Mexican Stuffed Shells

These stuffed shells have all of the flavors of a taco, but are in stuffed into pasta shells rather than taco shells! Yum! 

To make 3 to 4 servings of these Mexican stuffed shell you will need:

• 1 lb. GROUND BEEF
• 3/4 tsp CUMIN
• 1/2 tsp CHILI POWDER
• 1/4 tsp PAPRIKA
• 1/4 tsp CAYENNE
• 1/4 tsp GARLIC POWDER
• 1/4 tsp SALT
• 4 oz. CREAM CHEESE
• 14-18 JUMBO PASTA SHELLS
• 1 cup SALSA
• 1 cup TACO SAUCE
• 1 cup CHEDDAR CHEESE, shredded
• 1 cup MONTEREY JACK CHEESE, shredded
• 3 chopped GREEN ONIONS, to garnish
• SOUR CREAM, to garnish

Start off by preheating the oven to 350 degrees. Start boiling a pot of water to cook the jumbo shells in. Once it comes to a boil, cook the shells until they are just under cooked. (They will finish cooking in the oven.) Drain the shells and then spread them out on a clean surface so they don't stick together.

While the pasta is cooking, brown the ground beef in a skillet. Drain any excess liquid and then add all of the spices and the cream cheese. You can cover the pan to help the cream cheese melt faster, then mix it into the beef. Once mixed in, set the skillet aside to cool.

Pour the salsa in the bottom of a 9 in. x 13 in. pan.

Then, stuff each shell with the beef mixture and place them (open side up) on top of the salsa in the baking pan.

Pour the taco sauce over the top of the shells making sure to get an even coating over all of the shells. Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 30 minutes.

After 30 minutes, take the pan out of the oven and sprinkle the cheddar and monterey jack cheese over the top. Bake uncovered for another 15 minutes.

Once it is done baking, serve it up and top with green onions, sour cream, and more salsa!

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Mexican Stuffed Shells

Ingredients:

• 1 lb. GROUND BEEF
• 3/4 tsp CUMIN
• 1/2 tsp CHILI POWDER
• 1/4 tsp PAPRIKA
• 1/4 tsp CAYENNE
• 1/4 tsp GARLIC POWDER
• 1/4 tsp SALT
• 4 oz. CREAM CHEESE
• 14-18 JUMBO PASTA SHELLS
• 1 cup SALSA
• 1 cup TACO SAUCE
• 1 cup CHEDDAR CHEESE, shredded
• 1 cup MONTEREY JACK CHEESE, shredded
• 3 chopped GREEN ONIONS, to garnish
• SOUR CREAM, to garnish

Directions:

1. Start off by preheating the oven to 350 degrees. Start boiling a pot of water to cook the jumbo shells in. Once it comes to a boil, cook the shells until they are just under cooked. (They will finish cooking in the oven.) Drain the shells and then spread them out on a clean surface so they don't stick together.
2. While the pasta is cooking, brown the ground beef in a skillet. Drain any excess liquid and then add all of the spices and the cream cheese. You can cover the pan to help the cream cheese melt faster, then mix it into the beef. Once mixed in, set the skillet aside to cool.
3. Pour the salsa in the bottom of a 9 in. x 13 in. pan. 
4. Then, stuff each shell with the beef mixture and place them (open side up) on top of the salsa in the baking pan. 
5. Pour the taco sauce over the top of the shells making sure to get an even coating over all of the shells. 
6. Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 30 minutes. 
7. After 30 minutes, take the pan out of the oven and sprinkle the cheddar and monterey jack cheese over the top. Bake uncovered for another 15 minutes. 
8. Once it is done baking, serve it up and top with green onions, sour cream, and more salsa!

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I found the recipe of the following blog: http://apinchofthisandthat.wordpress.com/2009/01/02/mexican-stuffed-shells/