Sometimes I make mashed potato doughnuts using a recipe I found on the back of a box on instant mashed Idaho potatoes and sometimes I want to use leftover mashed potatoes. Any idea on how I can substitute one for another?

Thanks for using Idaho potatoes. For your question I asked LaWana Mencke who is the R & D Technician at Idahoan Foods for her comments as she is the expert when it comes to using convenience dried or dehydrated potatoes.

The answer: Each 1/3 cup of flakes makes about ½ cup prepared, as per directions on bag or box.

Here are two basic donut recipes from Idahoan:

Idaho Potato Doughnuts
2 pkg. active dry or cake yeast
1/2 c. warm water (110-115° F.)
1 c. sugar
3/4 c. shortening or margarine
1-1/2 c. prepared Idahoan® mashed potatoes, cold
3 eggs, well beaten
2 c. milk, scalded and cooled to lukewarm
1 Tbsp. salt
1 Tbsp. lemon extract
6-8 c. sifted flour

Glaze:
1 lb. powdered sugar
1 tbsp. vanilla extract

1. Dissolve yeast in warm water, set aside. Cream sugar and shortning, beat in cold potatoes and eggs. Add milk, salt and lemon extract. Mix in flour, adding just enough to make a soft dough. Knead well.
2. Place dough in greased bowl, cover and let rise in warm place until doubled in bulk.
3. Roll out dough to 1/2" thickness. Cut with well-floured cutter. Let rise uncovered about 30 minutes. Deep-fry in oil heated to 375° F. Drain on paper towel.
4. To make glaze, gradually add enough boiling water to powdered sugar and vanilla to make a thin glaze. Drizzle over doughnuts.
   Yield: 4 dozen dougnuts.

Raised Donuts
2 pkg. active dry, or cake, yeast
1 cup sugar
3/4 cup shortening or margarine
1-1/2 cups cold Idahoan mashed potatoes
3 eggs, well beaten
2 cups milk
1 Tbsp salt
1 Tbsp lemon extract
6-8 cups flour, sifted

Glaze:
1 lb. powdered sugar
1 Tbsp vanilla

1. Heat deep fat to 375° F.
2. Dissolve yeast in 1/2 cup lukewarm water. Set aside.
3. Cream together sugar and shortening or margarine
4. Add mashed potatoes and beaten eggs.
5. Scald and cool milk.
6. Add to milk salt and lemon extract.
7. Combine all ingredients – mix well.
8. Mix in sifted flour.
9. Knead well, adding just enough flour to make soft dough.
10. Let rise until double in bulk. Roll out dough. Cut. Let rise until very light.
11. Fry in deep fat. Drain on absorbant paper.
12. To make glaze, gradually add enough boiling water to powdered sugar and vanilla to make a thin glaze. Drizzle over doughnuts.
    Yields 4 dozen

Find several more from the Idaho Potato Commission below.

By the way, don’t you think we should start a campaign to call instant or dehydrated potatoes “dry potatoes”? After all, no one refers to dry pasta as dehydrated or instant. It’s degrading… especially if you haven’t tried these lately. These are always a staple ingredient in my pantry at home for quick side dishes.