Mexican Stuffed Shells

I found this recipe on another blog while browsing thenest.com What's Cooking discussion boards. The Nest is a website for newly married people that I frequent often even though I've been married a while, and the What's Cooking board is actually where I found out that cooking blogs even existed, so they kinda inspired this whole thing. This recipe from Le Petit Pierogi looked really good, and we tried it right away back before I started blogging. We both liked it, but decided it could use some tweaking for our tastes, so we swapped out the beef for turkey (we hardly ever use ground beef and almost always swap it out for turkey) and added some black beans, along with a few other small changes. The result was a lighter tasting filling, and we both really loved the recipe this way. So thanks to The Nest for the recipe and introducing me to the world of blogging.

Mexican Stuffed Shells

12 Jumbo Pasta Shells

1/2 lb Extra Lean Ground Turkey Breast

1/2 packet taco seasoning

2 oz light cream cheese

1/4 cup nonfat refried black beans

1/2 cup salsa

1/2 cup red taco sauce

1/2 cup shredded cheddar/jack cheese blend

Cook pasta according to directions. Drain and cool. Brown turkey in nonstick pan until no longer pink. Add 1/2 packet of taco seasoning and amount of water recommended for 1/2 a packet. Simmer according to packet directions. Add cream cheese and simmer & stir on low until cheese is well blended. Cool completely. Pour salsa into a 7x11x2" baking dish. Add about a teaspoon of black beans to each shell and spread as evenly as possible. Top with a tablespoon of turkey mixture and place in baking dish. Continue until all shells are filled. Top shells with taco sauce. Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes at 350 degrees. Uncover and top with cheese. Bake 15-20 minutes more or until cheese is bubbly.

Makes 3 servings of 4 shells each.

Nutrition Info: Calories: 321, Fat: 11.3g (6.5g Sat, .4 Poly, 1 Mono), Carbs: 26.3g, Fiber: 1.7g