February = vegetarian.
That was the plan as of December 28, 2009. Two and a half days into this adventure, and things are going splendidly. Knowing me, I would be craving a hot dog like no other by this point, but, surprisingly, I'm doing quite alright without meat. I'm starting to love making intentionally healthy food choices - on my weekly Monday grocery run, I stocked up on bananas, yogurt, frozen vegetables, lean cuisine pasta dishes, quaker rice snacks (which sound disgusting, but are actually delicious) and came out about $15 short of what I normally spend. I could definitely get used to this.
On Sunday night, as a temporary farewell to meat, I cooked what has become a favorite at Apt. 14 over the past few months - Sweet and Sour Meatballs. I took care of the meat, and one of my roommates cooked rice and green beans. We had a few friends over to watch the Grammys and eat - a good time was had by all.
The recipe is super simple - It was one of the first things my mom ever taught me how to cook. It's from one of her old, old Southern Living Cookbooks.
Sweet & Sour Meatballs
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 can (20 oz) pineapple tidbits (do not drain)
1/3 cup vinegar
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 small green pepper, coarsely chopped
1 bag Armour Original Flavored Meatballs
Mix brown sugar and cornstarch in large skillet. Stir in pineapple (w/ syrup), vinegar, and soy sauce. Heat to boiling, stirring constantly; reduce heat. Add meatballs. Cover; simmer; stir occasionally, 10 minutes. Stir in green pepper. Cover; simmer, 5 minutes. Serve over rice.
*Note from Mom: I usually increase the brown sugar to ¾ cup and add another teaspoon of cornstarch to make the sauce thicker.
