Pineapple Casserole

You know the old potlucks--the ones where some lady brings the same dish to every potluck and you're always secretly hoping she never changes it up? You might not even know who that lady is, but whoever it is doesn't let you down.... until you move away from that church. AAGGHH!!!

We had this experience in Atlanta. I think it was our pastor's wife, but I know it was the pineapple casserole. Thanks to my Ultimate Southern Living Cookbook, I now have the recipe! This is one of those dishes you won't believe until you try, but it's wonderful! Old-fashioned comfort food for sure--the kind of dish that shows up at Southern funeral luncheons, potlucks, new baby meals, etc. And, of course, it's a "vegetable" or "side dish" y'all.

• 1 (20-oz.) can pineapple chunks in juice, undrained
• 1/2 c. sugar
• 3 T. flour
• 1 c. (4-oz.) shredded Cheddar cheese
• 1 c. buttery cracker crumbs (like those from Ritz crackers)
• 3 T. butter or margarine, melted

1. Drain pineapple, reserving 3 tablespoons of juice. Combine sugar and flour; stir in reserved juice. Stir in cheese and pineapple chunks. Spoon mixture into a greased 1-quart casserole.
2. Combine cracker crumbs and melted butter, stirring well; sprinkle over pineapple mixture. Bake, uncovered, at 350 degrees for 20-30 minutes or until browned. Serve hot.

~Makes 4 servings, can be doubled