Recipe by Jessica Jones | Photography by Caroline Bumgarner

Halloween is fast approaching and the annual sugar overload is coming with it, to curb the incoming cavities here is a savory jack-o-lantern pepper recipe to bring the festive spirit to the dinner table.

Crock pot ingredients

2 chicken breasts
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon garlic salt
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 can diced tomatoes with green chilies (15 ounces)

Outside the crock pot

4 bell peppers your choice of color
2 cups Mexican rice (can be made from mexican ready rice)
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1 can black beans rinsed and drained

1. Add chicken to the bottom of the slow cooker,
2. Sprinkle seasonings on top and then cover with diced tomatoes.
3. Cook on low for 6-8 hours or high for 4-6 hours. Shred chicken and allow it to remain in the sauce.
4. Preheat oven to 350 degrees
5. Bring pot of water to a boil.
6. While waiting, rinse the bell peppers, slice the tops off, and hollow out the inside.
7. Use a small knife to cut out a jack-o-lantern face.
8. Put peppers and their tops into the pot of water for five minutes to make them tender.
9. Remove and set aside to cool
10. Prepare the rice
11. Mix rice, cheese, black beans, and the crock pot shredded chicken in a large bowl.
12. Place peppers in a glass pan and fill them with the mixture.
13. Sprinkle with extra cheese on top if desired and put the top on the pepper
14. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes