This is SO much easier than actually trying to stuff pasta shells and it tastes just as good! If you want to make it SUPER easy, do most of the preparation at home and show up with two gallon-sized ziplock bags--one with the pre-cooked pasta shells in the cheese mixture and the other with the pre-cooked meat sauce. When it's time to cook, spread the pre-cooked ingredients in the dutch oven in the order given in the instructions and bake! It will take a bit longer to cook because the ingredients will be cold, but the preparation time is almost nothing!

Ingredients

• 1 lb ground beef
• 1/2 onion, finely diced
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 24-oz jar spaghetti sauce
• 4 cups medium or large pasta shells, uncooked
• 1 8-oz package cream cheese, softened
• 1 cup ricotta cheese
• 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
• 1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped
• 1 beaten egg
• 1/2 tsp Italian seasoning
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp pepper
• 1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella

Preparation
Cook pasta al dente according to package directions.

Heat a 12-inch dutch oven with 22-24 briquettes bottom heat. Brown the ground beef and drain. Add the onion and cook for a couple of minutes until soft. Add the garlic and cook 30 seconds.

Add the pasta sauce and simmer for 2-3 minutes. Remove half of the meat sauce from the dutch oven and set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, add the cream cheese, ricotta, parmesan cheese, basil, egg, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper. Mix until combined. Stir in the cooked pasta shells.

Layer the pasta shell mixture on top of the meat sauce that remains in the dutch oven. Spread the reserved meat sauce over the pasta shell mixture. Sprinkle with mozzarella cheese.

Cover and bake with 10 briquettes bottom heat and 14 briquettes top heat for 40-45 minutes or until the cheese is melted and the meat sauce is bubbly. Sprinkle more fresh basil on top for garnish if desired.