Mexican Stuffed Shells

This is one of my all time new favorite recipes.  The entire family enjoyed them.  It only took about 15 minutes to prep, about 45 minutes to cook, and 2 minutes to devour.

Recipe: Mexican Stuffed Shells

Ingredients: 

• 1 pound ground beef (you could use ground turkey)
• ½ cup yellow onion, diced
• 1/2 packet of McCormick taco seasoning
• 4 oz softened cream cheese (I used fat free cream cheese)
• 1 box of JUMBO pasta shells (I boiled 30, but used 20)
• 12 oz enchilada sauce
• 1 cup of chunky salsa 
• 1¼ cup fiesta blend cheese
• ½ cup mozzarella cheese

Instructions: 

1. Bring a large pot of water to boil.
2. Boil your pasta shells for about 10-12 minutes When your shells are done cooking, rinse with cold water.  Put to the side. 
3. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
4. In a large skillet, cook your ground beef over medium high heat.  While the meat is cooking, season with garlic powder, season all, and black pepper.  Stir.  Then add in chopped onions.  Continue to cook until meat is cooked through.  
   
5. Drain the extra grease from the pan. 
6. Sprinkle the taco seasoning over the ground beef and stir. 
7. Turn the heat to medium and then add in cream cheese. Cook until cheese is mixed in and melted throughout. Set aside.
   
8. In a large bowl, combine your salsa and enchilada sauce 
   
9. In the bottom of a 9x13 pan, pour about half of your salsa/enchilada mixture.  Then spread it evenly around the pan. 
   
10. Fill each jumbo shell with a good portion (about 1 TBS) of the meat mixture and place into the pan with sauce. 
    
11. Repeat until all shells or meat mixture is gone.
12. Pour the remaining salsa/enchilada sauce mixture over the tops of the shells.
13. Cover the pan with aluminum foil. 
14. Bake for 30 minutes.
15. Remove aluminum and top with cheeses.
16. Return to oven and bake for an additional 15 minutes until cheese is melted. 
17. Let stand for about 5 minutes. When you serve, you can add sour cream and Jalepenos on top for garnish/extra flavor. 
    
18. Enjoy! 

Winner, winner Roast Dinner!

I call my mother almost every day and food is always a topic of discussion.  As usual, I asked her what she was cooking and she vividly explained how she was cooking a rump roast.  She described it in such detail, I was inspired to make one myself for dinner.  Instead of a rump roast, I decided to purchase a chuck roast.  She had rice and green beans as her side dishes; I had collard greens and rice.  You choose whatever sides you would like.  After making this dish, I inspired my brother to make it as well and he had corn and rice as his side dishes.  This was a cheap meal that lasted a few nights.  Night two, I put my favorite BBQ sauce on the roast to change the flavor up.  Night three, we took the remaining roast and made sandwiches!  It's a very versatile meal.  Hope you enjoy it as much as my family did.

Recipe: Sweetened Chuck Roast

Ingredients:

Chuck Roast

1 small onion

1 small green bell pepper

4 small potatoes

Cooking Spray

Sugar

Season all

Garlic Powder

Black Pepper

Olive oil or canola cooking oil

Directions:

1. Wash meat thoroughly and then pat dry

2. Season both sides of the roast with season all, garlic powder, black pepper, and sprinkle with granulated sugar (I poke some holes in the roast and get some seasoning/sugar in the roast...not too many holes, just a few for flavor).  Make sure to rub sugar all over the meat so it's evenly coated on roast.  

3. In a large skillet, heat about 3-4 table spoons of oil (enough oil to cover the bottom of the pan (NOT TOO MUCH).  When the oil is hot, place meat in pan.  Cook on medium high heat on both sides for about 2-3 minutes.  You just want to get the meat to a pretty brown color on both sides.  You don't want to cook the roast all the way through.  

4. When meat is browned, place to the side. Chop an onion and bell pepper up (slices like for fajitas). Sauté your onions and peppers in the pot you cooked your roast in for about 3-5 minutes.  Add some seasoning to your vegetables (season all, black pepper, garlic powder).  You could also use fresh minced garlic.  

5. Spray a baking dish with cooking spray.  Place the roast in the pan.  Place 

sautéed peppers and onions on top of roast.  Peel your small potatoes.  Chop into small chunks.  Rinse them off.  Season with seasonings listed above.  Spread evenly over roast and vegetables.  In the same pot you cooked meat and vegetables in, add a little water, pour into baking dish.  

6. Cover baking dish with aluminum foil.  Bake in oven at 350 degrees for 2 hours or until meat is tender.  

7. After your roast comes out of the oven, let rest for about 5 minutes, then serve with your choice of side items.  Enjoy!