1
You're lying on a beautiful beach (your basement) with a warm ocean (the kiddie pool) lapping gently against the shore. A gentle breeze (the electric heater) blows across the sand (who emptied the vacuum cleaner bag onto the floor?). You feast on the delicious tropical delicacy (Hawaiian meatballs) as you watch the children perform an exotic dance (the Macarena).
500 g medium ground beef, or turkey
1 egg
1/2 cup bread crumbs
1/4 cup very finely chopped onion
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
1 398-mL can pineapple chunks
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 tbsp cornstarch
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1 tbsp soy sauce
3 tbsp vinegar
1 green sweet pepper, cut into large squares
1 onion, cut into large squares
In a medium bowl, combine the ground beef, egg, bread crumbs, onion, salt and pepper. Squish it all up with a fork or clean bare hands until well mixed. Form into 1-in. (2 cm) meatballs, rolling them between your hands so they're nice and round. (Be sure to wash up immediately after this step -even small amounts of raw meat can be unsafe if accidentally ingested.) Place meatballs in a single layer on a cookie sheet and bake at 375°F (190°C) for 15 to 20 minutes, turning them over halfway through baking. Scoop the meatballs off the cookie sheet, leaving behind the fat that has seeped out of them.
Drain the pineapple chunks, pouring the juice into the measuring cup. Add the brown sugar, cornstarch, ginger, soy sauce and vinegar to the juice in the saucepan. Bring mixture to a simmer over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the sauce is clear and thickened. Add the cooked and drained meatballs and let them simmer in the sauce for 5 minutes. Add the green pepper, the onion and the pineapple chunks, bring to a boil and cook for about 5 minutes more. Serve over plain rice.
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