Mashed Potato Ghosts
Submitted by MarthaStewartwannabe
Mashed potato ghosts shape creamy mashed potatoes into ghost silhouettes using foil stencils, with black olive eyes and mouths. Fun Halloween side dish for kids and grown-ups.
YIELD
6 servingsPREP
20 minCOOK
35 minREADY
1 hrsThis Halloween side dish turns ordinary mashed potatoes into edible table decor. Using foil stencils cut into ghost shapes, you spoon warm, creamy mashed potatoes into each ghost outline, then peel the stencil away to reveal a clean ghost silhouette ready for its face.
The mashed potato base is classic comfort: boiled russets mashed with hot milk, butter, salt, and pepper until smooth and creamy. Optional add-ins like shredded cheddar cheese and chopped parsley give extra flavor, though plain potatoes show off the ghost shapes best against a dark plate.
Black olive slices become the spooky features. A few round slices for eyes, a curved cut for a surprised or screaming mouth, and each ghost takes on its own personality. Kids love helping arrange the olive faces, which makes this side dish a family activity as well as a meal.
A 3 to 5 minute microwave reheat (or 15 minutes in a 350°F oven) brings the ghosts up to serving temperature without distorting their shape. Serve alongside Halloween-themed mains for a full spooky Halloween dinner.
Kitchen Tips
- Use Russet or Yukon gold potatoes, not waxy varieties. Waxy potatoes turn gluey when mashed.
- Mash with a potato masher or ricer, not a food processor. Food processors overwork the starch and turn potatoes paste-like.
- Heat the milk before adding. Cold milk cools the potatoes and makes them gummy.
- Make stencils from heavy-duty foil, doubled over for stability. Thin foil bends and ruins the shape.
- Warm potatoes work better than cold when spreading through stencils. Cold potatoes crumble; warm ones spread smoothly.
Variations
- Use pumpkin-shaped stencils for orange sweet potato ghosts (with cinnamon and butter).
- Add roasted garlic or minced chives to the mash for more grown-up flavor.
- Top ghosts with a dusting of smoked paprika or chopped fresh herbs instead of olives for a different look.
Ingredients
Directions
Place potatoes in large pot and add enough water to cover.
Bring to boil and cook 13 to 15 minutes, or until very tender.
Drain in colander.
Return cooked potatoes to pot and stir over medium heat about 1 minute, until excess water has evaporated.
Remove from heat and, using potato masher, mash in hot milk, butter, salt and pepper.
Beat with wooden spoon until potatoes are smooth and creamy.
Stir in optional add-ins if desired.
Create stencils of ghost shapes out of heavy-duty aluminum foil.
Place stencils on cookie sheet or microwaveable serving dish.
Working with ½ to 1 cup mashed potatoes per ghost, use rubber spatula to fill in stencil’s ghost shapes.
Lift stencils off finished ghosts. Using small paring knife, slice olives to create circular shapes to be used for eyes and mouth.
To warm ghosts, microwave on high (100% power) 3 to 5 minutes on microwavable dish.
If using an oven, place potatoes on cookie sheet and reheat at 350 degrees, loosely covered with foil, 10 to 15 minutes or until heated through.
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