CREAMY TACO SHELLS

I feel so happy to be back home! Maui is a great place to visit, but I miss the chickens and roosters that roam the streets. Oh, and fish tacos. These fish tacos are so good I could eat them every day.

But now that I’m back home, reunited with Butters, and eating this straight out of the skillet, it is delicious. No plating is required. Why bother?

We have the creamiest, most delicious shells loaded with ground meat, homemade taco sauce, cheese, and fresh cilantro. All in less than 30 minutes.

We use pasta shells to catch the creamy sauce, if you were wondering.

Ingredients

8 ounces medium pasta shells

Olive oil one tablespoon

1 pound of ground beef

1/2 medium sweet onion, diced

One small poblano pepper, diced

Three cloves garlic, minced

Chili powder, 1 1/2 teaspoons

Ground cumin, 3/4 teaspoon

2 Tablespoons of all-purpose flour

Two cups of beef stock

One 15-ounce can of tomato sauce

1/4 cup heavy cream

Fresh cilantro leaves chopped to 1/3 cup

To taste, add Kosher Salt and freshly ground Black Pepper

About 1 1/2 cups of 6 ounces extra-sharp cheddar shredded cheese

1 Roma tomato, diced

Instructions

According to the package directions, cook pasta in a large pot with salted boiling water. Drain well.

Heat olive oil in a large skillet on medium heat. Add the ground beef to the pan and cook for 3-5 minutes until it is browned. Crumble the meat while cooking. Drain excess fat. Set aside.

Stir frequently and add onion and poblano. Cook for about 2-3 minutes. Stir in cumin, chili powder, and garlic until fragrant.

Stir in flour for about 1 minute until it is lightly browned.

Whisk in tomato sauce and beef stock gradually. Bring to a rolling boil, reduce heat, and simmer, stirring frequently, for 6-8 minutes or until the sauce is reduced and slightly thickened.

Add pasta, beef, and heavy cream. Stir until heated, about 1-2 mins. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Stir in the cheese for about 2 minutes.

Serve immediately, with tomatoes on top.