Mexican Taco Shells

Why is it that the most tasty meals photography so unattractively? I suppose it is just one of those mysteries of the world. This is one of those situations. The dish doesn't photograph well, but it is so good.

After seeing the recipe for this dish on Get in My Belly, I knew Mr. Gooch and I would need to have it for dinner. We both love Mexican spices, pasta and cheese. This dish combines all three so how could we go wrong?

It was as good as we thought it would be. This is definitely going to be added to the dinner rotation.

Mexican Taco Shells
Source: Get in My Belly

Ingredients
1 lb. ground beef
1 package taco seasoning
4 oz. cream cheese (we used low-fat)
12 jumbo pasta shells (we used a lot so we could fill the whole pan)
1 cup salsa
1 cup taco sauce
1 cup cheddar cheese
1 cup Monterrey jack cheese (We used mozzarella cheese)
1 1/2 cups crushed tortilla chips
3 green onions (omitted because I didn't have any)
Sour cream

Directions
1. In a frying pan cook ground beef; add taco seasoning and prepare according to package directions.
2. Add cream cheese, cover and simmer until cheese is melted. Blend well. Set aside and cool completely.
3. While ground beef is cooking, cook the pasta shells according to directions; drain. Set shells out individually on cutting board/baking sheet so that they don't stick together.
4. Pour salsa on bottom of 9x13 baking dish.
5. Stuff each shell with the meat mixture. Place shells in 9x13 pan open side up. Cover shells with taco sauce.
6. Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes at 350 degrees.
7. After 30 minutes, add shredded cheese and bake for 10-15 more minutes.
8. Add any condiments you'd like (onions, black olives, etc.) Serve with sour cream and/or more salsa. Enjoy!

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