Hawaiian Meatballs over Rice…

One of my readers asked for this recipe and darn if I can’t find it. I hope whoever asked (anonymous) is one of those *wing it* cooks like I am and can figure this out.

Hawaiian Meatballs over Rice:

Meatballs:

1 pound ground beef
handful of cracker crumbs or bread crumbs
1 beaten egg
seasonings to taste (I always include garlic and a bit of ginger)

Mix above ingredients and form into small meatballs. Cook in skillet or bake in oven until done. Set aside and keep warm while making sauce.

Sauce:

1/2 chopped onion
approx. 3/4 to 1 cup rough chopped green and red bell peppers (can just use green but I like the taste and color of red peppers in this)
garlic (a clove or two, chopped, or garlic powder in a pinch)

Sauté the above ingredients in a bit of olive oil until veggies are lightly browned and softened.

Here’s where it gets tricky to explain. You can just add a jar of sweet and sour sauce along with pineapple chunks or tidbits and call it good but if you want to make the sauce from scratch here’s what I do:

Dump in a can of pineapple chunks or tidbits with the juice. Add a good splash of vinegar, perhaps a tablespoon of brown sugar, a teaspoon of ground ginger, and a splash of soy sauce. Mix about a teaspoon of cornstarch in a little water and add to sauce to thicken. Taste. If too sweet, add more vinegar. If not salty enough, add soy. If too tart, add more brown sugar. Adjust cornstarch quantity to proper thickness of sauce.

Add the cooked meatballs and simmer a couple of minutes until everything is hot and the sauce is nicely thickened. Serve over hot rice. Last night I served it with egg drop soup and homemade egg rolls. You can top the meatballs with crunchy Chinese noodles which I forgot to do last night. Shhh…don’t tell David – he thinks I’m perfect.