Halloween Mac & Cheese Stuffed Peppers

These jack-o’-lantern peppers are Halloween dinner at its most fun — sweet orange bell peppers carved with silly-grinning faces, stuffed to the brim with ultra-creamy mac and cheese, and baked until bubbly and golden. Kids go wild for them, and grown-ups secretly love them just as much.

Ingredients

• 12 mini orange bell peppers
• 2 cups elbow macaroni
• 3 tbsp butter
• 3 tbsp all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 cups whole milk
• 2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
• 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
• 3/4 tsp kosher salt
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• 1/4 cup panko breadcrumbs
• 1 tbsp olive oil

Instructions

1. Prep the peppers: Slice the tops off the peppers and scoop out the seeds and ribs. Using a small sharp paring knife, carve a simple jack-o’-lantern face — triangle eyes and a jagged grin — into one side of each pepper. Set upright in a greased 9×13-inch baking dish.
2. Cook the pasta: Boil the elbow macaroni in salted water until just al dente, 1 minute shy of the package time. Drain.
3. Make the cheese sauce: Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in the flour and cook 1 minute. Gradually whisk in the milk until smooth. Simmer 3–4 minutes until thickened, then stir in the cheddar, mozzarella, garlic powder, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper until melted and creamy.
4. Combine: Fold the drained macaroni into the cheese sauce until every elbow is coated.
5. Stuff the peppers: Spoon the mac and cheese generously into each carved pepper, mounding it slightly above the rim. Sprinkle the panko over the tops and drizzle with olive oil.
6. Bake: Cover the dish loosely with foil and bake at 375°F (190°C) for 20 minutes. Remove the foil and bake 10–12 minutes more, until the tops are golden and crisp. Serve warm and watch the faces grin.

Pro tip: Carve the faces BEFORE stuffing — a cold, empty pepper is much easier to cut cleanly than a filled one. Keep the carving simple; the cheese melting through the cutouts looks delightfully spooky.

Estimated nutrition per serving: 380 calories, 14g protein, 42g carbs, 17g fat.