Waikiki Meatballs

I can't remember the last time I sat down at my computer to type out a recipe, but I'm thinking it's been a while.  Life has been busy but good!  With baseball season officially in full swing, both my boys {and their daddy} will be spending many afternoons out at the ball field with practices, and once games begin, us girls will be out there rooting them on!  Which means my nightly meals are going to need to be strategically planned.  

This is a meal that I've made many of times and it's also another one of my childhood meals.  I don't know where my mom got this recipe, but it's a good one!  This has always been winner with my kids and my husband.  

*Do ahead tip*  Shape the meatballs up and put them in the refrigerator until ready to cook.  You could also make up the ingredients for the sauce in a small bowl and put in refrigerator until you need it.  

Serve these meatballs over rice and just add a vegetable to round out the meal.  

Waikiki Meatballs {serves 6}

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 1/2 lbs. ground turkey {the original recipe calls for ground beef, but I like the turkey}
• 2/3 cup cracker crumbs {I use saltine crackers}
• 1/3 cup dried minced onion
• 1 egg
• 1 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/4 tsp. ground ginger
• 1/4 cup milk

Sauce ingredients:

• 2 Tbsp. cornstarch
• 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
• 1 can {13 1/2 oz.} pineapple tidbits, reserve juice
• 1/3 cup white vinegar
• 1 Tbsp. soy sauce

DIRECTIONS:

  Mix ground turkey and next six ingredients until thoroughly combined and shape the mixture by tablespoon-full into balls.  Place a small amount of canola oil {don't use olive oil, it will burn} in a large pan set over medium-high heat and brown the meatballs on all sides.  Be sure meatballs have cooked most of the way through {about 10 minutes total}.  They will cook some more once they go back in the pan.  Set meatballs aside on a paper towel-lined plate and keep warm.

For the sauce, mix the cornstarch and sugar.  Stir in reserved pineapple juice, vinegar, and soy sauce until smooth.  Pour the sauce into the warm skillet and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until the sauce thickens and boils.  Boil for 1 minute.  Add meatballs and pineapple chunks.  Heat for another 5 minutes.  Serve over steamed rice.