Ingredients

• 6 Medium Orange Bell Peppers
• 8 ounces Elbow Macaroni
• Kosher Salt
• 1 1/4 cups Half-and-Half
• 8 ounces Cream Cheese, room temperature
• 4 ounces Mild Cheddar, shredded

Directions

1. Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil; fill a large bowl with ice water
2. Cut the tops off the peppers and reserve; remove the seeds and membranes; put the peppers and the tops in the boiling water; cook until just tender, 2-3 minutes; plunge the peppers into the ice bath; once cool remove them and use a sharp knife to carve a jack-o-lantern face into one side of each pepper
3. Return the water to a boil; add macaroni; cook until al dente, 6 minutes; reserve 1 cup of the pasta water and drain; don’t rinse the pasta
4. Heat the half-and-half in a large saucepan over medium heat until it just comes to a simmer; continue simmering until reduced to about 3/4 cup, 10 minutes; add the cream cheese and stir until melted; whisk in the cheddar cheese until all the cheese is melted and the sauce is smooth
5. Turn off the heat; add the macaroni to the saucepan and stir to combine; stir in some of the reserved pasta water to thin the sauce if needed; season with salt if needed; let sit for 10 minutes; divide the mac and cheese among the peppers and cap each with a pepper top