Jewish Kugel

Have you ever had kugel? Noodle kugel is a traditional Jewish holiday dish made from egg noodles baked in a sweet custard. It can be made in advance, refrigerated and baked before serving, making it perfect for big family get-togethers.

I kept seeing my friends post about this noodle pudding around Rosh Hashanah and I was so curious, I had to try it myself! It’s so different from anything I had ever tried. A sweet pasta dish that is used as the main course? I just couldn’t resist!

I researched all the kugel recipes I could find and ended up combining three different recipes to create this one. I’m sold! It’s so good! Perfectly sweet, but hearty enough for a main dish. And my kids thought they were getting away with eating dessert for dinner!

Kugel is pronounced kuh-gull or koo-gull and has been around for hundreds of years. It has got to be good if it has been around for that long! Kugel originates in southern Germany and it is a Yiddish work for baked casserole. It is a popular option for Jewish holidays, like Shabbat, in that region. It is also a popular dish for family brunches.

Ingredients Needed for Kugel

In order to make kugel, you need a starch, eggs and fat. For the starch, we use wide egg noodles and for the fat we use a combination of butter, cottage cheese, sour cream and cream cheese. Here is your grocery list:

Kugel

• Egg Noodles
• Unsalted Butter
• Eggs
• Sugar
• Cottage Cheese
• Sour Cream
• Cream Cheese

Topping

• Butter
• Sugar
• Graham Cracker Crumbs

The exact measurements for each ingredient are listed in the recipe card at the end of the post.

How to Make Jewish Kugel

We will start by making the topping, and then we will move on to making the kugel itself. This is so simple. I can see why it has stood the test of time. It is also be easily scaled up for larger crowds.

Topping

1. Combine: Add the graham cracker crumbs, sugar and butter to a small bowl and stir to combine.
2. Save: Set the topping aside to be used later.

Kugel

1. Prep: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Cook: Cook the egg noodles as directed on the package. Drain and rinse.
3. Separate: Next you need to separate the the eggs. Place the yolks in a large bowl and beat them with a hand mixer (or you can whisk them by hand) until pale yellow. Save the egg white in a separate bowl.
4. Beat: Add the sugar and cream cheese to the egg yolks and beat them again.
5. Mix: Add the noodles, butter (cut into small pieces), sour cream and cottage cheese. Mix everything together well folding together with a wooden spoon.
6. Beat: Using the electric mixer, beat the e

Welcome to the weekend, my friends! My family’s plans for this weekend took a u-turn thanks to the crazy weather. We spent almost 17 hours in the car yesterday trying to get to my brother’s wedding. Gas stations without power, trees down across the highway, nonstop rain and wind, not to mention all the flash flooding, we finally turned around and drove back home late last night. So, today is alllll about couch time (WHY does driving exhaust a person so much?) and hopefully getting a bit of sunshine on a walk this afternoon.

I soooo wish we could’ve been there, Karl and Marybeth! I love you both tons and can hardly wait to celebrate in person soon.

ON THE BLOGS THIS WEEK: Baked pumpkin oatmeal is one of our favorite fall breakfasts. There is just something awesome about the way oatmeal changes when it is baked. Almost like a cake, but not nearly so sweet, this is a hearty breakfast that we all enjoy.

Bite-size pieces of chicken are tossed in a mixture of oil and spices before being quickly cooked in a hot skillet to create these flavorful and juicy Indian chicken bites. Served with cilantro lime rice or mushroom and pepper rice pilaf this is a meal that my whole family loves.

Tender broccoli and rich, melt-in-your-mouth cheese bring so much flavor to each broccoli and cheese stuffed chicken breast. I’ve been craving these for a couple of weeks now, so it’s time to put them back on our meal plan.

Toasted pearl couscous with spinach, chicken, raisins, pine nuts, and a hint of lemon makes a light, warm, salad-like dish. (And it gets bonus points for being absolutely delicious when the leftovers are served cold the next day for lunch!)

I told my boys we’d do a big brunch this weekend, since our fun weekend plans didn’t work out. This French bread stuffed with sausage, eggs, and cheese sounds just about perfect right now.

Oh, my friends, these blueberry lemon bars turned out even more amazing than I hoped! With sweet bursting blueberries in every bite of the tangy lemon bars, they proved irresistible for me.

Swiss Roll ice cream starts with a creamy vanilla base swirled with chocolate and layered with bite-size pieces of Little Debbie Swiss Rolls. I shared this ice cream with my boys a few weeks ago and they happily gave it the thumbs up.

