Aunt Marilyn's Pineapple Upside Down Noodle Kugel

Here is Aunt Marilyn's recipe for Pineapple Upside Down Noodle Kugel. I made it today for Yom Kippur Break the Fast dinner. Mom "complained" that it didn't look like a traditional noodle kugel, but it was fun to make and I love the mixture of apples, raisins, pineapple and cherries. It is rich enough to serve as a dessert with coffee but also made a nice contrast on the Break the Fast buffet table with the other salty dishes. If you like a more cheesy, creamy kugel, add 1 large container of cottage cheese, 1 80z. block of cream cheese (softened), and increase the number of eggs to eight.

Mom, next holiday we'll make your recipe :)

1 lb. medium egg noodles

1/4 pound (1 stick) butter or margarine

2 tbsp. dark brown sugar

6 eggs, beaten

2 large apples, peeled and diced into small pieces

1/2 cup white sugar

1/2 lb. golden raisins (softened in hot water and drained)

1 large can sliced pineapple, drained

1/2 cup crushed pineapple

1 medium bottle maraschino cherries, drained

1 tsp. cinnamon

2 tsp. vanilla extract

Cook noodles in salted water for 1 minute less then package directions and then drain.

Melt butter and take off 2 tablespoons and reserve. Spread the 2 tbsp. melted butter over bottom of large (11X15) baking dish and then sprinkle with the dark brown sugar. Spray remainder of baking dish with non-stick spray to ensure easy removal after cooking. Place pineapple slices around pan with cherries in each hole. Mix cooked noodles with 1/2 cup regular sugar, remainder of melted butter, apples, raisins, remaining cherries, crushed pineapple, 2 tsp. vanilla extract and beaten eggs.

Heat pan in oven until butter bubbles and pour noodle mixture into hot pan. Cover pan with foil and bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes, then remove foil and bake for 35 more minutes, until top of kugel is lightly browned. When done, cut around edges and un-mold onto a serving dish. It will look like a pineapple upside down cake.

Slower Cooker Apple Pie Applesauce: From this to that!

From this:

To that:

What to do with an over abundance of apples? I find myself faced with this question every year after my over-eager husband and kids pick a ton of apples at our favorite apple orchard. My favorite recipe is simple, easy, and needs few ingredients and the kids love it. I call it Slow Cooker Apple Pie Applesauce. My husband says it's like eating the insides of an apple pie, and it freezes well so we can save some for Hanukkah. I use a hand cranked apple peeler, corer, and slicer which doubles as entertainment for the kids. They love watching the peel come off the apple in a single long streamer and fall neatly into the trashcan below. Carly was at school when I made this batch of applesauce, but the video above show Ethan's enthusiasm for the process.

Slow Cooker Apple Pie Applesauce

8 apples - peeled, cored, and thinly sliced

1/2 cup water
3/4 cup packed brown sugar

1 tsp. cinnamon

1 tsp. lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

Combine the apples, water, brown sugar, cinnamon and lemon juice in a slow cooker; cook on Low for 6 to 8 hours. Stir in the pumpkin pie spice; continue cooking another 30 minutes. Stir, mixture and enjoy chunky style or process in a food proccesor until smooth.

Grandma's Fruity Jello Mold

"Jello?" you say. What's do I need a recipe for jello for? Actually, there is a trick to this; you must wait until the jello is partially "jelled" which takes about 1&1/2 hours, before adding the rest of the ingredients. Otherwise, the other ingredients fall to the bottom. Grandma served this as a light side dish (not a dessert) when we were having a big meal. It would be a great accompaniment to the Thanksgiving table. Ethan and Carly complained about the addition of the celery, but they both ate it right up. The jello mold is optional but adds a festive flair.

Ingredients:
1 large package lime jello
1 small can crushed pineapple, drained
1/4 cup finely chopped walnuts
1/4 cup chopped celery
1 red apple chopped (no need to peel)

Preparation:
Prepare lime jello as directed on package. Place in refrigerator for 1&1/2 hours, until jello is partially set (like a thick stew). Add remaining ingredients and mix in. Pour mixture into jello mold sprayed with cooking spray. Refrigerate 4 more hours or overnight.

Oy Vey Orzo Pasta Salad

This is my favorite summertime pasta salad. It works great for large groups (serves 12-14), and it's great to make when the garden is bursting with all that fresh basil! Adapted from Jewish Heritage Calendar 2006

1 pound orzo

1/3 cup balsamic vinegar

3/4 cup chopped fresh basil leaves

3/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil (sliced into strips)

1 cup tightly packed fresh spinach leaves, cut into strips (about 3 oz. trimmed)

1/2 red onion, chopped

1 small red pepper, chopped

1 tsp. salt, or to taste

1 tsp. ground pepper

1/3 cup olive oil

Cook orzo as directed. Drain well and transfer to a large bowl. Add balsamic vinegar and stir well. Add basil, tomatoes, spinach, onion, red pepper, salt, pepper and oil. Toss well. Refrigerate until serving.