Sweet and Sour Hot Dog stir fry

Update 9/20/2011 - Made this again today because I had seen another recipe for "sweet and sour chicken" with ketchup and brown sugar - So glad I decided to check the blog.  I did use chicken (precooked) and even added 1 Tablespoon tomato powder (since all of those other recipes added ketchup I figured a bit of veggie wouldn't hurt.)  Turned out great and was super easy.  I whisked the sauce ingredients together in the saucepan, then heated it up with the chicken.  Definitely my new go-to sweet and sour recipe.

This is another recipe from Family feasts for $75 a week.  I must say that it was a bit weird to have hot dogs in a sweet and sour.  I kept them hoping to appeal to the kids.  I even bought organic hot dogs in an attempt to help it be not so bad.  While it was totally edible, and fine, I wasn't a huge fan of the hot dogs in there.  HOWEVER, I really liked the sweet and sour sauce.  I didn't exactly follow directions because I had larger cans of fruit than the original recipe called for, and I used less ginger, no oil, red not green pepper...  This of course is how I made it.  Original is on page 146 of the book.  With hot dogs, I would give this 3.5-4 stars, but it is getting labeled as 5 star so I will find it when I want a sweet and sour sauce.  Super easy.  I'd just put it with pre-cooked chicken next time.  That would actually make the meal easier because I wouldn't have to chop and fry the hot dogs - just defrost the chicken and toss it in.  

Ingredients

• 1 package hot dogs - I used central market organic
• 1 20 oz can pineapple chunks in juice, undrained
• 1 can mandarin oranges (I think mine was 10 oz, but now all my cans are 15 and I'd still use the 15)
• 3 Tablespoons cornstarch
• 1/2 teaspoon grated ginger
• 1/4 cup vinegar
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1 red pepper, chopped
• hot cooked brown rice (I just started some in the rice cooker before starting the meal.)

Directions

1. Cut hot dogs into 1/4 inch chunks.  Heat a sauce pan or wok over medium high heat.  Add hot dog slices and stir-fry until browned.  
2. Meanwhile, open both cans of fruit.  Pour all of the pineapple juice and a few Tablespoons of the juice from the oranges into a bowl.  Add corn starch, ginger, vinegar, and brown sugar to the juice.  Whisk together until cornstarch and sugar dissolve. 
3. Pour sauce over hot dogs.  Simmer until sauce begins to thicken.
4. Add pineapple and red pepper.  Cook until pineapple is heated through, 2-3 minutes.  Remove from heat.  To serve, place over rice.  Top with mandarin orange segments.