Cuisine O'Clock: Mexican Stuffed Shells

I pinned them on Pinterest.  

I mentioned them in my last post.  

I cannot stop thinking about them.  

Before I made them, I was day-dreaming about them, wishing I had mounds and mounds of them.  

Inevitably, I made them a few nights ago, and the cravings have not subsided. 

I need more.

mostly Ladies and some Gents, I give you the magical insights to this delicious recipe: 

Mexican Stuffed Shells

This is not my original idea, although I really REALLY wish it was.  It is adopted and apapted from The Girl Who Ate Everything, who is just pure genius. 

Another confession:  I used my phone to take the pictures for this post.  Booooo.  I'm sorry.  This is your warning if you're thinking about bailing.  These pictures are seriously lacking in the oooozity, steamity, professional-food-bloggery appeal department.  But if you can handle it, then I invite you to explore the spicy world of Mexican comida with me!

Ingredients

20 jumbo pasta shells
1 1/2 cups salsa

Filling

1 lb Ground Beef

1 packet of low-sodium Taco Seasoning

4 oz. cream cheese

1 small red onion- chopped

1-2 garlic cloves- diced (depending on your taste buds-- I l.o.v.e garlic, so I may have put even more than this in)  

20 jumbo pasta shells
1 1/2 cups salsa

Topping

Cholula Sauce (in the original recipe, she used taco sauce, which is fine as well... my hub has a huge obsesh with Chalula)

1-2 cups of cheddar and Monterrey jack cheeses

2 scallions- chopped

1 large tomato- chopped

handful of fresh cilantro- roughly chopped

Off to the Races

Oven = 350 degrees

Cook your ground beef and drain it.  (PS- Check out Amira at Shades of Gray for an awesome idea for draining that disgusting grease). Following the directions on the back of the packet, combine the meat and the taco seasoning and simmer until slightly thickened.  Add your red onion and garlic and cook for 3 minutes over medium heat.

Add your cream cheese and stir until melted and blended and creamy and beautiful.  Once that mixture is looking divine, remove it from the heat and let it cool completely.

While your meat is cooking, cook your shells according to the directions on the back of the box.  Yay multitasking!!!  Once the shells are cooked and drained, lay them out on a cutting board and/or baking sheet to prevent them from sticking together.  

In a 9x13 glass baking dish, pour in your salsa and spread the love evenly over the bottom of the dish.  I greased/sprayed my dish before I poured the salsa in just to save myself from scrubbing and scraping later.

Now, the fun part!  Just start stuffing those bad boys and placing them oh-so-carefully into your baking dish (atop the salsa).  Once assembled, cover the dish with foil and slide your masterpiece into the preheated oven and let them bake for 30 minutes.

After 30 has passed, remove from the over and layer it with your cheese, green onion, chopped tomatoes and then drizzle it with your Cholula (or taco) sauce.  Cover with the foil again, and put it back into the oven for 10-15 minutes, or as long as you can possibly stand it.

Before serving, garnish with fresh cilantro (if desired), and top it with sour cream or more salsa.

Last but not least..... ENJOY!!!

 Kindly~

Meghan