“Our daddy called her Mammy and we called her Grandma Smith,” shares granddaughter SARAH SMITH (Tupelo, Mississippi) about MARGARET SMITH (Selmer, Tennessee), her paternal grandmother. Around the time of the Depression, Grandma Smith moved from Tennessee to Verona, Mississippi, after her husband passed away. They had twelve children, and when her husband passed, she was left to raise the three smaller children, the youngest of whom was just six months old. Times were hard for her, but she’s remembered as a fine woman who took good care of her children all on her own. Money was scarce, so they appreciated everything they had and everything she cooked. Sarah loves this family recipe and adds that her cousin Estelle Goff (also of Tupelo) enjoyed making it as well before she passed away. It can be used as a dessert or tastes great as a side dish with ham or pork roast.
½ cup (1 stick) butter, divided
1 (20 ounce) can crushed pineapple
¾ cup sugar
2 teaspoons all-purpose flour
1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
1 sleeve round butter crackers, crushed
1 Preheat the oven to 300 degrees. Grease a 9 × 11-inch baking pan with 2 tablespoons of the butter.
2 Drain the pineapple, reserving 2 tablespoons of the juice, and spoon the pineapple into the baking pan.
3 In a medium bowl combine the sugar, flour, and cheese. Pour over the pineapple in the baking pan. Melt the remaining butter and combine it with the crushed crackers and reserved pineapple juice. Spread over the top of the casserole. Bake for 40 minutes, until heated well through.
MAKES 8 TO 10 SERVINGS.