Halloween Stuffed Peppers

These cute stuffed peppers are a lot of fun to make and so simple. And they're perfect for getting your little helpers involved in the kitchen. If they enjoy designing their own Jack-o'-lanterns, they'll love making their own stuffed peppers. And if they're old enough to do the carving, these peppers really aren't much different than pumpkins. For us, it was a great way to use up the last bell peppers in the garden, but for some of you fall is the best time to buy peppers at the farmer's market when abundance drives the prices down. Wherever you get them, this will be the perfect, fun and festive Halloween dinner (without spaghetti brains and grape eyeballs).

Halloween Stuffed Peppers
2 large bell peppers (any color)
Half pound lean ground beef
1 Tablespoon onion, finely chopped
Half cup rice, cooked
Half teaspoon salt
Half teaspoon black pepper
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
Half cup tomato sauce
Quarter cup shredded mozzarella cheese

Directions

1. Design your Jack-o'-lanterns' faces on paper and replicate with a sharp paring knife on the side of each pepper.

2. Cut a thin slice from the top of each pepper, around the stem, making a lid. Reserve. Remove the seeds and membranes with a knife and rinse.

3. Cook the peppers in enough boiling water to cover for 5 minutes. Remove from water and stand peppers upright in ungreased loaf pan.

4. In a bowl, mix remaining ingredients: ground beef, onion, cooked rice, salt, black pepper, garlic, tomato sauce, and shredded cheese. Stuff peppers with mixture. Place stems on top of peppers.

5. Bake at 350 degrees for one hour or until thermometer in meat reaches 170 degrees.

Happy Halloween!