Best Tex Mex Shells N Cheese Recipes

TEX-MEX MACARONI AND CHEESE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F. Spray 13x9-inch (3-quart) glass baking dish with cooking spray. Cook and drain pasta as directed on package.
• Meanwhile in 5-quart Dutch oven, cook beef over medium-high heat 6 to 8 minutes, stirring frequently, until brown; drain, and set aside. Add bell pepper, poblano chiles and onion to Dutch oven; cook 6 to 7 minutes, stirring frequently, until onions start to soften. Stir in beef, taco seasoning mix and water; heat to simmering. Simmer 3 to 4 minutes, stirring frequently, until slightly thickened. Transfer to medium bowl; reserve.
• In 4-cup glass measuring cup, mix milk and cream. Return Dutch oven to low heat; melt 3 tablespoons of the butter in Dutch oven. With whisk, stir in flour and salt until smooth. Increase heat to medium-high; cook, stirring constantly, until mixture is smooth and bubbly. Gradually stir in milk mixture. Heat to boiling, stirring constantly. Boil and stir 1 minute; reduce heat to medium. Stir in cheeses. Cook until melted, stirring occasionally. Stir pasta into cheese sauce. Remove from heat. Pour half of pasta mixture into baking dish. Top with meat mixture, then remaining pasta mixture.
• Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until edges are bubbly.
• Meanwhile, in 8-inch nonstick skillet, melt remaining 2 tablespoons butter over medium heat. Stir in bread crumbs; toast 4 to 5 minutes, stirring constantly, until crumbs are golden brown. Sprinkle over pasta mixture; top with cilantro.

FIESTA MAC AND CHEESE

Steps:

• Bring a pot of water to a boil. Cook the macaroni in the boiling water until just undercooked. Drain and set aside.
• Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a large cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add the red onion and corn and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring, until the onion turns golden brown and the corn begins to blister, 4 to 5 minutes. Stir in the green chiles to combine. Set aside.
• To make the sauce, melt the butter in a large pot over medium heat. Sprinkle in the flour, whisking to combine. Let the roux cook for a minute or so, whisking constantly. Pour in the milk, whisking constantly, followed by 2 teaspoons salt and 1 teaspoon pepper. Cook the white sauce until thick and bubbly, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the half-and-half and adobo sauce. Add the processed cheese, 1 cup of the Monterey Jack and 1 cup of the pepper jack and continue to cook, stirring, until the cheese all melts. Add the cooked macaroni and stir to coat. Fold in the diced tomatoes and chiles.
• Butter a 9-by-13-inch disposable foil pan. Layer with half of the macaroni mixture, then half the corn mixture. Repeat the layers, ending with the corn mixture. Sprinkle the remaining 1 cup Monterey Jack and 1 cup pepper jack over the top. Sprinkle the crushed tortilla chips all over the cheese, then sprinkle with chili powder.
• To bake immediately, preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Bake until bubbly and hot, 20 to 25 minutes. Sprinkle over the chopped cilantro and serve.
• To freeze the casserole for later, let cool completely, then cover with aluminum foil, fold over the edges to seal and freeze.
• If cooking from frozen, preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
• Cook, covered, for 50 minutes, then uncover and bake until light brown and bubbly, about another 20 minutes. Sprinkle over the chopped cilantro and serve.

TACO SHELLS AND CHEESE

Steps:

• Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook according to the package directions. Drain and set aside.
• Heat the olive oil and 2 tablespoons of the butter in a pan over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef and cook, crumbling it with a wooden spoon, until browned, 5 to 8 minutes. Stir in the chili powder, cumin, onion powder, garlic powder and paprika. Stir in the diced tomatoes and chiles, hot water, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper and bring to a simmer. Cook until the sauce thickens, 2 to 3 minutes, then remove to a bowl (it will still be a little juicy).
• In the same pan over medium heat, add the remaining 2 tablespoons butter and the milk and cook until hot and bubbling. Add the processed cheese and cook, stirring, until melted. Do the same with the Cheddar jack. Pour in the cooked pasta, add the taco meat and stir to combine. Taste and adjust the seasoning, thinning with a splash of milk if needed. Stir in the cilantro.
• Top each serving with some sour cream and salsa if desired.

TEX-MEX CASSEROLE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°. In a large skillet, cook ground beef and onion over medium heat until beef is no longer pink, 10-12 minutes, breaking into crumbles; drain. Stir in soups, enchilada sauce, milk and garlic powder. , Place half of the broken taco shells in a 13x9-in. baking dish. Layer with half of the meat mixture and half the cheese. Repeat layers using remaining taco shells, meat mixture and cheese. Bake until heated through, 40-45 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.