Ghostly Shepherd's Pie

Ghostly Shepherd's Pie

A layered casserole with beef and vegetables in a tomato-beefy gravy, topped with potato ghosts.

 

 

Ingredients:

• olive oil
• 1-large yellow onion, chopped
• 1 1/2 pound ground beef
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 Tablespoons tomato paste
• 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 cup beef broth
• 1-12oz. jar Heinz Beef Gravy
• 1 Tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1-16 oz. frozen bag of classic mix vegetables (carrots, green beans, peas and corn). 
• kosher salt and fresh cracked black pepper
• 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
• 6 cups (48 oz.) cooked mashed potatoes-(To save time I bought 2-24 oz. packages of pre-made mashed potatoes at my local grocer deli).
• Black sesame seeds or caraway seeds or toasted pumpkin seeds-broken in half (as seen in picture) for the eyes.

 Directions: Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

1. Heat olive oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add the onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until onions begin to soften.
2. Add the beef and turn heat to medium high, break up beef. Leave the beef alone until beef begins to brown, turn the meat over and cook until brown on other side.
3. Add garlic and cook, stirring constantly about 1 minute.
4. Add tomato paste and flour and cook, stirring, until well blended, about 2 minutes.
5. Stir in the broth, gravy, and Worcestershire sauce and bring to a boil for 3 minutes scraping any bits from the bottom of the pan.
6. Stir in the frozen bag of vegetables until vegetables are heated through.
7. Salt and Pepper to taste.
8. Spray a 9x13 cooking dish with nonstick spray.
9. Spoon the meat mixture into the prepared baking dish and top with cheddar cheese. 
10. Spoon the 3 cups of mashed potatoes, (heat cold mashed potatoes in microwave to more easily handle), on top of meat mixture and spread evenly with a spatula.
11. Put the other 3 cups of mashed potato in a Ziploc gallon bag, snip of one corner and pipe the ghosts on. You can help the shape of their heads with your fingers or a small spoon dipped in hot water. Add the broken in half pumpkin seeds or black sesame or caraway seeds for the eyes.
12. Place the dish on a foil lined sheet pan and bake for 30 minutes until the edges are bubbling and the ghosts are browned on top.

Let rest out of the oven for 10 minutes before serving.

"Bone Marrow Bites" -a Halloween appetizer-

Bone Marrow Bites

-a Halloween appetizer-

(Sliced Sweet Shredded Pork Tortilla Wraps)

 

The original recipe is from the Sugar-n-Spice Gal's crock pot Sweet Pork Dippers recipe I found on Pinterest, similar to a Taquito. (So yummy!).  I sliced up the left overs and fried them in canola oil and freaked out my kids, because they look like slices of bone marrow. "Light Bulb Moment"! This would be a great Halloween Party appetizer, with a label in front that reads: Bone Marrow Bites.
 Serve them along with sour cream, salsa, guacamole, and/or your favorite ranch dressing.

 

Ingredients:

4 lb. pork tenderloin roast

salt and pepper

1 cup salsa (I used Jacks Special Medium Salsa)

1 1/2 cups brown sugar

1 cup Coca Cola (not diet)

7 inch flour tortillas (2-22.5 oz. pkgs. about 40 tortillas)

2 cups Monterey Jack Cheese

Canola oil-for frying

 

Dipping sauce recommendations:

Sour Cream

Salsa

Guacamole

Lite House Jalapeño Ranch Dressing (find next to the bagged salad greens in your local grocer)

Ranch Dressing

 

Directions:

Put pork roast into a medium sized crock pot. Add a generous amount of salt and pepper around the entire surface of the loin. Cover with salsa, brown sugar, and coke.

Cook on low for 6-8 hours, or on high for 3-4 hours until the pork is fork tender.

Once pork is cooked, remove from crock pot, discard fatty parts and shred. Remove half of the sauce in the crock pot and return the shredded pork. Mix thoroughly with the remaining sauce.

Lightly spray a shallow cookie sheet.

Place 1/4 cup of shredded pork on to a tortilla and roll tight like a taquito. (Don't worry if a little juice leaks out). Place seam side down on the cookie sheet.

Sprinkle the tops with cheese and place in a 375 degree oven till the cheese melts. About 10 minutes.

Remove from oven and let cool before making the "Bone Marrow Bites"-baking them as a taquito first helps hold their shape better before frying.

 

Bone Marrow Bites:

-You'll need-

Large fry pan

Canola Oil

Paper toweled lined cookie sheet

 

Directions:

Once cool, slice taquitos into 1  1/4 inch thick discs. Use a very sharp knife so not to smash the round shape.

In a large fry pan add enough canola oil till the oil depth is 1/2 an inch.  Heat oil on Medium High. Once oil is hot turn heat to Medium and add the bites, placing them disc sides down. Do not over crowd them, you will definitely have to cook them in batches. If the oil gets to dark, discard and start with a new batch of oil. Fry until golden (turn heat down if discs are browning to quickly). Turn over and fry the other side until golden, place on paper toweled lined cookie sheet. 

 

Arrange on a platter with a folded card sign in front that reads "Bone Marrow Bites".

Serve with above mentioned dips.

 

Happy Halloween!