Halloween-Themed Weeknight Dinners

Monday: Pepper & Tomato Soup

This creamy, blood-red concoction will make you feel like you're simmering a sultry potion or dining like a hungry vampire. Bonus points if you design the sour cream topping to look like a spiderweb.

Recipe: Try our Pepper & Tomato Soup

Tuesday: Pork Chops with Blood Oranges, Fennel & Olives

Blood oranges add extra ~spookiness~ to this fall-y 30-minute meal.

Recipe: Try our Pork Chops with Blood Oranges, Fennel & Olives

Wednesday: Penne-Wise Pumpkin Pasta

This creamy penne dish not only packs delicious flavor but also shares a name with the infamously creepy clown from It. Even scarier? It'll only take around 15 minutes to whip up.

Recipe: Try our Penne-Wise Pumpkin Pasta

Thursday: Asian-Style Sticky Ribs with Orange & Ginger

When everyone else is traipsing around looking for candy, roast a zesty rack of ribs that might just scare your trick or treaters into giving you all of their Reese's and Kit Kats.

Recipe: Try our Asian-Style Sticky Ribs with Orange & Ginger

Friday: Chicken Mole Chili

Integrate chocolate into your diet in a more sophisticated way with mole sauce. A pinch of cinnamon and plenty of cocoa powder makes this chili the perfect way to transition into November.

Recipe: Try our Chicken Mole Chili

Shopping List

For the pepper & tomato soup:

• 5 large red bell peppers
• 2 cups chicken stock
• 1 can (14.5 oz.) diced tomatoes
• 1 onion
• 3 tbsp. EVOO
• 1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 1 1/2 tsp. toasted cumin seeds

For the pork chops with blood oranges, fennel & olives:

• 2 blood oranges
• 2 small heads fennel
• 3 tbsp. olive oil
• 2 tsp. paprika
• 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 4 pork loin chops (each 3/4 inch thick)
• 2 tbsp. sherry vinegar
• 3/4 cup Castelvetrano olives

For the penne-wise pumpkin pasta:

• Salt
• 1 lb. whole wheat penne rigate
• 2 tbsp. EVOO
• 3 shallots
• 3 cloves garlic
• 2 cups chicken broth
• 1 15-oz. can pure pumpkin puree
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1 tsp. hot pepper sauce
• 2 pinches ground cinnamon
• 1 pinch nutmeg
• Pepper
• 7 leaves fresh sage
• Grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

For the Asian-style sticky ribs with orange & ginger:

• 3 large navel oranges
• 1/3 cup hoisin sauce
• 1/3 cup orange marmalade
• 2 tbsp. low-sodium soy sauce
• 2 tbsp. fresh ginger
• 4 large cloves garlic
• 1 tbsp. Sriracha
• 1 tbsp. toasted sesame oil
• 1/2 tsp. Chinese five-spice powder
• 1 rack (3 1/2 to 4 lbs.) pork loin ribs
• Fresh cilantro leaves

For the chicken mole chili:

• 1 32-oz. container (4 cups) chicken stock
• 3 ancho chiles
• 1 tbsp. vegetable oil
• 4 slices lean, smoky bacon
• 2 lb. ground chicken
• 1 large yellow onion
• 4 cloves garlic
• Salt and pepper
• 2 tbsp. tomato paste
• 1 can (14.5 oz.) diced fire-roasted tomatoes
• 2 tbsp. unsweetened cocoa powder
• 2 tbsp. sweet smoked paprika or chili powder
• 1 tbsp. ground coriander
• 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 2 cups shredded or crumbled extra-sharp white cheddar cheese
• Sour cream
• 1 small red onion
• Cilantro