore but I'm sure if you let them thaw and add some butter and maybe a bit of liquid (for me, I always have 1/2 and 1/2 in the house) they'll still be delicious.

Re: Hungry Jack Instant Potatoes

RedTop — Sun, 12 Nov 2017 18:54:35 GMT

I love mashed potatoes, and prefer made from scratch, with lumps. I can easily eat mashed potatoes for breakfast, but prefer them with just salt, pepper, butter, and a splash of milk. Never sour cream or cream cheese!

My late MIL insisted on whipping her mashed potatoes until they were so smooth and thin you could slurp them thru a straw. She used more milk in her pot of mashed potatoes than I consume in a month. I never ate mashed potatoes at her house, and she never understood why, because she thought her potatoes were the best ever!

@KentuckyWoman, doctoring those instant potatoes made all the difference in the taste. You shouldn’t feel guilty, as I suspect many of your senior church members eat instant potatoes instead of made from scratch.

Re: Hungry Jack Instant Potatoes

Luvtuna — Sun, 12 Nov 2017 20:36:17 GMT

I also like Simply Potatoes. they taste just like homemade. I also stock up when they are on sale. By the way, I love the picture of your dog.

Re: Hungry Jack Instant Potatoes

luvdoodles — Sun, 12 Nov 2017 21:16:59 GMT

I am going to copy you and do the exact same. My family loves mashed potatoes but I'm not always up to making them. Can't wait to make them, just need to pick up a box of the flakes. Thanks for sharing.

Re: Hungry Jack Instant Potatoes

Jannyg — Sun, 12 Nov 2017 22:49:10 GMT

Trader Joe's has frozen potato buds. They are amazing. Make excellent mashed potatoes.

Re: Hungry Jack Instant Potatoes

deepwaterdotter — Sun, 12 Nov 2017 23:20:55 GMT

I keep a small jar of chopped garlic in the fridge when I don't have fresh on hand. Have never tried anything but fresh mashed potatoes.

Re: Hungry Jack Instant Potatoes

KentuckyWoman — Mon, 13 Nov 2017 01:37:46 GMT

@luvdoodles wrote:
I am going to copy you and do the exact same. My family loves mashed potatoes but I'm not always up to making them. Can't wait to make them, just need to pick up a box of the flakes. Thanks for sharing.

@luvdoodles Hope you have good luck. I think using all milk instead of water made the difference. I told my daughter in law's mother what I did. She laughed and said she uses instant a lot and she uses evaporated milk, butter, and sour cream!! She said they were delicious. Google instant potatoes. There are some interesting recipes. She also told me she uses Stoffer's Mac and Cheese frozen casseroles, lets them thaw, then adds more flavoring!

Re: Hungry Jack Instant Potatoes

BirdieGal — Mon, 13 Nov 2017 01:45:22 GMT

Evaporated milk is what I use as well. DH drinks skim milk and I drink Trader Joe’s almond milk. So evap. Is great to have on hand and give rich taste and texture.

Re: Hungry Jack Instant Potatoes

momtochloe — Mon, 13 Nov 2017 01:54:18 GMT

@BirdieGal wrote:
Evaporated milk is what I use as well. DH drinks skim milk and I drink Trader Joe’s almond milk. So evap. Is great to have on hand and give rich taste and texture.

@BirdieGal thanks for the hands on experience with making mashed potatoes with evaporated milk as I always wondered what it did to improve the dish. I don't think I would use a whole can at a time as it's just me so I need to go look and see if it can be frozen. Thanks again for the udpate!

Re: Hungry Jack Instant Potatoes

BirdieGal — Mon, 13 Nov 2017 02:06:45 GMT

@momtochloe

I don’t use a whole can either. I have never tried to freeze it. But I put it in a glass jar with a lid (I love to save pretty shaped jars that I buy other things in) and it actually lasts for quite a while. Longer than regular milk.

Re: Hungry Jack Instant Potatoes

Bluffbaker — Mon, 13 Nov 2017 13:21:30 GMT

I use Ore-Ida Steam 'N Mash potatoes. Cook them in the microwave for 10 minutes and mash with butter, milk and salt. The potatoes are diced so I've even used them in Potato Salad instead of mashed potatoes. Just as good as peeling and dicing a bag of potatoes, but so much easier. At one time, they were available with sweet potatoes, but they discontinued them.

Re: Hungry Jack Instant Potatoes

flbettyboop — Mon, 13 Nov 2017 13:36:21 GMT

I added dried onion flakes to liquid when heated. Very good.

Boop

Re: Hungry Jack Instant Potatoes

Texas Gray Wolf — Mon, 13 Nov 2017 17:02:33 GMT

This reminds me of something Sandra Lee (Semi-Homemade) would do.........I really miss her & her show on Food Network................often make her baby back ribs and baked beans....yummy...........

Re: Hungry Jack Instant Potatoes

KentuckyWoman — Mon, 13 Nov 2017 17:05:46 GMT

@momtochloe wrote:
@BirdieGal wrote:
Evaporated milk is what I use as well. DH drinks skim milk and I drink Trader Joe’s almond milk. So evap. Is great to have on hand and give rich taste and texture.
@BirdieGal thanks for the hands on experience with making mashed potatoes with evaporated milk as I always wondered what it did to improve the dish. I don't think I would use a whole can at a time as it's just me so I need to go look and see if it can be frozen. Thanks again for the udpate!

@BirdieGal in our area you can purchase evaporated milk in smaller 4 ounce cans. I always purchase those for candy making and it might work for the potatoes as well.

Re: Hungry Jack Instant Potatoes

BirdieGal — Mon, 13 Nov 2017 17:09:44 GMT

@KentuckyWoman

That’s nice. I wish I could get them in smaller cans here. Only condensed milk comes in a larger and smaller size.

Re: Hungry Jack Instant Potatoes

ChiliPepper — Mon, 13 Nov 2017 18:34:17 GMT

@momtochloe

I've seen two sizes at WM, 5 oz. & 12 oz. I believe

Store brand too: