Padre Island Shells

Total Time: 1 hr Preparation Time: 30 mins Cook Time: 30 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 6
• 1/2 cup chopped green pepper
• 2 tablespoons thinly sliced green onions
• 4 tablespoons butter, divided
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 cups milk
• 1 large tomato, peeled and chopped
• 2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley
• 1 1/4 cups shredded monterey jack pepper cheese or 1 1/4 cups monterey jack cheese, divided
• 3 1/2 cups medium pasta shells, cooked and drained
• 3 (6 ounce) cans crabmeat, drained, flaked and cartilage removed or 1 lb imitation crabmeat, flaked
• 1/2 cup dry breadcrumbs or 1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs

Recipe

• 1 in a large saucepan, sauté green pepper and onion in 2 t butter until tender.
• 2 stir in the flour and salt until blended.
• 3 gradually stir in milk.
• 4 bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened.
• 5 stir in tomato and parsley.
• 6 remove from the heat; stir in 1 cup of cheese until melted.
• 7 stir in pasta and crab.
• 8 transfer to a greased shallow 2 1/2 quart baking dish.
• 9 cover and bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes.
• 10 melt the remaining butter; toss with bread crumbs.
• 11 sprinkle over casserole.
• 12 top with remaining cheese.
• 13 bake, uncovered,, for 5-10 minutes or until golden brown.