Kugel - It is not meant to be health food

[RDNKJ]

For people who may not know what a kugel is...

Kugels are a type of noodle "casserole" that can be made into a side dish or a dessert.

I grew up with savory kugels and didn't really discover them as desserts until adulthood. I've added a few (dessert) recipes here - gathered from various cookbooks and magazines over the years.

If at all possible, be sure to use full-fat dairy products (no 2% or skim, etc.). While you CAN use the reduced fat versions, I don't recommend it. They really need the butterfat to make them work right.

Here's a basic, but rich, and very good, kugel: Cream Cheese Kugel

1 lb wide egg noodles
2 8 oz packages cream cheese, softened
16 oz full fat cottage cheese
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 stick salted butter,melted, plus more to grease the baking dish
8 eggs
2 tsp vanilla
1 tsp cinnamon
1 cup cherries (dried, frozen, fresh, doesn't really matter)*

Preheat the oven to 350 F and grease a 9 x 13 glass baking dish.

Cook the noodles as directed on the package and drain them well. In a large bowl beat the cream cheese until fluffy, add the cottage cheese and continue beating for another minute. Scrape the bowl down. Add the sugar and combine, then add the melted butter. Combine and scrape the bowl again.

Add the eggs one at a time, beating between additions. Add the cinnamon and vanilla and mix. Then stir in the cherries. Then carefully mix in the drained egg noodles.

Pour into the prepared dish and bake for an hour. Check to see if the center is set. If not bake it some more, just check it after 10 minutes to make sure it doesn't burn.

Can be served hot, cold or room temperature.

*The fruit doesn't have to be cherries, it can be pretty much anything. Apples, pears, pineapple. Depending on the fruit you might have to change up the spices a little.

[RDNKJ]

Apple Kugel

16 oz egg noodles
4 tblsp butter, melted
1 cup unsweetened applesauce
4 large eggs
2 large egg whites
3/4 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 cup raisins
4 medium green apples, peeled, quartered and thinly sliced

Preheat the oven to 350 F. Grease a 9 x 13 baking dish.

Cook the noodles as directed on the package. Drain well. Put the noodles back in the saucepan, add the butter and applesauce. Toss to coat.

In a medium saucepan, beat the eggs and egg whites, suar, vanilla and cinnamon until blended. Stir in the noodles, raisins and apples. Mix well.

Pour everything into the baking dish and spread evenly. Grease or spray a sheet of foil and place on top of the noodles.

Bake, covered for 45 minutes. Increase the temperature to 375 F. Remove the foil and bake another 20 minutes or so, until it is set and the top is lightly golden. Let sit 15 minutes.

Serve warm or at room temperature.

[RDNKJ]

Exotic Orange - Pepper Kugel

I love the combination of sweet and hot. This is one of the very few kugel recipes I've come across that didn't call for egg noodles.

12 oz fettucine noodles
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup orange juice
2 whole eggs
3 egg whites
1 to 1 1/4 tsp cracked pepper (freshly ground if possible)*
1/2 cup oil

Preheat the oven to 350 F. Cook fettucine as directed on the package. Drain well.

Oil a 13 x 9 baking dish.

Combine the orange juice and sugar in a small saucepan and bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Cook, stirring over high heat for about 8 minutes (it should have a nice aroma, and the edges should have just begun to turn golden).

Combine the eggs and the egg whites and beat lightly with a fork. Stir in the black pepper and the oil and set aside.

Pour the noodles into the baking dish and stir in the orange sauce. If the sauce has hardened past the pouring stage, warm it by stirring over low heat until it liquifies again.

Let the noodle mixture cool for 5 minutes. Stir in the egg mixture.

Cover the baking dish with foil and poke a few holes in the foil to let the steam escape. Bake for 1 hour.

*This can also be made with cayenne pepper, but I don't know how much you would use.

[RDNKJ]

Praline Kugel

If you like pralines, here's a recipe to try. I've made this on special occasions before. I love pecans!

3/4 cup salted butter, melted
3/4 cup dark brown sugar
1 cup pecan halves
16 oz wide egg noodles
4 large eggs
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 cup sugar
2 tsp salt

Preheat the oven to 350 F.

Cook the noodles as directed on the package. Drain well.

Pour 1/2 the melted butter into a 12 cup mold/tube/springform pan. Swirl it around the bottom and up the sides to coat.

Press the brown sugar into the bottom of the pan and then press the pecans on top. In a large bowl, mix the eggs, the rest of the melted butter, cinnamon, regular sugar and salt. Add the nodles. Mix well and pour into the prepared pan.

Bake for about an hour until the top is golden. Let it sit and cool for 15 - 20 minutes before taking it out of the pan. Loosen the sides with a knife, place a large cake plate over the pan and carefully turn over.

The top becomes slightly hardened and "praline like."

Serve at room temperature or cold.

[wyo_rose]

Wow, I've never heard of kugel but it sounds WONDERFUL. I have to cook for a dinner on Wed and think I'll try one.

[OLChemist]

OH, lovely. Thank you very much for sharing. Now, I can't decide which to try first.

Maybe praline for Texans, LOL.

[kgirl7]

I thought all kugels were sweet. I remember having some with raisins from my Jewish friends. Yummy. I was thinking about it the other day and now I have the recipe!