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Well, it turns out I don’t have to worry about solving this moral dilemma yet, nor do I have to worry about being recruited for Operation Covert Squash…
My daughter came into the kitchen and saw me grating potatoes and excitedly asked if I was making hash browns. I told her I was and asked her to get me a yellow squash and zucchini so I could add them. She was appalled and asked in horror if I was really going to “ruin perfectly good hash browns by adding squash”.
And then I remembered that I was talking to the individual who clings to her dislike of summer squash. “Oh, I forgot that I was going to sneak in the yellow squash and then when you said you liked the recipe I was going to say, surprise they have squash in them”. She shook her head and said, “way to keep a secret mom” and walked away without getting me the needed squash.
If your children do not like squash and you want to be covert about adding them to your hash browns, peel the squash, before grating so the color of the skin doesn’t stick out from the color of the potatoes. If your family likes squash, or if you have already given away your secret, leave the skin on the potatoes and the squash. The skin adds color, nutrients and cuts down on the time involved in preparing the vegetables.
My daughter came back and asked if she could “try the hash browns made with the ingredient I’m not supposed to know about”. She said that she liked them better than regular hash browns and described them as more flavorful and went back for seconds. She could tell I was pleased, maybe because I exclaimed with delight “I knew you’d like them!” (need to work on my sneakiness). She leveled me with a glare and said, “I admit that your hash browns with squash taste better than regular hash browns, but I still think you over-utilize squash in your recipes each summer”.
Yep, definitely have to work on developing my sneaky!
Title
Adapted from The Fastest, Easiest, Crispiest Hash Browns
Yield – 8 servings
Preparation Time – 5 – 15 minutes depending on whether you have a food processor
Cooking Time – 10 minutes
Ingredients
- 1 pound red potatoes, grated
- 1 medium yellow squash, grated
- 1 medium zucchini, grated
- 1 small onion, finely chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon seasoned salt (how to make seasoned salt)
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
Directions
- If you have a food processor, run the potatoes, yellow squash, zucchini, onion, and garlic through it on the grate setting. If you don’t have a food processor, you can use a box grater to grate the vegetables.
- Squeeze the excess moisture from the vegetables. (Removing the liquid is essential to making crispy hash browns).
- Add the seasoned salt and pepper to the vegetables and stir to thoroughly combine.
- Add oil to a largest skillet you have. Spread the hash brown mixture evenly over the bottom of the pan. Cook over a medium high flame until the bottom is crispy, approximately 4 – 6 minutes. Then flip and cook until the other side is crispy, approximately 4 – 6 minutes.
Notes:
If you have a waffle iron, you can try cooking the grated vegetables in it. Brush or spray with oil. Place 1/2 cup of grated veggies over each square on the waffle maker. Spread evenly over the bottom of the waffle maker, lock the lid down, and cook for 8 – 10 minutes or until the hash browns are crispy and cooked through.
Are you thinking what I’m thinking? Carrots, beets, eggplant?!? The possibilities for sneaking veggies into breakfast are endless!
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{ 17 comments… read them below or add one }
LOVE this! The don’t ask don’t tell squash policy made me laugh too.
you should call them squash browns!
LOL! Looks like someone else need to work on their sneaky skills.
That is actually a very good idea. Maybe I will call them squash browns once I work all of the potato out of the recipe, which I am hoping to do this weekend.
I love this recipe but I am not sure I would be able to eat the whole recipe in one meal. Would I be able to freeze half of the grated veggies to save for another breakfast?
Yes, you can freeze the hash browns. I place 1/2 cup of cooked hash browns or 1 waffle square in the microwave and heat it on high for one minute.
These look terrific. The only way I can imagine them better is covered in cheese.
That is a delicious idea!
I found that grating the vegetables into a colander nested into a bowl helps reduce the amount of moisture on them because it’s able to drain out the bottom of the bowl. I made mine with red potatoes and white potatoes so it had a pretty blend of colors.
I think it would be cool to make them in the Fall with sweet potatoes and winter squash or root vegetables like carrots and parsnips.
Great tip!
This was so fun to read, and you made me laugh!!! I love the idea of using the waffle iron to make them, I am going to try that! Thanks for sharing your great idea of hiding veggies in things. I do it also, so I love to have company of other mothers doing the same thing.
It is nice to know I am not the only one trying to find more ways to sneak veggies into my family’s diet. We never feel the need to share every ingredient in a cake…until we slip something healthy in it. Then we feel like we are being dishonest if we don’t provide full disclosure. Why is that?
Do you think this would still work without the potatoes? We eat extremely low carb, so no potatoes.
Yes, I think it would work if you replaced the potatoes with another medium summer squash and zucchini. You just want ~2 pounds of grated vegetables. Squash contains more moisture than potatoes, so be sure to do a really good job of squeezing out the liquid.
This is so creative, and I love the idea of using the waffle iron! You can also “hide” squash/zucchini in carrot cake or carrot muffins, or puree it into a soup for a smooth base.
Those are delicious ideas! I love the idea of using pureed squash as a base for a creamy soup. I am going to try my carrot cake recipe with summer squash this weekend.
LOL…. I peel zucchini and grate to add to stuffed peppers and meatloaf because my husband doesn’t like “squash” either. I forget to tell him when I make pumpkin pie with squash too….. he thinks he can tell the difference. I also recently made Banana zucchini bread which he loved. I’m all for being sneaky with veggies!
I love the idea of adding zucchini to stuffed peppers and meatloaf! I am looking forward to trying your ideas out on my family.
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