Leftover Mashed Potatoes

If you are even remotely like me, when you make mashed potatoes you make a lot. A lot. Like 5 lbs for two adults a lot.

I can't help it. I've tried! I just start peeling potatoes and plopping them in the water and I think...'that doesn't look like enough...neither does that...hmm...' and before I know it i have a pot full of potatoes and an empty potato bag. And a huge smile on my face. Because, quite simply, I love potatoes. In any way, shape, or form.

There. I've confessed.

Anyway, if you are like me and always end up with leftover potatoes then you know that they will probably sit in the fridge for a while. Because, as much as I love them...they don't get eaten as often as I'd like once they've been refrigerated.

The solution? Potato pancakes. Mashed Potato pancakes.

Now, I don't have any measurements to put up here because this is one of my 'just throw it together' recipes. So you'll have to eyeball it. Sorry.

Just take your bowl of leftover potatoes and add an egg. Sometimes I use two, if I have a lot of potatoes. Add some flour. Parmesan cheese. Some salt. The rest is up to you.
Take a shallow bowl or a plate and put a bunch of parmesan cheese and some flour on it (I also added a few shakes of cumin this time.). Grab a small handful of the potato mixture and roll it in the flour/parmesan cheese mixture. Press to form patties and place on a cast iron skillet with some oil until browned on both sides.

Now, for this particular batch I've just finished making, I had some leftover taco meat that I wanted to use up. So I stirred that into the potato/egg/parm mixture.*

I know this is such a stinky recipe. No measurements. No nothing. But the result? A crispy on the outside (thanks to the parm) and hot soft potato on the inside. It's to die for, I'm telling you.


*Normally I don't have the leftover meat to add. Usually I add some Italian breadcrumbs to the potato mix and some Italian seasoning. Its sooo good! The meat is just an added bonus this time;)