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×A recipe by coffeebean.
$3.75 per serving
1 likes
Ready in 60 minutes
Spoonacular Score: 80% 
Stuffed Shells with Beef and Broc might be just the main course you are searching for. One serving contains 1191 calories, 56g of protein, and 72g of fat. This recipe serves 2 and costs $3.71 per serving. From preparation to the plate, this recipe takes approximately 1 hour. A mixture of cheddar cheese, onion, herbs, and a handful of other ingredients are all it takes to make this recipe so yummy. To use up the onion you could follow this main course with the Candy Corn Cupcakes as a dessert. Try Beef-Stuffed Shells, Easy Beef-Stuffed Shells, and Beef Stroganoff Stuffed Shells for similar recipes.
1. Steam your frozen broccoli and cut it into smaller pieces if necessary.
2. Fry the onion in a hot skillet until translucent. While the onion is frying, go ahead and start boiling your pasta shells. I cooked mine half the recommended time, but they have to at least be soft enough to stuff!
3. Add the beef to the skillet with the onions. Drain your pasta when it's ready.
4. Once the beef is browned and crispy (to your liking), add the tomato sauce, salt, pepper, and herbs to the skillet. Turn the heat to low.
5. Mix the cream cheese with any fresh or dried herbs you like.
6. Pour your steamed, chopped broccoli into a casserole dish.
7. Stuff the shells with the cream cheese/herb mixture. Place the stuffed shells on top of the broccoli in the casserole dish. If you run out of cream cheese while stuffing, fill any remaining shells with some of the beef/tomato mixture.
8. Once all the shells are stuffed and in the casserole dish, pour the meat and tomato mixture over the shells evenly. Cover with the shredded cheddar cheese.
9. Bake at 176 C/350 F for 15 minutes or until the cheese has melted and the shells are soft (but not too soft ;))
If you are concerned about BPA-linings in canned products, look for tomato products packaged in glass, as acidic foods like tomatoes are more likely to leach BPA from the lining. You might also look for low-sodium versions or the label "no salt added" to cut down on unnecessary sodium.
You can choose lean ground beef or switch to ground turkey or ground bison if you prefer less fatty meat.
You can easily replace regular noodles with whole wheat noodles to add a little extra fiber, protein, vitamins, and minerals to this dish. Just don't make the mistake of assuming that because the pasta is whole wheat, you can eat as much as you want. The calories and the effect on your blood sugar is not so drastically different!
Most dairy products stay good well past their sell-by date. Instead of throwing out perfectly safe food that is just a few days or maybe even a week or two old, make sure the product smells fine, has a normal texture, and doesn't taste funny. Sniff testing isn't exactly rocket science and it can keep you from wasting food (and money).
The price of ground beef is going up. Beans and lentils, on the other hand, are both cheap and filling. Depending on the recipe, you might be able to add beans or lentils to stretch out your beef.
If you find meat (especially grassfed and/or organic meat!) on sale, stock up and freeze it. Ground meat will stay good 3-4 months, while steaks, chops, etc., will be fine for at least 4 months.
The best method for cooking pasta is pretty controversial, but most sources seem to reach a consensus. Check out our lesson on how to cook pasta in the academy.
You should not store your onions with your potatoes because the gases they emit will make each other spoil faster. For more information about selecting and storing onions, check out this lesson about onions in the academy.
If you need to soften a block of cream cheese before using it, you can unwrap it and heat it in the microwave on high for 10-15 seconds at a time until it is soft enough.
To keep your eyes from stinging and watering while cutting onions, trying popping the onion in the freezer for 15 minutes before you plan to start cooking. Chilling the onion slows the release of the enzyme responsible for teary eyes.
Choose organic, grassfed beef whenever possible. If you're worried about your grocery budget, try eating a few vegetarian meals so you can afford better meat!
Did you know you can freeze shredded cheese? If you don't finish it up, don't throw it out!
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