Seafood Stuffed Shells Recipe
Now this is one elegant dish! You will be proud to serve it to guests, even the director of the board.
SERVES ► 6
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 onion, finely chopped
- 1 green bell pepper, chopped
- 1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese
- ½ cup milk
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ⅛ teaspoon pepper
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme leaves
- 1 (6-ounce) can crab meat
- 4 ounces frozen cooked small shrimp, thawed
- ⅓ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 cup Quick and Easy Salsa
- 1 (12-ounce) package jumbo macaroni shells
- 1 cup shredded Swiss cheese
Preheat oven to 400°F. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
In medium saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Add onion and bell pepper; cook and stir until crisp-tender, about 4 minutes.
Cut cream cheese into cubes and add to saucepan along with milk, salt, pepper, and thyme.
Bring to a simmer and cook, stirring, until sauce blends. Reserve ½ cup sauce.
Drain crab and pick over meat, discarding any shell or cartilage.
Add crab to mixture in saucepan along with shrimp and Parmesan cheese.
Stir in half of salsa and set aside.
Cook shells in water until almost al dente according to package directions. Drain, rinse shells in cold water and drain again.
Stuff shells with seafood mixture.
Combine remaining salsa with the reserved sauce and place in a 1½ quart baking dish.
Top with the stuffed shells; sprinkle shells with Swiss cheese.
Bake for 20–25 minutes or until dish is hot and cheese melts and begins to brown.
About Seafood
You can substitute most seafood for other types in most recipes. Crab is a good substitute for shrimp, which is a good substitute for clams or mussels. Seafood should always smell sweet or slightly briny, never “fishy.” If you buy it fresh, use it within 1–2 days or freeze it immediately in freezer-proof bags or wraps.
