Spooky Shepherd’s Pie
Have you ever known someone who just refuses to accept any new technology? Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Insta-what? Foreign languages to them. Grandmas and grandpas are completely excused. If they’re tech savvy great, if not – no big deal. I think most have the same attitude as my dad which is, what’s the point? I always promise myself that I’ll be a savvy with-it grandma but I already find myself Twitter challenged.
But my sister, who is young with NO excuse, will not get a freaking cell phone. I think until last year, she still had a pager. She said she doesn’t want to be tied down by a phone.
I do have several sisters to choose from so I’m not calling her out by name. Not at all.
We all thought when she had kids she would give in out of necessity, but she didn’t. If you want to get ahold of her, just pray and hope that she’s home waiting for you to call too. Or as my husband always jokes, just send her a letter on the Pony Express – she’ll get it next week.
My sister does use Facebook so she sent me a message through Facebook saying I should make Spooky Shepherd’s Pie. I loved the idea of it. I feel like a lot of Halloween food is cool to look at but not all that great to eat. So the fact that this had the scary Halloween effect AND could be called dinner, was just what I wanted. And you know my kids loved getting their own ghost to destroy and eat.
So thank you anonymous sister that I am not calling out right now. xoxo
Spooky Shepherd’s Pie
Source: adapted from Allrecipes and Pillsbury
Ingredients:
Mashed Potatoes:
4 large potatoes, peeled and cubed
1/4 cup sour cream
1/4 cup milk
1/4 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
salt and pepper to taste
1 clove garlic, minced
1 teaspoon steak seasoning
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add potatoes and cook until tender, about 15-20 minutes. Drain and mash. Place in a large bowl or Kitchen Aid bowl and mix in butter, sour cream, milk, cheese, and salt and pepper to taste. You can add more milk to your desired consistency. This yields about 4 1/2 cups of mashed potatoes. Set aside.
2. While potatoes are boiling, heat the oil in a large frying pan. Add onion and cook until clear. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Add ground beef, steak seasoning, and Worcestershire and cook until well browned. Pour off excess fat, then stir in flour and cook 1 minute. Add ketchup, beef broth, and frozen carrots and peas. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes.
3. Spread the ground beef in an even layer on the bottom of a 2 quart casserole dish. For spooky mashed potato ghosts spoon the mashed potatoes into a large Ziploc back and cut a large hole in one corner. Pipe mashed potato ghosts and place two peas as eyes. Sprinkle the remaining cheese around the ghosts.
For regular shepherd’s pie: Top with the mashed potato mixture and sprinkle with remaining shredded cheese.
4. Bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes, or until golden brown.
How many people will this feed?
This makes 6 servings!
Omg this dinner. I was browsing the site and my eyes darted over to the right side of the screen where there are pics of recipes to check out and I think they were drawn to what seemed to be a white pillar, lol…I was like ‘umm what is this? WAIT are these pillars of standing potatoes??? Oh my goodness I must click’ – this is toooo stinkin’ cute. I am definitely going to try this one. I don’t have little ones anymore but it’s just too cute. I don’t have any grands yet either haha but again, just too cute to not make. And oh my, I have a good friend who REFUSES to get a cell phone – I am not at all technical and not huge into electronic ‘toys’, but thought it unheard of in this age that he wouldn’t have a cell phone. This has been for years, and his sister even bought him one which he has NEVER taken out of the package, LOL. To each his own – if I didn’t have kids, I dunno I might be ‘unavailable’ too!!! Love it:)
Haha. You made me laugh out loud! You are too cute and I think we could be friends. Just sayin.
Hello! I am doing a halloween supper roundup and would love to include your recipe with a pic from this post and a link back to your site. If that is ok with you, please send me a quick email with your approval. Thanks!
This came up at the bottom of another post I was reading and I love it! I agree with you – most Halloween food is only pretty to look at and so I don’t end up cooking any but now I have my own house and I’ve found this I think I feel a dinner party coming on this autumn.
We honestly make this about once a week! We love it so much! I have tried other recipes but I didn’t think they were keepers. Thank you so much for sharing this with us. Hopefully one day I will get your cookbook! Best Wishes!
Thank you! Who knew?!
Hi there! I am just trying to figure out what size pan to use. Thank you so much!
2QT! Found it! Sorry about that!
2 Quart!
Darling!! I’m featuring this on my site tomorrow–love it!
This is the cutest Shepherds Pie I have ever seen. We love this dish and I will have to remember to make it this way!
Just wanted to let you know I have shared the recipe on my facebook page! Love it.
Cynthia at http://FeedingBig.blogspot.com
They are so cute… great idea!
Ciao.
that’s super cute!!!
Didn’t have a TV until I was five, didn’t have a private phone line until I was 8, didn’t have a refrig. with freezer until I was 11,have no cellphone and I am on dail-up with my computer but I think I have a good life–there is plenty of time to do many things.
Can’t wait to make this recipe–great idea–sharing it with the teachers at school.
LOVE THAT
Thank you!
@Julie,
You just called yourself out 🙂 Don’t be mad. Thanks for the idea!!
That is such a cute idea!
I’ve been working on getting my Mom to drop her house phone and just use her cell phone (which she does have) for years! Oh and I love Halloween food because who doesn’t love ‘playing’ with their food! Cute and fun!
Christy this is your sister. All I can say is aren’t you glad I am pretty internet savvy? I am happy you decided to go with my idea! And I am not upset with you calling me out on the cell phone thing. I know I am in the Dark Ages. I will still send you a Christmas card…(by the Pony Express!) Hopefully, it get’s there in time!
This is absolutely adorable! Makes me want to have kids so I can make fun things like this….maybe my husband would get as big of a kick out of it as I would 🙂
what a awesome idea!! Pinned and need to try it out 🙂
Cant sisters be annoying! she’s probably doing it just to get your goat! JK! I love my sister. Love this idea, my kid love shepherd pie. Think I might need to give this a try on wednesday.
How adorable! I love it!!
This cracked me up! It is deliciously cute. 🙂
This is adorable!
I have a cellphone but sometimes just don’t answer it. There has to be occasional opportunities to be unavailable! If it’s important, I will receive an SMS from the caller, otherwise I will call back at my leisure. This happens most often when I’m I’m the middle of cooking or enjoying something else creative. Who dares interrupt my train of thought? 😛 These are great even though I don’t do Halloween, I absolutely love shepherd’s pie and you’re right, it definitely will be tasty! Yum!
Love a Halloweeny Food that is not filled with sugar! Thanks so much for sharing this!
I am a 55 year old Nonny. I have Facebook, a Blog, a cell phone, Twitter and Instagram. My 45 year old sister does not have Facebook….never has. It drives me nuts!!!!!!! No Twitter. No Instagram. Just a cell phone that she NEVER answers. Love her anyway!! 🙂 BUT, grrrrrrr.
I am in LOVE with this – so cute and NOT Halloween sugar!! big winner
This is SUPER CUTE!!!
Oh yeah, I’m totally with your sister. We have a cell phone that only gets used on vacation the rest of the time, it’s a brick. We don’t have kids and no one needs 24/7 access to me! Go sis!!