Cheesy Mexican Shells with DIY Taco Seasoning

This is a quick and easy meal that can be made in about 20 minutes. I almost always have the ingredients on hand and it's cheap to make! I normally half this recipe, but you could make the whole recipe and freeze half for later if you can't eat it all at once.

Cheesy Mexican Shells

1 lb. of medium or small shells
1/2 lb. ground beef
16 oz. mild or medium salsa
1 packet of Taco seasoning (or keep reading to learn how to make your own)
1 1/2 cups of cheddar cheese

Cook pasta, drain. Brown meat, drain, add taco seasoning and salsa. Mix shells, meat mixture and 1/2 cup of cheese together and place into a baking dish. Sprinkle with remaining cheese and bake @ 350 for about 10-15 minutes.

Optional: Top with crushed Doritos.

I make my own taco seasoning and keep it on hand. It's so easy to make and tastes much better than store bought!

Taco Seasoning

1 Tb. Chili Powder

1/4 tsp garlic powder

1/4 tsp onion powder

1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes

1/2 tsp paprika

1 1/2 tsp ground cumin

1 tsp salt

1 tsp black pepper

Mix all ingredients together. I usually use about 2 tablespoons per 1/2 pound of meat. I keep my taco seasoning in a small glass spice jar.

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