I thought a bag of lentils was just for soup until my roommate in Phoenix made a weird taco filling with them.

After trying it, I realized you can stretch a single $2 bag into about four meals if you get creative with spices, so what's the most surprising thing you've made from a basic pantry staple?

3 comments

3 Comments

ward.julia25d ago

Watched my friend turn a plain box of instant mashed potatoes into these killer crispy potato pancakes last winter. She was broke between paychecks and just mixed the flakes with an egg, some onion powder, and a ton of black pepper. Fried them in a little oil until they were golden. Honestly, they were better than any hash browns I've ever had. It completely changed how I see that box in the back of the cupboard.

lindagreen25d agoMost Upvoted

Wait, did she just use the flakes straight from the box without adding water first? I always thought you had to make the mashed potatoes first and then use the leftovers. That's a total game changer if you can skip a step. I've got a box that's been sitting forever because the regular mash just tastes sad. Trying this tomorrow for sure.

spencerh9521d ago

My grandma used to fry those flakes with just an egg and it was unreal. @ward.julia is right, it turns that sad box into something you actually want to eat. I'm digging my own box out of the pantry tonight.