So you’ve got a whole sack of potatoes and you’re getting a little sick of the baked version. Other than whipping up a batch of gloriously tasty, sour-cream-laden mashed potatoes, what can you do with them? Quite a bit, if you don’t mind digging out that recipe book. Its nutritional value has made it a valuable crop since Native Americans began to cultivate it thousands of years ago and regional recipes have sprung up around it while it spread around the world.

Have A Garden?

An acre of potatoes can feed 10 people, so if you like the idea of growing potatoes at home, you can get a pretty good yield. The potato is so versatile as a crop that it could be grown almost anywhere. In fact, the movie The Martian exaggerated by only a little because potatoes could theoretically even be grown on Mars. If you don’t have a garden, why not start one or try growing some indoors?

Irish Potato Bread

Potatoes became such an important crop in Ireland that the failure of the potato crop in the 1840s triggered a massive emigration from Ireland to America. “Boxty” practically became an Irish staple and a favorite addition to St. Patrick Day celebrations around the world.

Ingredients:

1½ pound potatoes, peeled and cut into pieces

1 large egg plus 1 large egg white

1/3 cup canola oil, plus a little oil for greasing a baking sheet

¾ cup fat-free milk

2 tablespoons minced chives or green part of a scallion

½ teaspoon caraway seeds

3 ¼ cup flour, plus a little extra for dusting.

1 ½ tablespoons baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

Method:

Steam ¾ pound of the potatoes in a vegetable steamer or large saucepan with portable steamer for 15 minutes. Mash the potatoes in large bowl and set aside to cool. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Lightly oil a backing sheet. Grate remaining ¾ pound of potatoes with a box grater; add to mashed potatoes. Stir in egg, egg white, oil, milk, chives and caraway seeds until smoothly blended. Gradually stir in 3 ¼ cup flour, baking powder and salt with wooden spoon until mixture forms a soft, sticky dough. Wash and dry hands thoroughly. Lightly flour a clean work surface and your hands. Gently transfer dough from bowl to work surface and knead for one minute, gradually adding one tablespoon of flour at a time to dough to prevent it from becoming too sticky. It should stay a little tacky but workable. Shape dough into a ball and place on baking sheet. Use sharp knife to carve an X in the dough with ½ inch deep cuts. Bake until golden brown and firm to the touch, about 55 minutes. Cool 1 hour before slicing.

Potato Latkes

Pan Fried Potatoes in Mushroom Sauce

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons butter

1 ½ pounds small “fingerling” potatoes, cut into pieces

2 cups sliced fresh mushrooms (Portabella, Shiitake or Crimini work well)

¼ cup dried wild mushrooms

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 large shallot, thinly sliced

1 cup chicken broth

2 teaspoons Dijon mushroom

¾ teaspoon herbs de Provence

½ cup heavy cream (or crème fraiche if you can find it)

fresh ground pepper to taste

chopped fresh thyme

Method:

Melt butter in large skillet. Cook potatoes in butter until they are tender, about half an hour. Stir in fresh mushrooms, garlic and shallot. Cook 10 more minutes. Add dried mushrooms, broth, mustard and herbs; increase heat to high and cook 5 minutes. Stir in heavy cream and cook 5 more minutes. Season with pepper and thyme.

Potato and Zucchini Pie

Baked Potato Nachos

Bored with the same old nachos? Mix it up and impress your friends at your next party or tailgate event with this recipe.

Ingredients:

1 ½ pounds Russet potatoes, scrubbed and cut into ½-inch-thick wedges

1 ½ tablespoons vegetable oil

½ teaspoon garlic salt

1 teaspoon Mexican seasoning blend

1 cup Mexican blend shredded cheese

¼ cup drained and rinsed black beans

¼ cup diced tomatoes

¼ cup black olives

¼ cup sliced green onions

3 tablespoons canned diced green chiles

Guacamole, salsa and sour cream

Method:

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Place potato wedges in a large bowl and toss with oil, garlic salt and Mexican seasoning blend until evenly coated. Transfer potatoes to large baking sheet and spread into a single layer. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, stirring at intervals, until golden brown. Top with cheese, olives, beans, tomatoes, onions and chiles. Bake 5 more minutes until cheese is melted. Serve with guacamole, salsa and sour cream on the side.

Boil ‘Em, Mash ‘Em, Stick ‘Em In A Stew!