Mexican Stuffed Shells

Oh my YUM!  These Mexican style stuffed shells were DELISH!  A little odd in concept you may think, but oh so perfect in taste.  I've seen a few similar versions of this dish floating around Pinterest, but I'll credit the site that I first Pinned over a year ago from BlogChef.net.  I served these tasty stuffed shells on a bed of shredded cabbage, dressed very lightly with a bit of oil, vinegar, salt & pepper.  On the side I made some homemade Spanish rice & smashed black beans.  Also for topping I had sour cream and avocado.  I loved this meal and had leftovers for the next 2 days.  Even Mr. B who is typically anti leftovers was happy to have them for dinner a second night.

So, if you're in the mood for something a little different from the regular, but with very familiar flavors, give this one a try.  You won't be disappointed.  Enjoy!

Mexican Stuffed Shells

Adapted from BlogChef.net

lb ground beef (I used ground turkey)

1 package taco seasoning
1 8 once package cream cheese
12 +/- large pasta shells
1 lg can of red enchilada sauce*
1 cup cheddar cheese (shredded)
1 cup Monterey jack cheese (shredded)
3 green onions, chopped (optional)
small can of sliced black olives (optional)

Cook the pasta shells according to directions.  Once done, drain and toss well with butter.  Meanwhile...

While pasta is cooking, prepare ground turkey.  Add taco seasoning and prepare according to package directions.  Remove from heat and add cream cheese and stir until cheese is melted. Blend well. Set aside and allow to cool.
Pour a thin layer of enchilada sauce in the bottom of a 9 x 13 inch baking dish.

Stuff each shell with the meat mixture. Place the stuffed shells in the baking dish and cover the tops of the shells with remaining enchilada sauce.

Cover and bake in the oven at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

After 30 minutes, uncover, and top with shredded cheese and black olives. Cook for about 15 more minutes. Serve with sour cream, salsa, green onions or whatever you think goes good with tacos!



*In my opinion most canned enchilada sauce tastes like crap.  The only brand of canned sauce I've found that I like is Old El Paso.  If you don't want to use canned, you can of course make your own!