For Mom because I can’t be home for the holidays and for Andi because I think about you every time I make kugel

This week I would like to take a break from my meals and share with you my Aunt’s kugel recipe, which is fitting since we are upon the Jewish Holidays.  My Aunt Andi gave me this recipe 5 years ago when I was in my first apartment.  It’s really, really easy.  Although I typically make kugel for the Jewish holidays, it’s a good year-round noodle dish for any holiday or gathering.  Everyone has their own way of making kugel.  Some people use raisins, some people make a cornflake crust.  I like to keep it simple.
 
Andi’s Kugel Recipe, as dictated to me over the phone:

Ingredients:
1 lb of extra wide egg noodles-1 and 1/3 bags
1 stick unsalted butter-room temperature
1 cup (8 oz) cream cheese-generic brand
3/4 cup sugar
2 cups sour cream-1/3 less fat
5 large eggs

Directions:
-Preheat oven to 350
-Spray pyrex with Pam
-cook noodles in large pot of boiling salted water until tender, but still firm
-drain noodles
-return noodles to hot pot
-add butter and toss until butter melts and noodles are coated
-whisk/stir cream cheese, sugar in large bowl until smooth
-add sour cream and eggs-whisk/stir until blended
-mix in buttered noodles and stir
-pour noodles into pan
-bake for 45 minutes
-cool

Kugel can be eaten many ways: as a side dish, as a main dish, as dessert.  Doesn’t really matter.  One really can’t go wrong when butter, sugar, and noodles are involved…