This recipe is very easy to change to your liking. I like a lot of garlic and onions but you can add however much you prefer. I am writing my version of how I make it but I even make it a little different than my mom. The basic recipe comes from her I think she said she got it from some magazine when we were growing up and put her own spin on it too.

I hope you enjoy!

One box of large Shells

a bunch of minced garlic

one onion (I like yellow)

1 tablespoon or so of oil

1 -1 1/2 lbs of ground beef

2 cans of stewed tomatoes

1 1/2 cups of ketchup

1 – 1 1/2 cup of water

salt and pepper to taste

Boil a pot of water, add shells. Turn off water and cover for 10 minutes. Drain shells.

In a pan add oil and garlic and onion. cook for a few minutes and add ground beef and brown. Once beef is cooked add 2 cans of tomatoes. My sister likes to mash these up because she doesn’t like big chunks. I don’t mind chunks of tomato but I let her mash. Add salt and pepper and basil or oregano, whatever you like. Add cup and a half of ketchup and cup of water. Stir all together and let it cook for about 10 minutes to combine. It should be soupy so the shells can cook a little more and absorb some of the water, add more water if you need. Add shells stir and let cook for like 15-20 minutes. Longer if you want it a softer pasta and thicker sauce.

Serve with Parm sprinkled on top and a couple slices of garlic bread.

My son does not like the meat and sauce so I usually put some of the plain shells in a bowl on the side for him with butter and he eats that with garlic bread.