When was the last time you saw a green bell pepper ring?
Or the last time you cut a bell pepper into a ring? Probably a long while would be my guess. Cutting bell peppers into rings has kind of fallen out of favor among most home cooks now, but it used to be all the rage in the 70’s and 80’s. Isn’t it funny how home cooking changes throughout the years? We waltz through the 1950’s with jell-o molds in every flavor, cruise on through the 60’s with casseroles and TV dinners, and now here we are floundering in piles of cauliflower and kale and quinoa.
Sometimes, you just feel the urge to go back to those sweet home cooking days of the 60’s and 70’s. You can eat healthy and en vogue all you want, but you can still crave a warm, fulfilling casserole to eat after a bad day at work.
That’s kind of how this recipe works. I think it came out of a 1980’s cookbook, one of those where residents in a local auxillary compiled their favorite recipes to sell and raise money. It’s not necessarily a true “casserole” (no baking involved here), but it’s got all of those homey flavors and buttery egg noodles that you would normally find in a casserole.
Polynesian Turkey & Noodles
Ingredients
- 1-2 pounds turkey breast cutlets, cubed
- 1 egg, slightly beaten
- 1/4 cup corn starch
- 2 TBS. oil
- 1 (13.5 oz) can pineapple chunks, drained (reserve the juice)
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
- 1 medium green bell pepper, sliced
- 2 TBS. corn starch
- 1/4 cup water
- 1 tsp. soy sauce
- 4 carrots, diced
- 16 oz. egg noodles
Directions
- Dip turkey pieces in egg, roll in 1/4 cup corn starch until well coated. In skillet, brown turkey in oil until golden brown and cooked through; remove and set aside.
- Add enough water to reserved pineapple juice to make 1 cup; add to skillet along with sugar, vinegar, carrots and green pepper. Heat to boiling, stirring constantly. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for two minutes.
- Blend 2 TBS. corn starch and 1/4 cup water; stir into skillet. Heat, stirring constantly, until mixture thickens and boils, cook 1 minute. Stir in pineapple chunks, soy sauce, and turkey; heat through.
- Meanwhile, cook noodles as package directs and then drain. Serve turkey & sauce over noodles.
Step-By-Step Instructions
Dip turkey in egg and roll in 1/4 cup corn starch until well coated. In skillet, brown turkey in oil; remove and set aside. Add enough water to reserved pineapple juice to make one cup, add to skillet along with sugar, vinegar, carrots and green pepper.
Heat mixture to boiling, stirring constantly. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for two minutes. Blend 2 TBS. corn starch and 1/4 cup water; stir into skillet. Heat, stirring constantly, until mixture thickens and boils, cook 1 minute.
Stir in pineapple chunks, soy sauce, and turkey; heat. Meanwhile, cook noodles according to package instructions, drain. Serve turkey and sauce over noodles.
