Halloweentown Movie Night + Jack-O'-Lantern Stuffed Peppers 🎃
We can't always be in Florida (I wish!), but one of my favorite ways to bring the Disney magic home here in North Carolina is our monthly dinner and a movie night. Every month, we pick a movie, plan a special themed dinner, and make a whole night of it.
And for October? It had to be spooky season. And it had to be a classic.
This Month's Pick: Halloweentown 🧙♀️
If you're a millennial like me, you know. Halloweentown was THE Halloween movie growing up. Marnie, Grandma Aggie, Benny the skeleton cab driver, the magic portal... I could probably still quote half of it.
You never know if the movies you loved will land with your kids, so I am SO glad Lennon loves it. Watching her get excited about the same movie I was excited about growing up? That's a core memory for me.
The Menu
Usually our dinner is themed directly off the movie, but this month we went with an all-out Halloween theme instead. Here's what was on the table:
🎃 Jack-O'-Lantern Stuffed Peppers
The star of the night! Orange bell peppers, carved with spooky jack-o'-lantern faces, stuffed with a seasoned mix of beef, black beans, corn, and fluffy toasted quinoa, then topped with melted cheese.
What you'll need:
4–6 orange bell peppers (at least 1 for each person)
1 lb ground beef
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 cup corn
1 cup cooked quinoa (toast it in the pan for a few minutes before cooking for extra flavor)
Your favorite taco or chili seasoning
Shredded cheese for the top (or extra mixed into the meat mixture)
How to make them:
Cut the tops off the peppers and scoop out the seeds. Save the tops for lids if you want.
Use a small sharp knife to carve jack-o'-lantern faces into the sides. (Keep the cuts small so the filling doesn't fall out.)
Brown the beef, then stir in the black beans, corn, quinoa, and seasoning.
Stuff the peppers, top with cheese, and put the lids on (or leave them off to get the cheese bubbly).
Bake at 375°F for about 25–30 minutes, until the peppers are tender and the cheese is melted.
Tip: Let your kids draw the faces on with a food-safe marker first, then you do the carving.
🥗 Ghouls and Goblins Garden Salad
A simple garden salad with a spooky name, because a fun name makes kids way more likely to eat their veggies. (Mom trick. You're welcome. 😉)
🍎 Apple Cider
Nothing says fall like a mug of apple cider. Serve it warm or cold, and add a cinnamon stick if you're feeling fancy.
Make It a Night
A few easy ways to make your own Halloweentown night feel extra special:
Wear your costumes (or just your coziest Halloween pajamas)
Turn the lights down and light a few pumpkins or candles
Set out candy corn or a little Halloween snack board for the movie
Find the movie on Disney+ and get cozy
These nights are the reason we do this every month. It's not about a perfect table. It's about making regular nights feel a little magical, together.
Bringing the Magic Home Until We're Back
Our dinner and a movie nights keep the magic alive between trips, and they get us dreaming about the next one. If your family is dreaming about a trip of your own, I'd love to help make it happen. Head to thatkatiefath.com/travel and let's start planning.
Happy Halloween, friends! 🎃
xoxo,
Katie