Mashed Potato Sticks

I don’t know about anybody else, but my leftover mashed potato usually ends up in the trash after it sits in the fridge for a few days.  Immediately throwing it out would save time and effort, but guilt often gets the best of me.  Storing the potato first (prior to it meeting its destiny in the bottom of my trash bin) makes me feel as if I put in genuine effort to avoid wastefulness.

Well, waste no more! I finally discovered a simple, perfect solution to leftover mashed potato—turn it into potato sticks.  They are crispy on the outside and soft on the inside, very much like French fries.  Best served hot straight from the oven.

And, do kids like them? Well…they taste a lot like French fries…need I say more?

Mashed Potato Sticks

I recommend using creamy mashed potato, not smashed potato for this recipe

for every 1 cup of prepared mashed potato add the following

1/8 tsp. salt

1/8 tsp. pepper

1/8 tsp. garlic powder

1 tbsp. cornstarch

2 tsp. golden flaxseed  

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Blend all ingredients thoroughly.  Spoon into a plastic bag and twist opening closed.  Cut a 1/2" to 3/4" slit in one corner of bag.  Pipe strips of potato (about 6 – 8 inches long) onto a greased cookie sheet.  Cover potato strips with a light coat of cooking spray.  Bake for 15 minutes or until bottom of potato is golden brown.  Turn potato sticks over and bake an additional 5-7 minutes.  Serve hot.

Note:  Wider strips of potato require longer cooking time.

Refrigerated potato strips are best served reheated in the oven for a couple minutes.

Funky Monkey (Peanut Butter and Fruit Sandwich)

I originally designed this sandwich for toddlers and preschoolers; the bread was pressed flat and fruit cut thin in order for little mouths to bite into it.  For older children and adults like myself who enjoy a peanut butter sandwich every now and then, generous use of ingredients is encouraged—slather on thicker layers, go bigger on the fruit slices, and no need to flatten the bread.  It will only make the sandwich fuller and more decadent!    

Made with whole wheat bread, sprinkled with flaxseed meal, and drizzled with honey, this is a well rounded, healthy sandwich for lunch or dinner.  Finished with a toast to the outside and layered with peanut butter and fruit on the inside, this sandwich is a nice balance of warm versus cold and sweet versus salty.

The recipe below is for the kid version of Funky Monkey (seen in the foreground of the picture); just go bigger and taller for the adult version (in the background).

Funky Monkey (Grilled Peanut Butter & Fruit Sandwich)

3 slices of whole wheat or high fiber bread

1 tbsp. peanut butter

1 tbsp. light cream cheese  

1 tsp. honey

1/4 - 1/2 tsp. flaxseed meal

1 small banana, thinly sliced

2 medium strawberries, thinly sliced

2 tsp. butter or margarine, melted

Stack the slices of bread in between two plates.  Press firmly down on plates and hold for about 30 seconds to flatten bread.  Gently separate bread layers.

Heat a large skillet on medium to medium high.  Brush one side of each bread slices with butter.  Place, butter-side-down in skillet and grill till golden brown.  Remove 2 slices and place on a plate (these will be the outer bread layers).  Butter the other side of the remaining slice and grill until golden brown (this will be the middle layer of the sandwich).  Transfer to plate.

To assemble:  Using one of the outer bread layers, spread peanut butter on the grilled side.  Sprinkle with flaxseed  and add bananas. 

Place the middle bread layer (grilled on both sides) over banana.  Spread cream cheese on top, add strawberries, drizzle with honey, and cover with the last piece of bread, grilled-side-down.

Reheat skillet, butter one side of the sandwich, and grill until golden brown.  Butter the other side, flip over, and grill.  Enjoy!

Shaped Pork Egg Rolls

These egg rolls are unique in that they are not formed into rolls, but cut into shapes. If you want a child to try a food, cutting it into shapes perks their curiosity.  These are best eaten, hot and crispy, straight out of the oven.  And yes! the wontons are baked and are just as delicious as fried ones.         
   

As always, feel free to toss in a tablespoon or so of flaxseed meal for added nutrition.

The egg rolls will fly off the plate—you won’t be able to make them fast enough! What's great about this recipe is that it could easily be doubled, tripled, quatrupled...you get the idea.  

Shaped Pork Egg Rolls

1/2 lb. ground pork

3/4 cup finely chopped cabbage

1 cup finely chopped bean sprouts

2 tbsp. finely chopped scallion

1/4 tsp. salt

1/8 tsp. black pepper

1/2 tsp. minced garlic

1 tsp. soy sauce

1/4 tsp. ginger powder

1 egg, beaten and divided

1 package wonton wrappers (about 48 count)

cooking spray

  

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.  

Place first nine ingredients into a medium mixing bowl.  Add half of the beaten egg into the bowl and thoroughly combine.  Reserve the remaining egg.  To assemble egg roll, brush a wonton with the reserved egg and place a teaspoon of the pork filling in the center.  Cover with a second wonton.  Make a tight seal by pressing down on the wonton around the filling and pressing out air bubbles.  Use a biscuit or cookie cutter to cut shapes.  Place on a cookie sheet with egg roll bottom-site-up.  Repeat until all wontons are used.  

Coat the top of egg rolls with a layer of cooking spray.  Turn over, cooking-spray-side-down and  repeat spray. 

Bake on middle rack for 10 minutes.  Move cookie sheet to top rack and bake for an additional 3 minutes or until the top turns golden brown.  Makes about 2 dozen egg rolls.

Serve with your favorite dipping sauce.  My family’s favorite  recipe is below. It is an adaptation of a recipe my husband found in The New York Times years ago. 

Dipping Sauce (Nuoc Cham)

1 tsp. chili garlic sauce (adjust to suit your preferred level of heat)

1 clove garlic, minced  

3 tbsp. sugar

2/3 cup warm water

1 tbsp. lime juice

1 tbsp. rice wine vinegar

5 tbsp. fish sauce

Combine all ingredients, stirring to dissolve sugar.  Allow to sit for about 10 minutes before serving.