I have a big bag of leftover baked potatos that my brother had frozen. I mean a BIG bag. 10 lbs worth that had been made for the restaurant one slow weekend. The taste was okay but freezing made the texture awful, all dry, grainy, and gritty. My brother and SIL were going to throw them away.
But I, being determined not to let good things go to waste (unless it's going to MY waist), began to try and find a way to make them edible.
Lathering it up with extra butter and sour cream? Ick.
A lot of cream cheese and butter? Meh.
Mixed with lots of eggs and fried into potato cakes? Edible, but not something I'd want everyday.
Potato soup made with chicken broth, cream cheese, ham, butter, garlic, and thyme? YEAH BABY!
One large baked potato
One can chicken broth
1/3 bar of cream cheese
2 tablespoons butter, sliced to pats
1/2" slice of SPAM, small cubed
Dash of garlic powder
Dash of thyme
Mash the potato. Add potato and SPAM to broth. Bring to a boil for 5-10 minutes. Add chunks of cream cheese and stir until dissolved. Add garlic and thyme to taste. Add butter and boil for 3-5 minutes. Soup will thicken slighty as it cools. For thicker soup reduce for an additional 10 minutes after adding butter.
I made it without the SPAM, but it wasn't nearly as good.
It'll never be served at Spago's, but it's darned nummy for quickie bachelor food! My best friend, who is admittedly picky and sort of a food snob, liked it enough she asked me to make her another batch. (Normally she takes whatever I make, sips or nibbles a bit to be nice, then feeds it to her dog when she thinks I'm not paying attention.)
I didn't do anything but mush up the potatos before boiling. I suppose you could hit them with a stick blender after boiling if you wanted it really creamy. I bet a little onion and grated carrot wouldn't hurt either.
Brad
