TACO PASTA SHELLS

This makes 2 casseroles that each serve 4-6.

INGREDIENTS:
* 2 pounds ground beef (turkey would work too)
* 2 packets of taco seasoning
* 1 ½ cups water
* 8 ounces cream cheese, cubed
* 24 uncooked jumbo pasta shells
* ¼ cup butter, melted (optional)
* 2-3 cups shredded mexican blend or cheddar cheese

Optional extra ingredients when you're ready to serve it (for each casserole):
* 1 cup salsa
* 1 cup taco sauce
* 1-2 cups crushed tortilla chips
* Sour Cream
* Green Onions

TO PREP:
-Cook ground beef and drain.
-Add seasoning and water and simmer (uncovered) for 5 minutes.
- Stir in cream cheese until melted and then chill it for an hour.
- Cook pasta until al dente (usually 2/3 of the cooking time on a package), drain.
- Gently toss with butter if you'd like (I don't use butter and it turns out fine)
- Fill each shell with about 3 T meat mixture.

TO FREEZE:
Lay shells on a cookie sheet and freeze for a couple hours. Once hard, transfer them to a freezer bag. Doing this in 2 steps will prevent them from freezing together in one big lump and make it easier when it comes time to cook them.


TO COOK:
- thaw 12 shells over night in the fridge.
- line a casserole pan with 1 cup salsa.
- Lay shells in salsa.
- Top with 1 cup taco sauce.
- Cover and bake for 40 minutes at 350*.
- Sprinkle with 1-2 cups mexi cheese and 1-2 cups crushed tortilla chips.
- Serve with sour cream and green onions.