Trick or treat yo’self to these adorable jack-o-lantern stuffed peppers- an idea floating all over the internet right now. I combined a few recipes to create the filling below.

Thinking about making these?  Here’s a tip: Do the pepper carving and make the filling in advance.  Then a half an hour before you are ready to serve, fill the jack-o-lanterns and put in oven to bake.

Happy Halloween!

Ingredients:

• 4 large orange bell peppers
• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• 1 pound 93/7 ground beef
• ½ medium onion, chopped
• 1 clove garlic, finely chopped
• 1 Tablespoon chili powder
• ½ teaspoon ground cumin
• Ground black pepper, to taste
• 1 (8-oz.) can tomato sauce, no sugar added
• 1 cup black beans, drained, rinsed
• 1 cup cooked brown rice
• ½ cup shredded jack cheddar cheese

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 400º F.
2. Slice stem end off peppers and set aside. Remove seeds from peppers. Cut a jack-o-lantern face out of one side of each pepper. Stand peppers upright in ungreased glass baking dish. Set aside.
3. Heat oil in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat.
4. Add ground beef and stir frequently for 4 to 5 minutes, or until browned.
5. Add onion and stir frequently for 4 to 5 minutes, or until onion is translucent.
6. Add garlic and stir frequently for 1 minute.
7. Add chili powder, cumin, pepper, tomato sauce, and beans stirring occasionally for 4 to 5 minutes.
8. Remove from heat.
9. Add rice and mix well.
10. Fill peppers with filling and top with reserved stem end of peppers.
11. Place jack-o-lanterns in ungreased baking dish and cover tightly with foil. Bake 10 minutes. Uncover and bake about 10 minutes longer or until peppers are tender.
12. Remove stem top of peppers and sprinkle evenly with cheese. Bake for 2 to 3 minutes, or until cheese is melted.
13. Replace tops and serve.

Yields 4 servings

Allergen information:

• This recipe is egg free.
• This recipe is gluten free.
• This recipe is nut free.

Nutrition information:

Photographs: