Debbie Dance Uhrig
In the event you ‘still’ have leftover mashed potatoes on your hands, I’ve got the recipe for you! From my childhood I’ve chosen to feature delicious corn and potato cakes. We could blame this feature on the lady who was behind me at the grocery store today. We were all chatting about being hungry for this and that and somehow we got onto potato cakes. Nothing unites people more than sharing dishes from their childhood. Personally I get rather introspective as I tell stories about foods from my childhood. There are so so many good things about growing up at Lucy & Tot’s farm. As I reflected upon my many blessings in life I would say that would be at the top of the list. There’s nothing that compares to the influences farm life had on me as a young child.
Perhaps I best get into the recipe itself before I have myself worked into a total
situation! Starting with the potatoes of choice, for this dish, is perhaps the best beginning. The best potato would probably be the russet because it contains more starch. Yukon’s or Golds have a medium amount of starch and the reds have the smallest amount of starch. You’ll have a good flavor and a nice ‘body’ that’s for sure. Grandma Lucy used to use leftover corn to go in her mashed potatoes. At my home there’s NEVER leftover corn because it’s my husband, Ervin, and son, Phillip’s, favorite vegetable. Therefore you will find I’ve reached for a can of corn. There are a couple of ingredients that were never in potato cakes in the old days. This would be the finely diced onion and the small amount of shredded cheddar cheese. Notice the cheese is only 1/2 cup. That’s because I want the cheese to embellish the cakes, not take them over.
Now let’s step outside the box once again into a totally different approach to this old-fashioned comfort food. Drained green chili peppers & pepper jack cheese would certainly spice this up a great deal. You could use them in addition to the corn or without the corn.
A southern approach might be to use a smoked cheese and finely chopped country smoked ham. As you prepare to platter these delicacies consider a dollop of sour cream and a hit of shredded cheese over the top. If you go with the chili pepper approach I would probably use sour cream, cilantro, and warmed salsa. The salsa would be a good addition with the recipe as stated below too.
How do you implement the cakes into a meal? This is a no brainer, they go great with pork, fried chicken or even a roast. This time of the year I might choose a nice chuck roast paired with an onion pie, potato cakes, glazed carrots and homemade bread. Seriously, those who love potato cakes don’t give one ‘eye iota’ what accompanies the cakes, just bring em’ on! Enjoy this dish friends, it’s a great one to pass down to the next generation.
Tips for quick family meals:
- Baked potatoes: Make creamed peas add pieces of ham, pour over potatoes.
- Breakfast for supper, pancakes and sausage, egg casseroles-
- Sloppy Joes one night spaghetti the next!
- Macaroni & Cheese, vegetables and healthy sausages or brats.
(Even adults like this meal!)
- Chef salads-my family has truly come to enjoy this meal.
Have an outstanding week, enjoy the merriment and joy that comes with this glorious season. Simply Yours, The Covered Dish. www.thecovereddish.com
Corn & Potato Cakes
1 (15 oz.) can whole kernel corn, drained
24 ounces (3 cups) mashed potatoes
1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
1 large egg
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
¼ cup finely diced onion
½ teaspoon seasoning salt
¼ cup flour
Mix all ingredients together in a bowl. You can make these cakes/fritters in a deep fat fryer or on a griddle. Brush the griddle with oil and drop just a few cakes on at a time. Cook until the fritter is golden brown and then flip over.
Consider using chives, roasted red peppers, and different cheeses in this dish.
In many regions folks top their fritters or corn cakes with honey & sweet jellies, jams and salsas and the like. My family wouldn’t even consider any of these embellishments, they love them just the way they’re prepared.
