A Frugal Noodle Kugel and Mark Zuckerberg

 

What does a frugal noodle kugel have to do with Mark Zuckerberg? It all started like this:

Baking Noodle Kugel

Baking Noodle Kugel

 

I woke up this morning thinking, “What’s for breakfast?”

The idea of a noodle kugel came to mind. My intention was to get rid of the leftover egg noodles from the previous night’s meal. I had gone overboard and prepared too many noodles. I knew I had overdone it the second I poured the pasta into the boiling water. No one ate very much, and sure enough, I was left with a big bowl of garlic-buttered egg noodles.

Always thrifty, I decided a frugal noodle kugel would hit the spot for a warm satisfying breakfast and get rid of the noodles as well.

After preparing the dish, I decided I would look up the meaning of kugel. Having grown up in a German family I certainly knew what kugel was, but decided to make sure I wasn’t confusing it with strudel. That way when I asked my home-schooled teenaged daughters what kugel meant, I would be informed and able to add to their responses.

I Googled, def: kugel.

I looked at Wiki, then the Free Dictionary online. My results: Kugel is a baked pudding of noodles, potatoes, eggs, and seasonings usually eaten by Jews on the Sabbath.

Not what I had expected.

This is where I had the “Wow, there aren’t any coincidences” moment.

I thought it was a German casserole, not specifically a Jewish one.

Not more than 20 minutes earlier, my husband and I had been talking about Goldman Sachs and how they had donated $2 million to Romney’s presidential campaign, and how the big banks control everything in the U.S. (and around the world) including Facebook, of which Mark Zuckerberg is the founder. And because Zuckerberg and Goldman sound like Jewish names, I am guessing they all know exactly what kugel is.

That’s what a frugal noodle kugel has to do with Mark Zuckerberg.

Our lively conversation lasted for a few minutes before David was out of the door.

Then I continued making breakfast.

I baked the kugel and served it with cottage cheese.

However, that didn’t cover up the taste of what my daughter described as “garlic undertones” in what was supposed to be a sweet, not savory noodle kugel.

 

Noodle Kugel with Cottage Cheese

Noodle Kugel with Cottage Cheese

 

If you’d like to give it a try, here’s the recipe for Festive Fruit Kugel that I got from my Gooseberry Patch Falls Favorites recipe book. Just don’t use left-over noodles with garlic!

Noodle Kugel Recipe

What you will need:

  • 1/2 cup raisins
  • 1/2 cup apple juice, warmed
  • 12 oz. package wide egg noodles, cooked
  • 1/2 cup butter
  • 2 apples, cored, peeled, and diced
  • 4 eggs, beaten
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 2 tablespoons sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

 

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 375ºF

Combine raisins and apple juice; let stand for 20 to 30 minutes. Drain raisins and place them in a large bowl.  Add noodles, butter, and apples; toss gently to mix. Stir in eggs, salt, and pepper; spread in a greased 13″ X 9″ baking pan. Mix sugar and cinnamon; sprinkle over top. Bake at 375º for about 30 minutes. Cut into squares; serve warm or at room temperature. Makes 10 servings.

Bon Apetit!

Last update 12/14/21

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