Dinner and a Hurricane

Just because there's a hurricane doesn't mean I'm going to eat a peanut butter and jelly sandwich for dinner. The rain has officially started, and I'm planning on hibernating for at least the next 24 hours. I was so excited to make this recipe tonight. I found it on Allrecipes.com and wish I would have thought of it myself. It turned out great! I'm just hoping the power doesn't go out tomorrow night, so we can eat the leftovers! I hope everyone has plenty of wine, snacks, and movies on hand. Stay dry! 

Taco Stuffed Shells


Ingredients:


1 pound lean ground beef
1 box pasta shells, cooked
2 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp onion powder
1/4 tsp paprika
1 cup water
1 (16oz) can refried beans
1 (16oz) jar salsa
2 cups shredded mild cheddar cheese
1/4 cup sliced green onion
1 cup sour cream


Directions:


1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cook pasta shells according to directions on package. Set shells aside on a baking sheet or piece of aluminum foil to keep from sticking together while cooling.
2. Brown ground beef in a skillet over medium-high heat. Drain oil. Add seasonings and stir to combine. Add 1 cup water and simmer over medium heat for 5 minutes. Stir in refried beans until well blended. Remove from heat and add 3/4 cups of shredded cheddar cheese. 
3. Pour half jar of salsa into a casserole dish and spread to evenly coat bottom of dish.
4. Stuff each cooked pasta shell with about 2 Tbsp of ground beef/bean filling. Place in casserole dish, open side up.

5. Pour remaining salsa evenly over stuffed shells. Cover dish with foil and bake for 40 minutes.

6. Remove foil and top with remaining shredded cheese. Bake an additional 10 minutes uncovered.

7. Remove from oven and let sit 10 minutes before serving. Garnish with sour cream and chopped green onions.

By the way, my new favorite store-bought salsa is Herdez. It's all-natural and preservative free (which is rare for store-bought salsa). It's the perfect consistency for this dish. It has a very fresh taste, too! Love it!