Cooking in Mom's Kitchen/ Sweet-Sour Chicken (or tofu)

There are few things as fun to me as making food with people I love.  Tonight and tomorrow I have the honor of cooking food with my Mom in my parent's kitchen.  I've said it before and I'll say it again, my Mom is an amazing cook.  She usually makes this recipe with chicken but it is equally amazing with tofu.  It is adapted from an old, well loved copy of a Better Homes and Gardens cookbook. 

Sweet-Sour Chicken (or tofu)

Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 1 tablespoon cold water
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup soy sauce
• 1/4 cup vinegar
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1/2 teaspoon ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• a sprinkle of sesame seeds
• 2 lbs chicken or 1 16 oz package of firm tofu

Directions:

1. In a small saucepan, combine cornstarch and water.  Add sugar, soy sauce, vinegar, garlic, ginger and pepper.  
2. Cook ingredients over medium heat until the mixture thickens and bubbles. Remove from heat.
3. Brush over chicken or tofu placed in one layer in a shallow baking dish (skin side down if chicken).
4. Bake at 425 degrees for 30 minutes, turn chicken or tofu over, bake an additional 30 minutes, until cooked through. Sprinkle with sesame seeds the last 5 minutes of baking.

Enjoy over rice with stir fried veggies on the side.