Making Meals from the Pantry

Every so often, the kids get tired of the same meals. I decided to change it up this week and try some vegetarian meals. I also didn't do any grocery shopping this week other than my produce so I had to snoop around the pantry and be creative. Last night for dinner I decided to make potato pancakes and carrot salad. I had 10 pounds of potatoes sitting on my counter so I was glad to use some of these up.

Potato Pancakes

5 pounds of grated potatoes (this fed our family of 5)

1/4 flour

2 eggs

salt and pepper

chives

After grating the potatoes put them in a colander and press all of the water out. If you don't get the water out you will end up with potato soup and your pancakes will never brown. I put mine in cheese cloth and squeeze them out that way. They end up very dry with almost no water and that's what you want. Once the potatoes are dry, mix all of the above ingredients together with the potatoes. I use a 1/4 cup measure and pack the potatoes in and then plop them in the frying pan. It really helps them hold their shape better.

Cook in olive oil. They take 5-7 minutes to cook on each side.

Let them carmelize and brown nicely. The potatoes need to cook for a good amount of time. These are too pale and not quite ready.

Almost there...they should be very brown when you take them out of the pan.

Drain them on some paper towels and give a good sprinkle of salt.

The Carrot salad was delicious. Grate some carrots and the juice of one fresh lemon, 1/4 cup of olive oil and some fresh parsley. It was a wonderfully light dinner.

Enjoy!