Idaho Potato Bugs
EEK! It’s a Thug…
Trick or Treat…it’s a Idaho Potato Bug!
Idaho Potato Bugs
You’ll want to create a pair of Idaho Potato Bugs with each baker. Here’s all you need to do. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Smear potatoes with softened butter, salt it, poke with fork times a couple of times, and bake for 1 to 1-1/2 hours till done, unless you cut the time with these great potato nails that bake potatoes so much faster. Meantime, clean shrimp and set aside. Grate the cheddar cheese. When potato is done, cool to handle. Cut in half lengthwise and carefully remove the cooked potato to a bowl, reserving skin whole. Mash potato with cream cheese, milk, butter, onion and parsley. Add salt and pepper to taste and ½ of the grated cheese and mix gently. Melt 2 tablespoons of butter with garlic and drench the shrimp in it. Hang shrimp over the potato skin as pictured above. Fill skin with potato mixture, sprinkle remaining cheese over top of the bug. Bake at 350 degrees for 15 more minutes. Remove from oven and add olive slices for “eyes” and a snip of red pepper for a “nose.”
Idaho Potato Bugs
These yummy little potato bugs are made in pairs. They can be customized using big or small potatoes and are perfect little creatures to serve at your Halloween party.
Serves: 2 Potato Bugs
Ingredients
- 1 large potato, scrubbed and dried
- softened butter and salt
- 12 medium shrimp, shells and tails off, deveined
- 1-1/2 ounce cream cheese, softened
- 2 tablespoons hot milk
- 2 teaspoons butter (melted in milk)
- 1 tablespoon minced green onion
- 1 tablespoon minced parsley
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1 minced garlic clove
- 2 tablespoons butter
- ½ cup grated cheddar cheese (divided)
- 2 black olives
- 2 snips of red bell pepper
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Smear potatoes with softened butter, salt it, poke with fork times a couple of times, and bake for 1 to 1-1/2 hours till done.
- Meantime, clean shrimp and set aside.
- Grate the cheddar cheese.
- When potato is done, cool to handle. Cut in half lengthwise and carefully remove the cooked potato to a bowl, reserving skin whole.
- Mash potato with cream cheese, milk, butter, onion and parsley. Add salt and pepper to taste and ½ of the grated cheese and mix gently.
- Melt 2 tablespoons of butter with garlic and drench the shrimp in it. Hang shrimp over the potato skin as pictured above.
- Fill skin with potato mixture, sprinkle remaining cheese over top of the bug.
- Bake at 350 degrees for 15 more minutes.
- Remove from oven and add olive slices for "eyes" and a snip of red pepper for a "nose."
Happy weekend before Halloween. Hope it’s filled with fabulous fun!
We're Alison and Renée, and we're so glad you've joined us! Our kitchens are our happy place, where we're whipping up memories. Get comfy and check things out. We hope you find inspiring dishes and ways to better your life. Feeling optimistic, trying new things and sharing with those we love brings joy in all we do. It's time to cook, create and celebrate. CHEERS! 
Now that is one bug I wouldn’t mind having or eating!
Very cute, I’m sure the kids loved it! Happy Halloween Weekend:@)
I love it…and I know how good it would be to eat it! Real cute idea..thanks! 😀
That is just adorable! What a great Hallowe’en lunch!
Oh yum! Scary but yummy!;-) I was telling a friend about your blog and all of your yummy recipes and pictures and stories. Love it! 🙂 Thanks for sharing!
Happy Halloween! What a cute post!
So cute…. DD is looking over my shoulder and thinks she needs this now! 🙂
Squeeeeel! So stinkin’ cute! I absolutely love it. And my kids would totally eat it up. What an awesome idea!! 🙂
ha! That is so cute! I love twice baked potatoes. Must make some for the kids. Hope your day is great. Tammy
That is so cute. If I had kids at home that would be dinner tonight!
That is too stinking funny! I am laughing so hard. Hard to know if I should pin in on Make Me Laugh or Halloween!
Very cute! It’s a meal in a bug 🙂
I do not know why this didn’t come up on my home page three days ago! Looks like there are some gremlins messing with my blogger again.
I love this! I’m such a sucker for cute food ideas. I remember the first time I found this blog. You had done May Day cupcakes, and I was hooked.
So cute!
That is the cutest thing ever. My girls love shrimp and they would go crazy for this!