I remember as a kid going with my folks for Chinese food. My favorite part of the meal was dipping something in the sweet and sour sauce.

Today, it is quite common for restaurants to serve crispy won ton noodles to dip in the sweet and sour sauce.

In a sweet and sour sauce, it is the vinegar that makes up the ?sour? portion and the sugar that makes up the ?sweet? portion. I have used some splenda in place of the sugar and the taste was still the same. Don't be afraid to experiment with the amounts of vinegar and sugar.

The sauce I make is not smooth like what you get in a Chinese restaurant. My sauce is called Mandarin Sauce and is chunky. It does take a while to prepare, but I never have leftovers.

1 cup whole tomatoes (about 1 can)
? cup cider vinegar
? cup chopped white onion
1 ? cups sugar
1 slice fresh ginger 1/8? thick
1 tablespoon soy sauce
? cup bell peppers cut up (I use green)
salt to taste
? cup crushed pineapple.

Cooking Directions:

1. Combine all ingredients except the green peppers.
2. Bring to a boil.
3. Simmer for 20 minutes over a low flame. Do not cover.
4. Add cornstarch, as needed, to thicken.
5. Add the bell peppers and serve.

Audrey Okaneko is mom to two girls, all of whom love to cook and entertain. She can be reached at audreyoka@cox.net or visited at http://www.scrapping-made-simple.com

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