Apr 7, 2010

Hampton, Easter and Pineapple Cheese Casserole


Dear Blog, I've missed you!
Where have I been you ask? ....well we got a puppy!

About 3 weeks ago, I talked Brian into letting us get a dog. His name is Hampton, he is a Cavapoo (Cavalier King Charles Spaniel and Poodle Mix) and he is adorable. But with that being said, he's taking over our lives. Everyone warned me that it would be like having a kid...and I'm officially agreeing. I keep telling myself that it won't always be this way...just as a kid grows...so will Hampton.

I haven't been cooking much in the past few weeks...our refrigerator broke last week and we've been living out of two coolers. It's been hilarious actually.... I felt like we were camping in our own home. Thankfully, Lowe's delivered our new white beauty yesterday...and it's much bigger than our old one.

Brian knows how much I love to fill up a refrigerator and has already warned me that I'm not allowed to stock this one full! One of our weekly spats is always that I need to go grocery shopping and that he thinks we have enough food in the pantry. Last week he started calling off everything I had (flour, cornmeal, brown sugar, etc) I just started laughing....do men really think you can make a meal off of those things? A true southern cook ALWAYS needs their staples... butter, cheese, milk, cream of chicken and mushroom soup, rice, onions, potatoes, chicken and pork! If I'm out of one of those, then I think we don't have any groceries...and off to the store I go!

Easter is my favorite Holiday. Everyone thinks I'm funny for saying so...but I love everything about it (Hats, Dresses, Flowers,Church, Time with the family, Cadburry Mini Eggs, etc) . Spring is a time for renewal and a fresh start. I have my staple Easter Dinner Casseroles that I bring along with me to family dinners.... Sweet Potato Souffle and Pineapple Cheese Casserole (they both go great with ham). I thought I would share with you a Southern Favorite... Pineapple Cheese Casserole! I mean who doesn't love pineapple and cheese?!


Pineapple Cheese Casserole

3 (15 ounce) cans pineapple chunks
2 1/2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese
16 tablespoons pineapple juice
8 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 cup white sugar
1 Sleeve Ritz crackers, crushed
1/2 cup butter, melted

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).


In a large bowl combine pineapple chunks, cheese, pineapple juice, flour, sugar and butter. Spoon into a 9x13 inch baking dish. Top with crushed crackers.


Bake in preheated oven for 30 minutes.
(Or until Hot and bubbly)