All Through the Year Cheer: Chanukah

Chanukah. Hanukkah. Either way, that's one holiday I don't know much about. So...I headed over to Chabad.org, which contained tons of very helpful information about Chanukah and other Jewish holidays. Fried foods (particularly latkes and doughnuts/fritters) and rich dairy dishes popped up most often during my search for Chanukah recipes, but since I'm skittish about frying (vats of bubbling hot oil are scary, no?) I decided to focus on dairy dishes.  

Enter The Kugel.  Rich, comforting, and chock-full of dairy goodness, it's comfort food at its finest.  You can make potato kugels, vegetable kugels, rice kugels, or go all-out with a Noodle Kugel.  When it comes to noodle kugels, there seems to be two types: sweet (most popular, often with raisins and/or apples) or savory.  Since this is my first venture into kugel making and I wasn't sure which I'd like better, I decided to make both.  The recipes below are based on Smitten Kitchen's wonderful (sweet) kugel, scaled down by one-fourth.  All in all, it was great delicious fun!  I'd definitely make both kinds of kugel again! 

 These recipes are being entered into the All Through the Year Cheer: Chanukah event, graciously hosted by the lovely Chaya of Sweet and Savory Says it All.  Please visit Chaya's blog to peruse her vast collection of recipes, and while you're there check out the Chanukah recipe round-up.  


Raisin Noodle Kugel  (makes 2 mini loaf pans)
Adapted from Smitten Kitchen

4 oz. medium egg noodles
4 oz. cream cheese, softened
4 oz. creamed or small curd cottage cheese (not low-fat!)
¼ cup + 2 Tbl. sugar
2 Tbl. butter, melted
2 eggs
½ tsp. vanilla
¼ tsp. cinnamon
¼ cup raisins (could've used more!)

Preheat oven to 350°F.  Lightly grease two mini foil loaf pans (3¼ x 5¾ x 2").

Boil the noodles for 5 to 7 minutes (don't cook all the way), then drain.  In large bowl, combine cream cheese, cottage cheese, sugar, butter, eggs, vanilla and cinnamon.  Beat until well mixed.  Stir in raisins and drained noodles.

Divide mixture into the two prepared pans and bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until center is set.  Serve warm or at room temperature.



Savory Noodle Kugel  (makes 2 mini loaf pans)
Adapted from Smitten Kitchen

4 oz. medium egg noodles
4 oz. chive & onion cream cheese (from a tub), softened
4 oz. creamed or small curd cottage cheese (not low-fat!)
2 Tbl. butter, melted
2 eggs
¼ tsp. onion powder
¼ tsp. garlic powder
¼ tsp. black pepper

 Preheat oven to 350°F.  Lightly grease two mini foil loaf pans (3¼ x 5¾ x 2").

Boil the noodles for 5 to 7 minutes (don't cook all the way), then drain.  In large bowl, combine cream cheese, cottage cheese, butter, eggs, onion powder, garlic powder and pepper.  Beat until well mixed.  Stir in drained noodles.

Divide mixture into the two prepared pans and bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until center is set.  Serve warm or at room temperature.