Sweet & Sour...

Randy's cousin made Sweet & Sour Chicken the other day.
(Hey Brandie...This one's for you!!)
She was complaining that she didn't like using the cornstarch on the chicken before she fried it.
I told her she needs to try my recipe...she asked for it, so here it is...
for her and anyone one else who wants to try it!  Super easy...super yummy!!

Got this recipe from my Step-Mom, Thelma, years ago.
She used to make it...I loved it!  So does the rest of my family.
We even used it for Thanksgiving one year...yeah, we don't always go traditional turkey.  :)
This is called Sweet & Sour Pork, but I'm not a big pork fan, so I always use chicken.

First thing I do is to break out the rice cooker.
I usually do white rice to go with Sweet & Sour Chicken...
I've tried brown rice with it before, we prefer white with this one.
While the rice cooks, I make the rest of the meal.

Step #1  1 pound of chicken - cut into bite-sized pieces.

Step #2  Combine 1/2 c. flour, 1/2 t. salt*, 1/2 t. baking powder
   *the recipe calls for 1 1/4 t. salt, I reduced to 3/4,
    but thought it was still a bit salty, so I'd use 1/2 t.

Step #3  Add 1/2 c. cold water

Step #4  Stir chicken pieces into the flour/water mixture

Step #5  Heat oil in wok, skillet or fryer

Side note:  While I was working on the chicken, hubba was making the wonton chips

Step #5 cont'd.  Drop the chicken in a few pieces at a time and fry until golden brown.

Let chicken drain on a plate covered with paper towels.
(snitching one or two, because...who can wait?!)

 Fry up the wontons and drain on paper towels also.

Step #6  While the chicken is cooking
    (if you can multi-task or have someone helping you in the kitchen)
    fry the 3 carrots, cut up,  in a little vegetable oil until begin to get tender,
    yet a little crunchy

Step #7  Add green pepper, cut into bite-sized pieces (I didn't have any this time)
Step #8  Add 1/2 - 1 onion cut into chunks (not in the original recipe, something we like to add)
   (this was about 1/2 an onion...it's what I had in the fridge)

While I was getting the onion out, I found some leftover shrimp.
So, I whipped up some more flour, salt, baking powder and water mixture,
coated & fried it up.  1st time we've tried shrimp...Yum!!

Step #9  Add chicken to skillet

Step #10  Add 20 oz. can of chunk pineapple including the juice

Almost done...

There used to be a restaurant here in town when we were first married...
Yes, they had restaurants back then...
It was called 'Lems'...great Chinese restaurant!
They had the BEST sauce!  And you used to be able to buy it at the grocery store.
Suddenly many years ago, they quit carrying it...I quit making sweet & sour chicken.
I just don't like those really red sweet & sour sauces.
My sweet hubba did a search one year for Christmas or my birthday
and found that they make it here in our hometown!
Only problem is...you have to buy 4, 1 gallon jugs, at a time!
So, we usually share 3 and keep one.

Step #11  Add sweet & sour sauce...amount to your liking.

Rice is ready....

Surprised my hubba and made this for supper last week...

Made him Super HaPpY!  (I probably would have made him Super, Super happy if I'd used pork!)

Sweet & Sour Chicken and Shrimp over rice, with a side of Wontons...

Thanks for the idea Brandie!  Great way to use the chicken I needed to use up!

(No kids, I did not make egg rolls this time...)
Enjoy!!