While the boys and I were doing a grocery store shopping trip for easy commercial foods we could make on the trail, Alistaire saw a newer potato cup he wanted to try out—Idahoan Potato Shreds, which come in two flavors: Triple Cheese and Hidden Valley Ranch.
The 2 packs were not cheap, however, at $4.29. The cups are microwave-ready, and with the know-how, it is easy to make it outside.
The cups have a line inside for the water level. It is ¾ cup of water.
Open up, add in ¾ cup boiled water, stir well and cover back up.
To insulate, slide the cup carefully into a cozy or similar. Let sit for 10 minutes.
Cheesy potatoes after 10 minutes.
Stir well and enjoy.
Now….that bowl didn’t make a lot. Alistaire enjoyed it; he likes potatoes. He said, “It’s like mac n’ cheese with potatoes!”. I thought about it and realized we could easily make a DIY version with bigger portions. And btw, the “three cheeses” above? Just Cheddar/Romano/Parmesan. Nothing special.
So, I took apart the second cup and measured the ingredients. It was about half of a cup of hash browns and 3 Tablespoons cheese sauce powder.
Yes, I apparently had that much free time to do that.
The portion in the cups was pretty small, so I doubled it.
Cheesy Shredded Potatoes
Pack in a quart freezer or sandwich bag:
- 1 cup instant hashbrowns
- 6 Tbsp cheese sauce powder (used Thrive) (find similar on Amazon)
One Pot Method:
Bring 1½ cups water to a boil in a small pot. Add in the dry ingredients, stirring well. Cover and let sit for 10 minutes. Stir well and enjoy.
FBC Method:
Place the freezer bag into an FBC Cozy. Add 1½ cups boiled water, stirring well. Seal it tightly and let it sit for 10 to 15 minutes. Stir well and enjoy.
Serves one large appetite.
Notes:
I find the instant hashbrowns in containers at the local restaurant supply store (what used to be known as Cash and Carry, Now Chef’s Store). Transfer to a sealed container, they last a long time on the shelf.
This recipe would pair well with chicken or bacon added to it for protein. If meat was added, this could serve two people.
~Sarah