instant mashed potatoes

Let me preface all of this by saying that one of the first things I ever learned to cook (at the wise old age of 19) was mashed potatoes. They were a favorite food, and when I got married and moved out of my mom and dad’s and in with my husband (seemed like the thing to do, you know?), I realized that if I wanted “mashed potatoes like mom makes,” I’d better learn to make them.

So I did.

I’ve always made mashed potatoes from real life, honest to goodness potatoes straight from the bag. If I do say so, myself, and I do… my mashed potatoes are the best there is. Whether I make them traditionally or get jazzy with sour cream, cream cheese, garlic, and/or chives…. I make a mean pan of mashed potatoes.

So, there you have it. I know how to make mashed potatoes and even love to make them. When I’m making mashed potatoes as a side dish for holidays or for weeknight dinners, I break out my potato peeler and have at it the old-fashioned way.

And, yet… you’ll find me regularly throwing a few instant potato packets into my grocery cart.

What’s up with that?!

Here’s What’s Up With That…

• Instant Mashed Potatoes are as simple as pouring the package into a pan of boiling water and stirring with a fork. Fast. Easy. Delicious. Yes, delicious. Sometimes you’ve put together a great meal and realize that “a little something extra” would be nice. Within minutes, you can have just that.
• Instant Mashed Potatoes come in a HUGE variety of flavors and styles… I mean HUGE. I always grab a couple of different flavors.
• Any type of stew and most soups are fantastic served over a bowl of mashed potatoes. Here’s the story behind the picture above: I had made a big Sunday Crock-Pot of Ground Beef/Italian Sausage Stew. We’d had a few bowls at lunchtime and I knew we’d be having more at supper. I wanted to add a little something extra to the situation, so I had made some garlic-flavored instant mashed potatoes and served our stew on top. It was so freaking delicious that I don’t wait for “leftovers” or “second-helpings” anymore, I make up a batch or two right off the bat. It’s the quickest way imaginable to add a little extra flavor and fun to a meal.
• Ever had a KFC Bowl – mashed potatoes, gravy, chicken, corn, and cheese? Instant mashed potatoes help you pull together something similar almost instantly. Vegetarians could use mushroom gravy and “soy” chicken or simply go without the chicken altogether.
• They’re, honestly, good enough to serve with any meal you put together.
• Instant mashed potatoes are excellent to have on hand when you feel a little under the weather or are simply tired after a particularly grueling day. Trust me, you’ll find yourself singing your own praises when you’re trying to pull something together quickly and easily and you spy a few packets on the shelf. I was hit once with an allergy attack from hell and may or may not have called myself a “freaking genius” when I remembered I had a few packages of garlic mashed potatoes on hand. The freaking genius paired them with chicken strips and sweet corn and had supper on the table inside of 20 minutes and me back on the couch in a Benadryl stupor in no time.
• Once you start looking for things to put on your instant mashed potatoes, you’ll be amazed at how many options there are. We all use rice frequently for “bowls,” right? It’s been my experience that instant mashed potatoes can serve as the same type of foundation for quick, easy, and downright delicious meals.
• They’re cheap. Enough said.