Heat large skillet over medium and add ground beef. Break apart with wooden spoon and cook 6-8 minutes until completely browned with no pink. Drain all but 1 teaspoon fat—little bit adds flavor without grease. Stir in taco seasoning and water, simmer 2-3 minutes until thickens and seasoning evenly distributed.

Remove from heat. Critical: make sure salsa well-drained. Place on paper towel and press gently to remove excess moisture—every drop makes pockets soggy. Fold drained salsa, shredded cheese, and any optional add-ins into seasoned beef. Mix until evenly combined.

Let filling cool at least 5 minutes. Non-negotiable. Hot filling makes dough soggy and difficult to work with, can cause pockets to burst during baking. While cools, prep oven and dough.

Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Line baking sheet with parchment paper—prevents sticking, effortless cleanup. Unroll crescent dough and separate into 8 triangles along perforated lines.

Place each dough triangle on work surface with wide end closest. Spoon 2-3 tablespoons cooled filling onto wide end, keeping away from edges—need ½-inch border all around for proper sealing. Don't overfill or pockets burst.

Fold dough over filling from wide end toward point, creating triangle pocket. Press edges together firmly with fingers all the way around. Key step: use fork to crimp edges firmly, pressing tines all the way down. Double-sealing ensures no leaks during baking.

Optional: If want gorgeous golden, bakery-style shine, whisk egg and water and brush lightly over top of each pocket. Makes them look incredible.

Arrange pockets on prepared baking sheet with space between them. Bake 12-15 minutes, rotating pan halfway for even browning. Looking for dough deep golden brown and fully puffed. Should look crispy on top and cooked through on bottom.

Rest 5 minutes before serving. Filling molten hot straight from oven—will burn mouth immediately. Few minutes also allows filling to set slightly for cleaner eating.