Recipe: Taco Pasta Bake

My recipe for taco pasta SALAD is a common go-to recipe in our home simply because it requires minimal ingredients and I can whip it up in no time. However, when I decided to to whip it up the other day, I realized I didn't have the needed sour cream or salsa. Now what? Well thanks to my love for pasta and past experience of making a quick meat sauce, I whipped up the lovely creation of taco pasta BAKE! Enjoy!

Ingredients
1 box of rigatoni, ziti, or mostaccioli
1 lb. ground beef
1 envelope of taco seasoning
1 cup water
1/2 pkg of cream cheese
2 cups of shredded Mexican/Fiesta cheese

Directions
1. Cook pasta according to package.
2. Brown ground beef. I added a little salt, black pepper, and adobo for taste.
3. Add taco seasoning and 1 cup of water. Let it simmer for about 5 minutes until the liquid has reduced. I like my pasta with a little coating so I left enough liquid to coat the pasta a little with the oils.
4. Add the 1/2 pkg of cream cheese to the beef mixture, stir until melted and combined, then remove from heat.
5. Mix the pasta, beef mixture, and shredded cheese in a 9x13 baking pan.
6. Spread the mixture evenly in the pan making sure all the pasta is coated well, and top with a layer of shredded cheese. We love our pasta really cheesy so add as much or reduce the amount to your liking.
8. Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit uncovered for approx. 30 minutes. Enjoy!