Sweet and Sour Chicken

2 teaspoons cornstarch (I usually use about 4 teaspoons)
2/3 cup cold water
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon soy sauce
dash of garlic salt
1/8 teaspoon ground ginger
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
3 tablespoons catsup
2 tablespoons white vinegar
2 cups cooked chicken cubes (can use cooked chicken strips, cooked whole boneless, skinless breasts, or possibly cooked pork, also)
1 cup pineapple chunks, drained
1/2 green bell pepper, sliced
1 tomato sliced
1 Tablespoon toasted sesame seeds
1 1/2 cups cooked rice

Combine cornstarch and water in a sauce pot and mix thoroughly. Add sugar, soy, garlic salt, ginger, pepper, catsup, and vinegar. Stir to blend. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until sauce thickens. Add cooked chicken, pineapple, green pepper, and tomato to the sauce and simmer until ingredients are warmed through. Stir once or twice to prevent sticking. Pour into serving dish. Garnish with sesame seeds. Serve with rice.

TIM'S NOTES: As I said, I usually add a little more cornstarch to the sauce as I think it is too thin. We also make just the sauce (without the chicken, pineapple, and vegetables) to eat with egg rolls. I am sure you could substitute any other kind of cooked meat for the chicken. Sometimes I add the fresh tomato, and sometimes I don't. I am not sure it is particularly necessary. I got this recipe from my college roommate, Matt Robertson. My family used to eat this sweet and sour chicken on New Year's Eve.