Welcome to The Front Porch! It’s been a while since y’all have seen me here because, well, my husband had nine days of leave to burn, then my kids had a long weekend followed by another long weekend (pretty sure they have more days off than Congress, but I digress), and then my birthday, a very sick kid — life is in session, folks! Regardless, I’m glad you’re here because we need to catch up on a couple of things ‘round the neighborhood, so get yourself a VIP membership and a cold beverage.
It’s been a heavy week, hasn’t it? Like, call in the GLP-1 Squad heavy. The human who survived lethal injection was released about the same time our Secretary of War declared a live-streamed firing squad; people are suddenly experts on HIPAA and Scripture, and SportsCenter just referenced the Kelly Clarkson/Brooklyn toy store controversy. What in the name of Andy Stitzer is going on?
What's next? Complete pandemonium? Cats & dogs living together? http://t.co/eemBAeXPb1
— Weird Science (@weird_sci) October 5, 2014
In these confusing times, we need some comfort food — a confusing comfort food. Something that makes very little sense on paper but is so delicious that I have to make a double batch every time. Is it a taco? Is it an enchilada? Is it a jumbo pasta shell? No one cares; that’s how good it is.
In the early '90s, my mom had a Philadelphia Cream Cheese-brand cookbook and one of those recipes has outlived the rest: Taco Pasta Shells. Do I wish it had a better name? Absolutely. Drop your suggestion in the comments, please.
This dish, while inspired by the cookbook, has become my own over the years. It’s my hope you make it your own, too!
Step 1: Make your sauce
- 1 can diced tomatoes
- 1 can diced green chilies
- 1 diced onion, whatever color you have on hand
- 1 tablespoon pressed garlic, about 3 cloves
New recipe dropping tomorrow at @PJMedia_com! If you don’t have a VIP membership, use the code FIGHT for 60% off! https://t.co/G6adagsdhd
— Ashley McCully (@AshleyLMcCully) October 10, 2026
Don’t drain the cans! Add everything into a skillet over medium heat and sauté until the onions are mostly transparent.
Spoon the contents into a blender or food processor. You need to empty the skillet, but don’t clean it! Blend until smooth and set aside.
Step 2: Make the meat mixture
- 2 pounds of ground meat (I prefer beef)
- 1 palm chili powder
- 1 palm cumin
- ½ palm oregano
- ½ palm coriander or dried cilantro
- 1 big pinch of salt
- Black pepper to taste (I use 5 cranks per pound)
In the still-warm skillet, add all of the ingredients over medium heat. Brown the meat.
Step 3: Finish the filling
1 block cream cheese, cut into small cubes
Add the sauce to the meat, still over medium heat. Cook this until there is very little liquid left in the skillet. Please, for the love of dogs and cats living together in harmony, do not drain the skillet. Just keep cooking.
Trust me. This recipe is so good I make a double batch! https://t.co/7lreZNq5hy
— Ashley McCully (@AshleyLMcCully) October 10, 2026
Once the bottom of the skillet is nearly entirely dry, turn the heat off and add the cream cheese. Mix until the cream cheese is melted and evenly mixed.
Set aside to cool. There is a method to the madness, trust me: you want this mixture cooled.
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
Step 4: Boil the pasta shells
- 1 box jumbo pasta shells
- At least 3 liters of boiling water
- ½ palm salt
Follow the directions on the box: bring salted water to a boil, add the entire box of shells, and cook for 9 minutes. Drain the water and immediately toss the pasta with olive oil to prevent sticking.
Step 5: Bring it all together.
- 9x13 baking dish
- Nonstick cooking spray of choice
- 1 can enchilada sauce (my family prefers red, but green is really yummy)
- 1 small bag shredded cheese, Mexican blend
Lightly coat the baking dish with nonstick spray. Pour 4 tablespoons of the enchilada sauce into the bottom of the dish and tilt it until the sauce covers the entire bottom.
Fill the pasta shells one at a time using a spoon and your fingers (this is why I urged you to let it cool for 10-15 minutes). If the shell is broken, find one that isn’t. Repeat this until you run out of meat. The baking dish should be very full.
Drizzle the remaining enchilada sauce over the top of the shells. Sprinkle the shredded cheese over the sauced shells. Don’t feel like you have to use the whole bag; I only use half.
Bake uncovered on the center rack for 15 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and lightly browned.
TFW you realize something that looks a mess is, in fact, wildly delicious 😋 https://t.co/0zeGXJcYqS
— Ashley McCully (@AshleyLMcCully) October 12, 2026
I eat these like tacos, with my hands. My husband eats them like stuffed shells, with a fork. The only wrong way to eat these is to not eat them. Before you think you made too much, understand that these morsels are amazing out of the oven, but they are spectacular the next day.
When the world feels like it’s falling apart, make food that’s equally confusing and find comfort in knowing that, while it doesn’t make sense, it all works out in the end.
