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 again with Butters, and I have eaten this straight out of the skillet, we are stuffed. 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.

If you were wondering, yes, we do use pasta shells to catch the creamy sauce.

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 of extra-sharp cheese shredded
  • 1 Roma tomato, diced

Instructions

  • Cook pasta in a large pot with salted boiling water according to the package directions. 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.

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