baked taquitos!

am i the only one who saves recipes on their computer to try for a later date? seriously. i have folders upon folders all categorized into recipes that i hope to one day make.
anyway, this recipe i've had since i can't remember when but when i was making my meal plan for this week, i decided it was now or never. or at least not for awhile.

also? i love those freezer taquitos you can buy. or the ones that rotate on those grill thingies at the 7-11. they look so greasy and delicious. and deep fried. so good. {o hello pregnancy cravings!}

anyway, so here's a slightly healthier alternative to freezer taquitos OR 7-11 deep fried ones.
i didn't have all the ingredients it called for {the grocery store didn't have green onions or cilantro and salsa is crazy-expensive here and i think i've only seen teensy-tiny little limes once - and not at the store i was at} but it still tasted STINKIN DELICIOUS. my boys asked for seconds {!} and i downed my fair share as well.

baked taquitos
recipe slightly adapted from meal planning 101

1 lb ground beef
2 tbsp taco seasoning {i made my own. check out this one for a cheaper alternative than store bought.}
1/3 cup cream cheese {it's super expensive here & hard to find. i happened to have some laughing cow cheese so i used that instead. delish!}
1/4 cup salsa {again, too expensive and hard to find. i used canned diced tomatoes with green chilis}
1 tbsp lime juice {used a bit of lemon juice. lime would give it a nice kick, though!}
3 tbsp cilantro, chopped {would have loved to have had this.}
2 tbsp green onions, chopped {also would have been good. someone please make this with the proper ingredients and let me know how it is, kay? ha!}
1 cup grated cheese {cheddar, mozzarella or pepperjack - i used cheddar}
12 small flour tortillas {i made my own! they are fairly simple, but a bit time consuming.}

heat your oven to 425. line a baking sheet with foil and lightly coat with cooking spray.

in a large frying pan over med-high heat, brown the ground beef and break it up into crumbles as it cooks. add the taco seasoning and cook the beef about 8 minutes until cooked through.

heat the cream cheese {we don't have a microwave but if you do, about 20-30 seconds should suffice} so it's soft and easy to stir. add the salsa, lime juice, cilantro and green onions and then stir to combine. once the beef is browned, add the beef and cheese and combine well.

place 2-3 tbsp of beef mixture on the lower third of the tortilla, keeping it about 1/2 inch from the edges. roll it up as tight as you can. place seam side down on the baking sheet. lay all of the taquitos on the baking sheet and then spray the tops lightly with cooking spray or brush with a bit of oil and sprinkle some kosher salt on top. place the pan in the oven and bake for 15-20 minutes or until crisp and the ends start to get golden brown.

dip the taquitos in salsa, sour cream {we use plain yogurt here}, guacamole or all of the above!

i served this with a side of mangoes sprinkled lightly with cinnamon. it was a perfect combination and i'm making these again!