Sweet-and-sour sauce doesn’t need to be so powerful that it brings tears to your eyes, or makes you cringe. Especially when cooking for young children, it’s important to introduce a variety of flavors—but not super-strong ones!

Keeping It Together

If your meatballs always fall apart when you cook on the stovetop, there are a few things you can try to help them maintain their shape. Add a little oil to the pan to keep them from sticking and falling apart when you roll them over. Also, adding more egg and bread crumbs (and pressing the meat very firmly into balls) will keep them from disintegrating into meat sauce.

1. Mix the ground beef, bread crumbs, and soy sauce together. Form into round 1-inch balls.

2. Heat the oil in a skillet. Add the meatballs, reduce heat to medium, and cook until the meatballs are no longer pink.

3. Put the pineapple chunks and juice (about ¼ cup) into a small bowl. Add cornstarch and water, and stir well to mix. Add in the bell pepper.

4. Pour the pineapple mixture into the skillet. Stir the meatballs around to coat in the sauce, and cook the sauce for several minutes or until it thickens.

5. Allow to cool before serving.