Sweet & Sour Pork with Fried Rice

I LOVE Asian food - more than Italian, more than Mexican; it is just so good!  I could eat take out from our favorite place a couple of times a week and never tire of it.  But alas, our budget cannot handle all that eating out, so I make this from time to time to stifle my cravings.  This recipe is from none other than Marjorie Pay Hinckley.  You can find it in its original form in her book, "Small and Simple Things".  But here's my slightly modified version:

Sweet & Sour Sauce (make first & set aside)
1/2 cup sugar (or Splenda if you want low cal)
1 1/2 T. cornstarch
1/3 cup vinegar
2/3 cup water
1/4 cup ketchup

Combine sugar & cornstarch. Stir into vinegar & water & whisk to remove lumps.  Cook over medium heat until thickened, stirring constantly.  (You can also do this in the microwave - just stir after each 60 seconds.  It takes 2-3 minutes.) Add ketchup after removing from heat.

Sweet & Sour Pork
Cut one pound of pork or chicken into 3/4 inch cubes.  Toss in one beaten egg white and then coat with 2 T. flour & a pinch of salt (I like to use season salt).  Deep fry pork in hot oil until brown.  Remove from pan & set aside on some paper towels to drain.

Remove most of the remaining oil from the pan (leave about 2-3 T.) and saute the following:
1 onion, large diced
1 green pepper, large diced
8 oz (half bag) of baby carrots, cut on a bias

Don't cook to long, just a few minutes should get the vegetables softer, but still crisp.  Add the pork back in along with a can of drained pineapple chunks (or you can use fresh which is fabulous!).  Stir in the sweet & sour sauce and serve immediately over steamed rice or with fried rice.

Fried Rice
1/4 cup butter
Approx 4 cups cooked white or brown rice (if it's been cooked the day prior and refrigerated it works great)
soy sauce
salt
2-3 eggs
1 cup frozen peas or pea/carrot combo

Melt butter in a large skillet.  Toss in rice and cook until browned.  Sprinkle with soy sauce & plenty of salt.  Add veggies at this point (you can also add cooked cubed chicken if you want this to be a stand alone meal), stir and move rice to one side of the pan.  Break eggs right into the skillet.  Salt and stir to scramble.  Combine entire mixture together and let sit on low heat until ready to serve.