Hawaiian sweet and sour meatballs

Who doesn't love meatballs?  Especially sweet and sour meatballs.  With all their yummy sweet & pineappley (is that even a word...lol) goodness.  They are super easy to throw together & they simmer away in a crockpot until they are devoured..

I made these recently for my class reunion and they were a hit.  I used frozen meatballs (shh..don't tell anyone..:)  but I have made from scratch and cooked meatballs and added the sauce to those and they were delicious as well. But I have to tell you , the frozen ones with this sauce taste just as good, and are way easier.. so why make more work for yourself if the outcome is just as good... not me... I will save that effort for things that definitely taste better homemade..make these today.. Enjoy
**I sometimes serve these over plain cooked rice for dinner, along with a salad..so good...


Hawaiian sweet & sour meatballs

2 packages of frozen regular (not Italian style) meatballs (the packages I used were 2 lbs. in each package)
1 20 oz can crushed pineapple, I drained about 1/2 the liquid off (reserve)
1 cup teriyaki sauce (I use Lawry's marinade sauce)
1/4 cup ketchup
1 cup brown sugar
1/4 t ground ginger
1/4 cup seasoned rice vinegar 
1/4 tsp onion & garlic powder

Thaw the meatballs overnight in the fridge.  Put the thawed meatballs in the crockpot.  In a saucepan add the pineapple (don't add the reserved juice yet), the teriyaki sauce, ketchup , brown sugar, ginger & onion & garlic powder.  Mix well and cook over medium heat stirring often until sauce is hot, bubbly and the sugar has dissolved (watch carefully) cause this has a tendency to burn because of the high sugar content).  Remove and pour over the meatballs and stir them gently to coat.  Turn the crockpot on low and simmer a few hours until the sauce becomes bubbly.  If it gets too thick add the saved pineapple juice to thin the sauce out.  **NOTE stir these often because the sugar will burn if left unattended and not stirred.  Serve. Enjoy...