Asian Meatballs

Found this one in a magazine at the doctor's office, so kudos go to them, whoever they are. I love these meatballs, but if anyone wants to pitch in with a half-decent sweet and sour sauce recipe, mine is terrible.

1 lb extra-lean ground beef
1 egg, lightly beaten
1/2 cup dry bread crumbs, or 1 cup fresh
1/3 cup finely grated carrot
1/3 cup chopped green onion
2T hoisin sauce
1T Worchestershire sauce
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper

Spray a cookie sheet with non-stick spray. Shape meat into 1" balls and bake about 30 minutes at 350. Serve with sweet and sour sauce or plum sauce, or throw them together with asian stir-fry vegetables and serve over rice. I'm thinking hoisin would be good, too.

Sweet & Sour Pineapple Pork

Brown in 1 tsp oil:
1 lb pork cubes

Add, and stir fry:
1-2 cloves garlic, minced
1 medium onion
2-3 stalks celery, chopped
1 green pepper, or 1/2 red, 1/2 green

Add:
1 can pineapple chunks, drained, reserve sauce!

Blend in a saucepan, cook until thickened:
reserved pineapple juice
2 T cornstarch
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup water
1/2 T vinegar
1 T soya sauce
Pour over pork, simmer 5-10 minutes

Add:
1 large tomato, wedged
heat through

Serve over hot rice

Mediterranean Chicken and Sausage Stew

Make this one on a cold day, serve with steamy garlic bread and cold milk. It's a favourite of ours.

Modified from Chatelaine magazine.

Brown and set aside:
4 big sausages, sliced (Italian or mild Italian are best)
2 chicken breasts, cut in 1" cubes

Saute:
1/2 each green and red pepper
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 large onion, chopped
1 stalk celery, chopped
2 cups sliced mushrooms

Place meat and veggies in a biggish soup pot, and add:
2 cups chicken broth
1 28 oz can diced tomatoes with juice
1/2 cup ketchup
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp dried basil

Bring to a boil. Add:
2 potatoes, cubed, (Yukon gold won't go to pieces, but whatever)

Simmer 20-25 minutes. Salt and pepper to taste.

Apple Chicken

4 chicken breasts, sliced into thin strips
1 medium-large apple peeled and cut into slices
1 cup apple juice
1 T brown sugar
1 T cornstarch
2 tsp chicken oxo
1/8 tsp each cinnamon and nutmeg

Brown chicken in a large pan, then add apple to warm through. In a separate bowl, mix remaining ingredients, pour over chicken and apple. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer 10-15 minutes.

Barbecue Chicken

Brown and set aside:
4-6 pieces of chicken (with bones, peel off skin)

Into the pan (to brown) goes:
1 medium onion
1 clove garlic

Add:
1 cup water
3T soya or Worchestershire sauce
1/2 each green and red pepper
2T vinegar
2-4T brown sugar
1 cup ketchup
1 tsp mustard
1/2 cup celery, chopped
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 cup lemon juice

Place all in slow cooker for 3-4 hours on low, or bake 1 hour in a large lasagne pan.

Cabbage Rolls

12-14 cabbage leaves, separated and boiled 3-4 minutes
toothpicks, 14-20 or so

Mix together:
1 lb extra lean ground beef
1 cup cooked white rice
1 egg, beaten
1/4 cup milk
1/4 cup minced onion
1 1/4 tsp salt
1 1/4 tsp pepper

Scoop about 1/4 cup of the meat mixture into each of the cabbage leaves and roll it up, securing with a toothpick (or two). Place in a large lasagne dish in a single layer.

Cover with
2-3 cans of tomato soup*

(I've tried other, more flavourful and complicated sauces but really, simple is best.)