stuffed shells...mexican style

Mexican food is a staple at our home. We have it AT LEAST once a week, sometimes more. I love it all... homemade Mexican, fake Mexican, authentic Mexican. So so good. When I came across this recipe for Mexican stuffed shells, I knew I had to try it. So I pinned it about a year ago on Pinterest and finally got around to trying it last night. (isn't that how it always goes when pinning? this is what always happens to me...)

this recipe was adapted from High Heels & Grills.

Mexican Stuffed Shells:

18 jumbo sized pasta shells
1lb. ground turkey (or ground beef)
1 pkg. taco seasoning
4oz. lite cream cheese
1 1/2 cup salsa
1 cup taco sauce
2 cups shredded Monterrey-jack cheese 

-fill a medium sized pot with water and bring to a boil. 
-add shells and cook until al dente (tip: cook slightly less than package suggestion because shells will continue to cook in oven). When done, strain and run under cool water. 

-while shells cook, brown meat in skillet. 
-add taco seasoning according to package directions. I also added some chopped veggies (red pepper, onion, etc)
-add cream cheese and simmer until melted and mix together. 

-pour salsa into 9x13 pan. 
-scoop a spoonful of meat mixture into shell and place in pan. Repeat until all of the mixture is used. 

-spread taco sauce over shells, making sure to cover edges so they don't harden while baking. (I only used about a half a cup of taco sauce)
-cover with aluminum foil and bake at 350 for 25-30 minutes. 
-sprinkle each shell with small amount of cheese and return to oven until cheese is melted (about 5 minutes)
-serve with sour cream, green onions, guacamole or your other favorite toppings. ENJOY!

other suggestion: add corn and black beans to meat mixture for more awesome flavor!