Mexican Pasta Shells Recipes

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°.
• In a frying pan cook ground beef; add taco seasoning and prepare according to package directions. Add cream cheese, cover and simmer until cheese is melted. Blend well. Set aside and cool completely.
• While the ground beef is cooking, cook the pasta shells according to directions; drain. Set shells out individually on baking sheet so that they don't stick together.
• Pour salsa on bottom of a 9×13 inch baking dish. Stuff each shell with the meat mixture placing shells in dish open side up. Cover shells with taco sauce. Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes.
• After 30 minutes, add shredded cheese and crushed tortilla chips; bake for 10-15 more minutes, with the foil removed. Top with green onions and serve with sour cream and/or more salsa.

Steps:

• In a large skillet, cook beef over medium heat until no longer pink; drain. Stir in the taco seasoning, tomato sauce, green pepper and spices. Bring to a boil; remove from the heat. , Meanwhile, combine the pasta, 1/2 cup cheese and sour cream. Spoon into a greased 2-qt. baking dish. Top with meat mixture and remaining cheese. Bake, uncovered, at 350° for 30 minutes or until heated through.

Steps:

• In a Dutch oven, cook beef over medium heat until no longer pink; drain. Stir in taco seasoning and water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 5 minutes. Stir in cream cheese until melted. Transfer to a bowl; cool. Chill for 1 hour., Cook pasta according to package directions; drain. Gently toss with butter. Fill each shell with about 3 tablespoons of meat mixture. Place 12 half of shells in a freezer container. Cover and freeze for up to 3 months. , To prepare remaining shells, spoon 1 cup salsa into a greased 9-in. square baking dish. Top with remaining stuffed shells and 1 cup taco sauce. Cover and bake at 350° for 30 minutes. Uncover; sprinkle with 1 cup each of cheeses and 1-1/2 cups chips. Bake 15 minutes longer or until heated through. Serve with sour cream and onions. , Freeze option: To use frozen shells, thaw in the refrigerator for 24 hours (shells will be partially frozen). Spoon 1 cup salsa into a greased 9-in. square baking dish; top with shells and 1 cup taco sauce. Cover and bake at 350° for 40 minutes. Uncover. Sprinkle with 1 cup each of cheeses and 1-1/2 cups chips; proceed as directed.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook elbow macaroni in the boiling water, stirring occasionally until tender yet firm to the bite, 8 to 10 minutes. Drain well.
• Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook and stir beef in the hot skillet until browned and crumbly, 5 to 7 minutes; drain and discard grease. Add water and taco seasoning mix and simmer until thickened, about 5 minutes.
• Stir refried beans, Cheddar cheese, and green chiles into ground beef; cook and stir until cheese is melted and mixture is smooth, about 5 minutes. Fill shells with beef mixture.
• Combine tomato sauce and picante sauce in a saucepan over medium-low heat; cook and stir until heated through, 5 to 7 minutes. Spread 1/2 cup sauce in the bottom of a 9x13-inch baking dish.
• Arrange stuffed shells side-by-side in the baking dish and top with remaining sauce. Cover dish with aluminum foil.
• Bake in the preheated oven for 40 minutes. Let stand for 5 minutes before serving.

Steps:

• Fill a large pot about half full of water. Add 1/2 tsp of salt if desired. Cover and heat over high heat until the water is boiling rapidly. Add pasta shells. Heat to boiling again. Boil uncovered 11 to 13 min, stirring frequently, until tender. While the water is heating and the pasta shells are cooking, continue.
• Peel and chop onion. Cook groud beef and onion in a skillet over medium heat until beef is brown, drain any excess fat.
• Stir the chili powder, cream cheese, and 1/4 cup of the taco sauce into the beef in skillet. Heat over medium low heat 2-3 min, stirring occasionally, until cheese is melted. Remove from heat.
• Heat oven to 350'. Spray casserole or baking dish with cooking spray.
• Drain the pasta shells in a strainer. Fill the shells with beef mixture. About 2 tablespoons. Place filled shells in pan. Pour rest of 1/2 cup taco sauce over the shells.
• Cover with aluminium foil and bake 20 minute Remove the pan from oven. Sprinkle cheese (and corn chips if desired) over shells. Bake uncovered about 10 min longer or until cheese is melted. Peel and slice the green onions. Garnish pasta shells with sour cream and green onions, if desired,.

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350° F. Spray 9-inch square baking dish with cooking spray. Cook and drain pasta shells as directed on package.
• In 10-inch skillet, cook ground beef and onion over medium-high heat 5 to 6 minutes, stirring occasionally, until beef is brown; drain.
• Stir chili powder, cream cheese and 1/4 cup of the taco sauce into the beef mixture. Heat over medium-low heat 2 to 3 minutes, stirring occasionally, until cheese is melted. Remove from heat.
• Fill pasta shells with beef mixture, using about 2 tablespoons for each shell. Place filled shells in dish. Pour remaining taco sauce over shells.
• Cover; bake 20 minutes. Remove dish from oven; uncover. Sprinkle cheese and corn chips over shells. Bake about 10 minutes longer or until cheese is melted. Garnish pasta shells with sour cream and green onions.

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F. Spray 8-inch square pan with cooking spray. Cook and drain pasta shells as directed on package.
• Meanwhile, in 2-quart nonstick saucepan, heat oil over medium heat. Add onion; cook about 5 minutes, stirring frequently, until crisp-tender. Stir in beans, chili powder, cream cheese and 1/4 cup of the taco sauce. Reduce heat to medium-low; cook 2 to 3 minutes, stirring occasionally, until cheese is melted.
• Fill cooked shells with bean mixture. Place shells, filled sides up, in pan. Pour remaining 1/2 cup taco sauce over shells.
• Cover and bake 20 minutes. Sprinkle with shredded cheese and corn chips. Bake uncovered about 10 minutes longer or until cheese is melted. Garnish with sour cream and onions.

Steps:

• Cook pasta shells in well salted, boiling water until al dente (still have a little bite to them- if you cook them too long, they will be difficult to stuff). Drain the pasta and set aside while you make the filling.
• For the filling, add diced chicken, drained black beans, green onions, diced peppers, and cumin into a large mixing bowl. Mix well.
• In a separate bowl, mix the cream cheese, chicken broth and undrained tomatoes with chiles. When thoroughly combined, pour it over the chicken mixture and mix well (if you have trouble incorporating the cream cheese and tomatoes, you can heat it slightly in the microwave).
• You will need either 2 9x13" baking pans OR one large baking sheet. Spread 3/4 cup salsa in the bottom of each 9x13" baking pan.
• Using a spoon, fill each of your cooked pasta shells with chicken mixture, setting them into the salsa-covered pan. Continue until all shells are filled and arranged in the pans.
• When the pans are full, drizzle the shells with the remaining 1/2 cup of salsa (1/4 cup per pan) and then sprinkle with the shredded cheddar cheese.
• Cover the baking pan tightly with foil and bake at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes or until hot and bubbly.