Hawaiian Ham Casserole

Chicken can be substituted for ham in this recipe.

1/2 cup melted butter
2 (15 1/4 ounce) cans chunk pineapple and juice
1 1/2 cups firmly packed brown sugar
2 tablespoons mustard
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 1/2 cup raisins
30 maraschino cherries, halved
1 1/2 cups chopped walnuts (optional)
8 cups cooked rice

Over medium heat in a large pot, combine melted butter, pineapple juice and brown sugar. After brown sugar has dissolved, add mustard, Worcestershire sauce, salt, pepper and cinnamon. Stir cubed ham into sauce and let simmer for 5 to 10 minutes.

Add pineapple chunks, raisins, cherries and walnuts. Let mixture simmer for about 5 minutes.

Spread cooked rice into a 13 x 9-inch baking dish. Stir some sauce (liquid only) into rice until it is all wet, then top rice with the remaining mixture. Be sure to arrange ingredients so that they are equally distributed over rice. Heat at 350 degrees F for 15 to 20 minutes.

Yields 8 servings.