sweet and sour chicken... that tastes super good.

So recently I have been trying to save some mad dollars at the grocery store.  I mean with three kids and a husband that is basically a modern day lumber jack ( he works with an arborist trimming and removing trees)  I can easily spend $200.00 or more a week just on every day food... and for my gluten free and whole/organic foodie friends I know that you could probably spend way more than that with out even trying... but this is not a post about the economics of budgeting for groceries.... that will come later... this my friend is a post about the quest for home made sweet and sour chicken that actually tastes good!  My middle child Leona loves sweet and sour chicken.... I mean LOVES it... she will literally have a mini dance party with herself when I tell her that's what I am making for dinner.   Up until a week ago I would buy the bags of the frozen s&s chicken (we bought Kahiki brand)  I live in the boonies, and the local grocery store pretty much robs me each and every time I shop... These bags not on sale, are like 8 bucks each and I use two to make a "light" dinner.   RE-DUNK-U-LOUS! Right?  That's when I was all... "there has to be another way."  Then began my quest.... I can't make something unless I have a recipe with lots of pictures, that make it look easy to make and yummy to eat.  This is when I stumbled upon Mel's Kitchen Café.  She has a ton of recipes and lots of great photos to show you how to follow the recipe.  I followed her directions for sweet and sour with a few minor modifications ( I replaced the apple cider vinegar with rice vinegar because my husband loathes vinegar and probably wouldn't have wanted to eat it if he knew that I made the sauce with vinegar, ketchup, and sugar :)  Any way, it was freakin' AHHH-Mazing!!! so here it is, the moment you have all been waiting for....

http://www.melskitchencafe.com/2008/07/sweet-and-sour-chicken-updated.html


click there and you will find the recipe for this amazing make at home, Chinese take out worthy, best ever sweet and sour chicken...

BTW : Thanks Mel!
Oh an as a P.S: I sautéed some green pepper and a can of chunk pineapple while the chicken baked and tossed it together just before serving...