What I’m CRAVING: I adore scones and I don’t make t

Hi friends! Happy Friday! What’s going on this weekend? We have a new baby in the family! I’m so so excited for Trevor and Danielle, and of course, can’t wait to get those baby meals going. Other than baby excitement, we have a lot going on this weekend. Liv is getting her solo choreography, P has a basketball game, it’s fall festival, Liv and I have a National Charity League event, aaaand we’re meeting up at the movies with some friends. I’m hoping we can sneak in Halloween decorations, too! I’d love to hear what you’re up to.

SO pumped to announce the winner of our September giveaway. She’s getting a whole boatload of wellness goodies 🙂 Congrats to Jamie J.! I’ll be reaching out with the details on how to claim your prize.

Stay tuned for our October giveaway and my annual Favorite Things giveaway will be coming up soon, too.

It’s time for the weekly Friday Faves party. This is where I share some of my favorite finds from the week and around the web. I always love to hear about your faves, too, so please shout out something you’re loving in the comments section below.

(Older Anthro dress)

9.27 Friday Faves (and a giveaway)

Fashion + beauty + random:

Huge Madewell sale! I love Madewell but especially love it for fall. They always have amazing boots, fall dresses, and sweaters. It’s 25% off for Insiders – you simply sign up with your email address – and an extra 40% off sale.

Some of my top picks from the sale:

Perfect everyday flats

The perfect vintage wide leg jean (but not toooo wide).

This wool blend sweater.

These huggie earrings.

A papreclip chain bracelet.

Sleeveless vest mini dress.

Everyday loafers.

I love a button-front dress.

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Bite-size pieces of chicken are tossed in a mixture of oil and spices before being quickly cooked in a hot skillet to create these flavorful and juicy Indian Chicken Bites. Served with Cilantro Lime Rice or Mushroom and Pepper Rice Pilaf this is a meal that my whole family loves.

Chicken Bites

Incredibly flavorful and juicy Chicken Bites are a terrific dinner for the busiest of weeknights! This has become one of my favorite fast dinners over the past 12 years.

I originally stumbled across a recipe for Indian Chicken Bits and as soon as I saw the ingredient list and the simplicity of it all, I knew we’d be trying it soon. I saved the recipe in my “want to try this” folder.

Later that month, while we had a houseful of sick kids, Sean was able to toss these Chicken Bits together for a simple dinner over the weekend. There is not a distinct Indian flavor to this dish. However, the chicken is loaded with great flavor and just a hint of spicy heat. We all enjoyed it very much.

This is a very easy meal, maybe 30 minutes from start to finish and that includes letting the chicken rest for a while.

We’ve made this countless times over the past six years. As an appetizer or a main dish, this chicken is fantastic.

I’ve this chicken with the rice dishes I mentioned above, or on its own with Homemade Ranch Dip. I often serve the chicken along with a whole lot of fresh vegetables for dipping with the ranch dip.

Chicken bite recipes have become a popular dinner option in my house and we now make Southwest Chicken Bites, Honey Sriracha Chicken Bites, Huli, Huli Chicken Bites, Chipotle Ranch Chicken Bites, Honey Spice Broiled C

Sharing a round-up of vegan pumpkin recipes to enjoy this fall!

Hey friends! Fall is finally here, and you know what that means—jeans, sweaters, boots, chili, aaaaand pumpkin everything! There’s something about that cozy, slightly sweet flavor that just screams autumn. Our leaves don’t change here in AZ, but the air gets a little crisper, and I love to bake and create pumpkin recipes. The Pilot isn’t a fan of squashes and gourds, but thankfully, I have two little pumpkin-obsessed buddies.

Whether you’re a long-time vegan or just looking to add more plant-based meals to your diet, I’ve got some amazing vegan pumpkin recipes that are perfect for this season. We’re talking everything from comforting soups to indulgent desserts, all with that delicious pumpkin twist. Please let me know if you give any of these a try!

10 Vegan Pumpkin Recipes For Fall

1. Pumpkin Pie Smoothie Bowl

A delicious and healthy high protein breakfast option that tastes like pumpkin pie! It’s gluten-free, vegan, and an awesome breakfast for busy mornings.

2. The Best Pumpkin Cornbread

The “make with everything” side dish for fall. Gluten-free, lightly sweetened, and no added oils.

3. Pumpkin Pie Mousse

This tastes like pumpkin pie in a bowl, minus the crust. It has the creamy texture of pumpkin pie filling but is totally egg-free for my vegan friends out there.

4. Pumpkin Amazeballs

These pumpkin protein balls are the perfect seasonal healthy snack! They pack a punch of protein and healthy fat in delicious dessert-like bites.

5. Vegan Pumpkin Bread from Well Plated

This marvelously moist, springy, and pumpkin-spiced bread is dairy-free, whole wheat, naturally sweetened, and uses a whopping WHOLE CAN of pumpkin (no weird pumpkin leftovers!).

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