Hungry Jack Instant Potatoes

KentuckyWoman · ‎03-13-2010

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?

BirdieGal · ‎12-20-2015

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!

shaggygirl · ‎11-24-2011

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.

I am still oxox · ‎03-09-2010

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

Stop being afraid of what could go wrong and start being positive what could go right.

momtochloe · ‎11-03-2013

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.

RedTop · ‎09-01-2010

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.

Luvtuna · ‎04-21-2015

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.

luvdoodles · ‎06-19-2010

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.