Southern Pineapple Au Gratin

An unusual but fabulous friend to turkey or ham on the holiday table. It is beautiful and combines sweet, salty, buttery and cheesy in one dish!

Difficulty: Easy

Servings: 12-16

Prep Time: 10 minutes Cook Time: 45

Ingredients

3 cans pineapple chunks
1/2 cup chopped fresh cranberries
9 tablespoons flour
1 cup sugar
1 1/2 sticks butter
2 cups sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
2 sleeves Ritz type crackers, made in to crumbs
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp ground ginger

Directions

Drain pineapple chunks and reserve 1/2 cup of juice. (Make yourself a smoothie or a pina colada with the rest!)

Mix pineapple chunks, chopped cranberries, flour, sugar, cheese, and spices in a large mixing bowl. Grease a 9 x 13 baking dish and fill with pineapple mixture.

Melt butter and mix with cracker crumbs, then scatter on top of the pineapple mixture.

Bake for 45 minutes at 375 or until the casserole browns on the top and the cheese melts.

Enjoy with turkey or ham for the holidays! If you don’t like cranberries, they can be omitted. If you like a southwestern twist, substitute chopped jalapenos for the cranberries or leave them both out. It is a versatile side dish that travels well and reheats easily for leftovers too!

Categories: Entertaining, Holiday, Potluck, Side Dishes, Special Occasions

Tags: Southern