What To Do With Leftover Mashed Potatoes

Mashed potatoes are a favorite here, but I usually make enough to have intentional leftovers.  Here are a few ways to use those leftovers:

• Just reheat them.  I find they reheat pretty well.  Add just a little more milk if necessary.
  
  
• Freeze them.  Potatoes alone don't freeze well, but because of the butter and milk in them, mashed potatoes are great for the freezer.  Just reheat slowly in a pan or in the microwave.  They will appear watery at first, but just stir everything together and they turn out just fine.  I promise.
  
  
• Make pan-fried potato cakes.  My mom did them like this:  Mix a beaten, some salt and pepper and a little flour into leftover mashed potatoes.  Heat bacon grease in a skillet.  With floured hands, scoop up some of the potato mixture, form a patty, fry over medium heat until golden brown on both sides.  Not one to leave well enough alone, I also add things like garlic, chives, chopped bacon, chopped ham, etc.
  
  
• Use them to top a shepherds pie.  Here I've used leftover roast venison and gravy, with some frozen mixed veggies added.  I heated leftover mashed potatoes and blended in cheddar cheese and a little more milk until the mixture was smooth.  I used a pastry bag to pipe the potatoes onto the meat mixture, but a spoon works just fine. I sprinkled it all with freshly grated Parmesan cheese and baked it at 350 degrees until the potatoes were golden.  Obviously, some of them dissolved into the stew below.
  



• I still had some left, so I piped them onto a parchment covered cookie sheet, topped them with Parmesan, and baked them, also at 350 degrees, until golden.  Savory Potato Snacks!  They are crispy on the outside, soft on the inside, and at least a little better for you to snack on than potato chips.





• Do the same as above, but add an egg to the mixture, and you have Duchess Potatoes to serve as a side dish.