Yellow Curry Chicken Meatballs in a Coconut Milk Curry Sauce with Quinoa Pasta.

You would never think pasta and curry would mix well, but holy toledo these were amazing.

These were so interesting! As you'll see in the ingredients, I used yellow curry and red pepper. It was a very spicy meatball, almost like an Italian sausage meatball. Then I made a coconut milk sauce, which gave some sweetness and creaminess to off balance the spicy meatball. The quinoa pasta was a great touch to balance out the spiciness. I would say this was an incredibly successful dish!

Ingredients:
1 lb. ground chicken (You can use other meat)
1 egg
1 tbsp yellow curry
1/2 tsp ground red pepper (cayenne)
EVOO for cooking
1 can coconut milk
2 tsp yellow curry
1/2 tsp ground red pepper (cayenne)
1/2 box Quinoa pasta (this can be found at Sprouts, Whole Foods, etc.)

Directions:
1. Mix together ground chicken, egg, 1 tbsp yellow curry and 1/2 tsp ground red pepper in a large bowl.

2. Roll mixture into 1/2" balls and cook in a skillet with EVOO on medium/high until brown. Place on a paper towel to absorb grease.

3. When meatballs are done cooking, pour out the grease from the skillet, add in the coconut milk, 2 tsp yellow curry, and 1/2 tsp ground red pepper. Bring it to a simmer.

4. Cook pasta according to box while you are bringing coconut milk sauce to a simmer.

5. One the coconut milk starts to bubble, add the meatballs and continue to simmer for 5-7 minutes.

6. One the pasta is cooked, drain the water, place the pasta in a large dish and cover with meatballs and coconut sauce.

Banana Donuts with Peanut Butter Frosting

I don't think I need any words to describe this confection. I gave them to some friends and there was nothing left but crumbs. The last donut was fought over! (It was guy v. gal, so naturally the gal won)

I'll cut to the chase so you can go ahead and start making these.

Ingredients:
For the donuts
1 1/4 C flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
3/4 C granulated sugar
2 eggs, room temperature
1 1/4 C ripe bananas, mashed (I used 3 total)
2 tsp vanilla
1/2 C vegetable oil

For the frosting
2 tbsp salted butter
1/2 C smooth peanut butter
1/2 C powdered sugar
hot water if needed

Directions:
 - Donuts - 
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease a 6-cavity donut pan (I use Nordic Ware, but can't seem to find a link to one). I also use Pam cooking spray with flour, specifically meant for baked goods. I've noticed if I use vegetable oil Pam, it makes my food taste bleck.

2. In a large bowl, mix together flour, baking powder, salt and cinnamon. In a separate bowl, mix together the sugar, eggs, bananas, vanilla and oil.

3. Stir the wet ingredients into the dry until combined.

4. Spoon the batter into the donut pan just right below the rim. Bake for 15 minutes until golden brown.

5. Allow the donuts to cool COMPLETELY before frosting.

 - Frosting -
1. Brown the butter in a pan. This takes a few minutes, the butter will melt and sizzle, then quickly turn brown, this is where you stop browning it.

2. Melt the peanut butter in a small bowl by placing it in the microwave for 30 seconds. Add the browned butter, then add in the powdered sugar. If the frosting is too thick, add only 1 tbsp hot water at a time.

3. Using a piping bag or a spreading knife, decorate each donut with the frosting.

Cinnamon Roll Bars

I found this beauty on the internet. Talk about sugar rush! It would be a great sweet treat for a brunch, a family breakfast, or if you're really intent on eating the whole thing, for yourself (I would advise against that).

Ingredients

For the bars

1 (15.25 ox) box white cake mix 

1 (4 serving) box vanilla pudding

3/4 C butter, melted

1/2 C light brown sugar

2 eggs

1 tbsp water

2 tbsp cinnamon

For the frosting

1 (8 0z) block cream cheese, room temperature

1/4 C butter, room temperature

5 C powdered sugar

optional: Cinnamon Sugar

Directions

1. Preheat over to 350 degrees. Grease an 9x13 glass baking dish and set aside.

2. Combine all of the ingredients for the bars and mix until there are no lumps or bumps.

3. Spread evenly into the baking dish and bake for 20-25 minutes. Let it cool completely before frosting.

Making the frosting

Combine butter and cream cheese and blend until smooth. Add in powdered sugar. Spread onto the cooled bars and top with Cinnamon Sugar if desired. Cut into squares and enjoy!

**Store in an air tight container in the fridge*

Honey Homemade Marshmallows

This is pretty simple. They are homemade marshmallows with no refined sugar, just honey. Unfortunately because it's using gelatin, it's not vegan. Maybe one day I'll find a vegan version. Until then, I personally don't mind eating gelatin, and it's actually probably good for me since I have cartilage problems. (I've heard eating things such as gummy bears, gummy worms, and jell-o can help relieve pain in joints. I'm not kidding, here's a link about it: Live Strong)

Ingredients:
1 1/2 tbsp. unflavored gelatin
1/2 cup cold water
1/2 cup honey
1/8 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

Directions:
(Note: I copied and pasted these directions because she did such a good job of describing how to make the marshmallows with and without a candy thermometer!)

1. Lightly grease a loaf pan. Then cover with parchment paper (with enough to hang over the sides of the pan one way), then grease the parchment paper.

2. Put ¼ cup of water in a medium bowl (or in the bowl of a mixer with attached whisk) , and sprinkle the gelatin over the water. Set aside to soften.

3. In a small pot, place the honey, salt, and the other ¼ cup of water. Heat on medium heat. Using a candy thermometer, bring the mixture to 240 degrees. (Because this is such a small amount of liquid, I had a hard time getting an accurate temperature. You can also test it by dribbling a little of the liquid into a bowl of ice cold water. It should be in the candy stage of forming little soft balls when cooled in the water and taken out. It takes about 7-8 minutes to reach this temperature. ). Remove from the heat as soon as it’s at the right  temperature.

4. Using a hand mixer on low, very carefully mix in the hot syrup into the gelatin mixture by pouring the hot syrup in a drizzle down the side of the bowl. Once it’s all combined, add the vanilla and increase speed to high. Beat for 12- 15 minutes, or until the mixture is thick and fluffy (it will look like marshmallow fluff). Scrap into the prepared pan and leave, uncovered, for 4-12 hours to dry. It’s just about perfect in my climate when left overnight. Cut into squares, serve as is.