Sweet and Sour for the Freezer

My friend Lisa Joy is seeking out a great Sweet and Sour recipe, so here it is! I'll give you all two to choose from, and you can decide which you like the best. You can make the sauce and freeze it alone, or you can freeze your cooked meat and raw veggies in the sauce.

Sweet and Sour Sauce
(from Make-A-Mix, by Eliason, Harward, and Westover)

2 Tbsp. cornstarch
1 and 1/4 cups pineapple juice
2 Tbsp. white vinegar
1/3 cup brown sugar, packed
1/4 cup ketchup
1 Tbsp. soy sauce

In saucepan, combine cornstarch and 1/4 cup pineapple juice until smooth. Stir in remaining juice and remaining ingredients. Cook and stir until smooth and slightly thickened.

Note from Avalie: You can freeze the sauce, or serve it immediately.
When ready to serve, simply thaw the sauce and reheat.

Here's the next recipe. My family prefers this one.

Deborah's Sweet and Sour Chicken
(from Once-A-Month Cooking by Wilson and Lagerborg)
Sauce:
1/2 cup sugar
3 Tbsp. cornstarch
1/2 cup white vinegar
1 eight-oz can pineapple chunks (reserve juice)
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. paprika
1/2 tsp. ground ginger
1 cup coarsely chopped celery
1 cup coarsley chopped onion
3 cups cooked, diced chicken
1 cup coarsley chopped green bell pepper
1 four-oz can mushroom stems and pieces, drained
1 eight-oz can sliced water chestnuts, drained

In a medium saucepan, combine sugar and cornstarch; stir in white vinegar, juice from pineapple chunks, soy sauce, salt, garlic, paprika, ginger, celery, and onion. Bring to a boil; reduce heat. Simmer, stirring constantly until thickened, about 20 minutes. Remove from heat.

Stir in pineapple chunks, chicken, bell pepper, mushrooms, and water chestnuts. Put in an 8-cup freezer container and freeze.

To prepare before serving, thaw chicken and put in a baking dish treated with nonstick spray. Bake uncovered in a preheated 350 F oven for 45 minutes. Prepare rice according package directions. Serve chicken over rice.

Note from Avalie: I omit the paprika and freeze the sauce without the chicken and veggies in it. We use this sauce over my Fried Chicken Chunks.

Enjoy!