Pineapple Casserole Recipe

"I love pineapple mixed with cheese and crackers!", said no one ever! ...until they met pineapple casserole. As a kid, when my mom would make this, I thought it sounded like the most disgusting this in the world...right next to green beans...but as I got older, this dish became one of my favorites, so much so that I introduced it to my family and friends in NY and it became a must at all gatherings! Don't knock it 'til you try it!

What you'll need:

⋒ 2 - 20 oz. cans pineapple tidbits in juice, drained except for 6 TBS (keep this in a little bowl on the side!)

⋒ 8 oz. shredded cheddar cheese

⋒ 6 TBS flour

⋒ 2/3 C sugar

⋒ 2 sleeves of Ritz or TownHouse crackers (If you're like me and want to keep this dish somewhat clean, go for the organic/nonGMO brand. You can typically find them at Kroger or Whole Foods.)

⋒ 1/2 C melted butter

How to:

⋒ Preheat oven to 350°

⋒ Mix drained pineapple and cheese together.

⋒ Make roux with flour, sugar and pineapple juice, mix with pineapple/cheese mixture.

Crunch up crackers and mix well with melted butter.

⋒ Distribute cracker crumb mixture on top of pineapple mixture.

Bake for 30-40 min (it only needs 30 min but I keep mine in longer for a cruncher top).

⋒ Enjoy! I typically make pineapple casserole as a side but it can be used as a dessert as well. It pairs really well with brisket! This recipe is so easy to multiply for a larger crowd; it can also be prepped in advance but I recommend bringing up to room temperature before baking so it doesn’t take longer to bake. This recipe can also be prepped and frozen!

*Note: I can never find tidbits so lately, I buy 2 cans of the slices and cut them into tidbits.