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.