If you have a cold, but fully baked, potato from the day before, you have a blank canvas that can be used for lots of dishes.
1. Quickie Potato Salad, Dice the cold potato, toss with mayo or Greek yogurt, mustard, chopped celery, onion, hard-boiled egg, relish, salt & pepper. Ready in under 10 minutes.
2. Crispy Potato Hash, Dice or chop and pan-fry in a hot skillet with oil/butter until golden and crisp; add onion, peppers, and whatever protein you have (ham, sausage, corned beef).
3. Smashed Potato Bites, Flatten chunks slightly, pan-fry or air-fry until crispy outside, top with cheese, salsa, guacamole, or garlic for easy appetizers.
4. Potato Pancakes (quick latke-style), Grate or finely chop the cold potato, mix with a little egg, flour or cornstarch, salt, and onion; fry spoonfuls until golden.
5. Speedy Shepherd's Pie, Dice the potato, mix with leftover ground meat and veggies, top with cheese, and bake or microwave until hot.
Rick Good spent ten years in the newspaper business, including with The News & Observer (Raleigh, NC) and The Greenville News (Greenville, SC). He co-wrote, with Melinda Coleman, Rutledge to Riley: Governors of South Carolina, 1776–Present (Published by The Greenville News), and is the author of Mind Games Trivia #1 (Amazon). He has recently spent 15 years creating original trivia content through Sounds Good Mobile Entertainment and continues that with his new company, SGME Software. He edits The Smart Reader’s money, real estate, and business coverage.
