Sweet and Sour Meatballs

Adapted from a recipe by Janet Stocks. It's easy to substitute Meatball Mix meatballs if you prefer the meatballs from that recipe. If you use Ultra-Gel, this is an easy dish to freeze and reheat.

Yield: 4-6 servings

For sauce:

1/2 c. sugar
2 T. corn starch (3 T. Ultra-Gel)
1/4 c. soy sauce
1/2 c. vinegar
1 c. water
1 c. pineapple juice (reserved)
1-2 green peppers, cut into chunks (green, red, or yellow)
1 can pineapple chunks (about 1 1/4 c.)
1 can sliced water chestnuts, if desired
Meatballs, cooked. (Recipe below)

If using Ultra-Gel, this is easy. Mix the Ultra-Gel and sugar in a bowl, then add the liquids and whisk everything together; let rest and thicken for five minutes. Pour the sauce and meatballs into a 9x9 baking dish with the pineapple, peppers, and water chestnuts and bake or cook in the microwave until hot through and until peppers are cooked. Or just mix the sauce up in a large saucepan, add the meatballs, peppers, pineapple, and water chestnuts and simmer 15-20 minutes until everything is cooked through.

If using corn starch, mix the corn starch and sugar in a saucepan and add the liquids. Cook until thick and bubbly and add the meatballs, peppers, pineapple, and water chestnuts. Simmer 15-20 minutes until everything is cooked through. (Corn starch is not necessarily freezer stable and may break down if the sauce is frozen.)

Serve over rice.

For meatballs:
1 lb. ground beef
1/4 c. breadcrumbs
2 T. finely chopped onion
1/2 t. salt
1/8 t. pepper

Combine and brown under a broiler or in 1 T. oil in a frying pan.