Mix up your typical pasta routine by infusing a variety of Tex-Mex inspired ingredients into your Italian based dish.  You'll love how perfectly these two cuisines marry together in order to create a delightfully inventive dinner for two. 

Mexican Stuffed Shells
Total Time: 50 minutes
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes

What you'll need
1/2 pound lean ground beef or lean ground turkey
1/2 packet taco seasoning
2 ounces cream cheese
7-8 jumbo pasta shells
1 cup salsa
1/2 cup taco sauce
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 cup shredded monterey jack cheese
2 scallions, finely chopped
sour cream for garnish

Directions
1. Pre-heat oven to 350.
2. In a medium skillet over medium heat brown ground beef until no longer pink, about 10 minutes.
3. Add taco season packet and water; cook according to directions.   
4. Stir in cream cheese; cover and simmer until cheese is melted. Mix well. Set aside and let cool.
5. While ground beef is cooking, cook the pasta shells according to directions; drain. 
6. Set shells out individually on cutting board/baking sheet so that they don’t stick together. 
7. Pour salsa on bottom of a small baking dish.  Stuff each shell with the meat mixture and sprinkle with cheese on top.  
8.  Bake for 30 minutes or until cheese is bubbly.
9. Top with your favorite condiments (sour cream, salsa, olives, cilantro).   
10. Serve and enjoy!

Recipe adapted from  A Pinch of This A Pinch of That