holiday cooking

Feta Spinach Matzo Pie for Passover

Fancy Matzo Pizza for Passover
Sweet Potato Casserole for Thanksgiving

Baked Potato Latkes and Curried Zucchini Pancakes for Hanukkah

My Very First Kugel

A couple of posts away my lovely sister, Franny, posted her kugel recipe from Yom Kippur break-fast. This recipe is courtesy of the Food Network. I contemplated making my sister's recipe, since that would be a new recipe for ME to make, but then I couldn't really blog about it. So I found this recipe, which is extremely similar.

One of my book club friends had noodle kugel for the first time a couple months ago and absolutely loved it! So for this month's book club I said I would bring kugel, which I did last night.

Ingredients:
1/2 pounds (12 oz. bag) wide egg noodles
1/2 stick butter, melted
1 pound cottage cheese (I used low-fat)
2 cups sour cream (again reduced fat)
1/2 cup sugar
6 eggs
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 cup raisins

Directions:
Boil the noodles in salted water for about 4 minutes. Strain and set aside.
In a large mixing bowl, combine noodles with the remaining ingredients and pour into a greased 9x13 inch baking dish.
Bake at 375 degrees F until custard is set and top is golden brown, about 30-45 minutes. I baked mine I think for about 38 minutes.

I actually made everything the day before and baked it the day of. Before I baked I sprinkled the top with some cinnamon and sugar. The end result? Success! For many people at book club it was their very first noodle kugel and they were all impressed. A bunch them were surprised it was a sweet dish, they had no idea.


As someone who has grown up with a lot of noodle kugel I would say this was good, not great. Maybe I should've baked it for longer or maybe it was just too traditional. You can't really go wrong with noodle kugel so I definitely enjoyed it, but next time maybe I'll stick with Franny's recipe.

A Kugel by any other Name (Guest Post)

The day after our sister time in Brooklyn, I flew to Florida and visited with our grandmother.
We sat together as I pulled up pictures on my phone of her other grandchildren, of my new apartment and of our break-fast spread.
The first thing she said when she saw the picture of the spread:
“Did you make a noodle-pudding?”
She said it almost like a threat, like one of us better have made a “noodle pudding” or else…

“You mean a kugel?! Of course! I made it.”

A kugel by any other name is a kugel, and if you ask me, noodle kugel is the only kugel worthy of kugeldom.

I offer my kugel as the sweeter, yid version of mac & cheese.

I blended this recipe over the years from a few online versions and make it at least once a year for organized Jewish cultural face-stuffing.

I bet Laura could figure out the point value, but my estimation is that this is just enough points to taste awesome.

Ingredients:

12 oz. wide egg noodles

16 oz. cottage cheese (I usually use lowfat or fat-free)

16 oz. sour cream (I usually use lowfat or fat-free)

1 cup sugar (I use turbinado sugar)

5 eggs – beaten

1 tbsp real vanilla extract

1 cup golden raisins

1 tbsp cinnamon sugar (I don’t measure and I probably use more that a Tbsp…)

Directions:

-Cook, rinse and drain the noodles according to the directions

-Preheat the oven to 350F

-Beat the eggs and mix in the cottage cheese, sour cream, sugar, vanilla, and raisins. Mix well. (I do this while the water is boiling and the noodles are cooking)

-Pour cooked, rinsed noodles into a greased 9x13 pan

-Pour the mixed topping over the noodles and distribute evenly covering all noodles. (Many recipes suggest stirring the noodles into the mixture first and then pouring that into the pan, but I always find it messier and not any tastier)

-Add cinnamon sugar evenly as topping

-Bake for 50-60 minutes (I usually do 50, but if you like your noodles on top crunchy, go for 60)

-Cool

NOTE: I often will prepare the Kugel the day before, cover and refrigerate overnight. If you’re doing that, be sure to remove it with at least a half hour to reach room temperature before baking it.

What Makes This Passover Holiday Different From All Others?

It's currently Passover so I'm using my new year's resolution to help me get through the holiday. And to answer the question posted as my blog title - this year I'm cooking! Usually matzo pizza is the extent of my Passover cooking and even then I use the microwave; however, I found a recipe for Matzo Apple Kugel and decided it was a perfect addition to my resolution blog! AND I've even been making matzo pizza in the oven this year! Talk about seeing success.

Ingredients:
4 matzo crackers, crushed
3 eggs, beaten
1/4 cup white sugar
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp lemon juice
1/3 cup applesauce
3 granny smith apples, cored peeled and chopped
1/2 cup dried cranberries
PLUS 1/4 cup white sugar & 1 tsp ground cinnamon (for the top)

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Place crumbled matzos in a medium bowl and add enough water to cover.
Let stand for 2 minutes, then drain off the excess water, but do not squeeze.
To the bowl add eggs, 1/4 cup sugar, salt, lemon juice, and applesauce.
Stir to combine.
Mix in the apples and dried cranberries.
Spread the mixture evenly into a 2 quart casserole dish.
Mix together the other 1/4 cup sugar and cinnamon and sprinkle over the top.
Bake for 45 minutes or until the top is golden and the apples are soft.

A few notes... as you can see I made this in a pie dish. We had some fun trying to figure out what size dish would hold 2 quarts and in the end the pie won! Also, I think this would be REALLY good if you add chocolate chips. It would definitely be a dessert then, now it can sort of go either way, though it is pretty sweet. Next time I would add chocolate chips. But all in all really delicious. I cut it into 8 slices, making it 4 pts/serving. Though, you could definitely get more servings out of it. Each piece is a pretty decent size. Happy Passover!