Ghostly Shepard's Pie

Now that Halloween is upon us, I thought it would be timely to share my next recipe for you... Ghostly Shepard's Pie. I love making holidays fun, and I love making this meal every year. This year will probably be the first time that I'll have a child who will really enjoy it... so that should be fun. This recipe is perfect for the fall, I hope you enjoy it. 

Ghostly Shepard's Pie
1 lb ground beef
1/2 C. chopped onion
1 bag (12 oz) frozen mixed vegetables
2 C. diced tomatoes with Italian herbs, undrained (from 28-oz can)
1 jar (12 oz) beef gravy
1 3/4 C. water
2 Tbsp. butter/margarine
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 C. milk
2 1/4 C. Dried Potato Flakes (instant mashed potatoes)
1/4 C. grated Parmesan cheese
1 egg, slightly beaten

1. Heat oven to 375°F. Spray 12-inch skillet with cooking spray. Add beef and onion; cook over medium heat 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until thoroughly cooked; drain.

2. Set 12 peas (from frozen vegetables) aside for garnish. Add remaining frozen vegetables, tomatoes and gravy to beef mixture. Heat to boiling. Reduce heat to medium-low. Cover and cook 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are crisp-tender.

3. Meanwhile, in 2-quart saucepan, heat water, butter and garlic powder to boiling. Remove from heat; add milk. Stir in dry potatoes and cheese. Add egg; blend well.

4. Spoon beef mixture into ungreased 2 - 2 1/2 quart baking dish. With large spoon, make 6 mounds of potato mixture on top of beef mixture to resemble ghosts. Place 2 reserved peas on each mound to resemble eyes.

5. Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until potatoes are set and mixture is thoroughly heated.

Enjoy with your little ghosts & goblins!!


Although this recipe only makes an 8x8 casserole serving - it would be very simple to double... just in case you have a lot of little ghosts and goblins to feed!