Italian Garlic Linguine Shrimp

I LOVE testing out our new Tastefully Simple products when we go through a season change!  Last night I tried out our BRAND NEW '29 Minute Citrus Marinate'.  Imagine an Italian dressing blended with wonderful citrus flavors!  This is definitely one you're going to want to have on hand - especially when you fire up that grill.  However, as last night's dinner proved, works just as good to saute in the pan.

This recipe was inspired by my love of buttered noodles from Noodles & Co.  Sometimes we over think what it takes to make a good meal.  The below recipe shows you really can make a great HOMEMADE meal in the same time it takes to sit in a fast food line.

Italian Garlic Linguine Shrimp
Ingredients
2 lbs. uncooked, tail off shrimp (I get frozen and defrost in fridge over night or rinse under cold water for 5 min.)
1/2 bottle Tastefully Simple 29-minute Citrus Marinade  (Available as of March 1st!)
Linguine pasta (I used 1/2 box)
1-2 Tbsp Tastefully Simple Italian Garlic Bread Seasoning
1 Tbsp butter

Place thawed shrimp in gallon size ziploc bag, add marinade and place in refrigerator.  (I had to prep mine ahead of time, so it actually marinated for about an hour.  With seafood you don't even really need the 29 minutes as the citrus will actually start to cook the seafood.  However, mine was fine after being in the fridge for an hour.)

Cook pasta while you saute shrimp on stovetop.  Rinse pasta, add in 1 Tbsp butter to noodles.  Add in Italian Garlic Bread Seasoning.  Add in cooked shrimp.  Enjoy!

Cinnamon Muffin Melts & Apple Pie Bites

My kids requested Cinnamon Muffin Melts as a Valentine's Day breakfast today.  Many of you know that I'm not one of those Mom's who 'makes' breakfast in the mornings.  (Well, that is unless you count putting frozen waffles in a toaster or boiling water for instant oatmeal.)  However, since it's a special day AND they only take 9 minutes to make...I obliged :)  After all...how can you resist this act of happiness?

I don't follow the exact directions for the preparation of Cinnamon Muffin Melts, so thought I would post how I make them here.  I find that if you use as much butter as indicated, they're a bit too crumbly.

Ingredients:
1 box Tastefully Simple Cinnamon Muffin Melts
1 cup water
2 Tbsp butter, melted

Add Cinnamon Muffin Melt mix with water.  Lightly grease mini muffin pan.  (You can also make 12 regular size muffins, but we prefer the bite-size version.)  Use a small cookie scoop to fill the muffin tin's 1/2 full.  Bake at 400 degrees for 9 minutes.  Cool for 2-3 minutes.  Place one pan of mini muffins in gallon size ziploc bag.  Melt 1 Tbsp of butter and drizzle over muffins.  Seal ziploc and roll muffins in butter.  Once coated, pour 1/4 of the cinnamon sugar packet into the ziploc.  Seal and roll muffins again.  Repeat process for 2nd batch.

NOTE:  You will only use 1/2 the cinnamon sugar packet with this preparation method.  Use the other 1/2 of the package to make the Apple Pie Bites recipe.

Apple Pie Bites
1 pkg (15 oz) refrigerated pie crusts (the kind in tubes you roll out)
2-3 Tbsp butter
2 apples, I used Granny Smith
Cinnamon Sugar
Parchment paper
(I recommend serving w/ Breyer's Vanilla Bean Ice Cream!)

Line cookie sheet with parchment paper.  Thaw the pie crusts.  Core apples and cut each one into 8 pieces (you can leave skin on or peel).  Unroll one pie crust and brush with melted butter.  Sprinkle with cinnamon sugar.  Cut pie crust into 8 strips.  Roll each strip around one slice of apple and place on parchment paper.  Once you've wrapped all the apple slices, brush tops with remaining butter and sprinkle with remaining cinnamon sugar.  Bake at 425 degrees for 15 minutes or pastry is golden brown.

Many of you have probably viewed this recipe on Pinterest - it's originally a Taste of Home recipe as well.  FANTASTIC use of your leftover cinnamon sugar!  The only down side was that while I was taking this picture shown above - ALL the rest of them were devoured!