Celebrating Thanksgiving: my excuse to eat dessert noodles!

Hi, I’m Emma. I’m from the United States and currently getting my bachelor's in Computer Science. I grew up in Michigan and now live in New York City. I always fly back to Michigan around the holidays to spend time with my family and get handed more food than I know what to do with! 

Thanksgiving is always peak Autumn weather. Big sweaters, leggings, full tracksuits, and walking around to see all of the leaves changing colours. My dad’s side of the family also lives in Michigan so we, my dad, mum, sibling and I, load up in the car for the hour plus drive to see family every year.  

One of my favourite traditions is my Aunt’s noodle kugel. Kugel is a traditional Ashkenazi Jewish dish, it consists of a baked casserole, either made from egg noodles (for the sweet version) or potato (for the savoury version). It is often served for Shabbat dinners or other Jewish holidays but it is common for American Jews, like me, to serve it for Thanksgiving. My aunt, one of my dad’s four siblings, always takes on the task of making it every year.  

I’ve had a lot of other noodle kugels that are probably prepared more professionally or impressive looking but the nostalgia that I get from this recipe is unmatched by any other. I am happy to give it to you here, on the off chance you might want to give it a try and see what all the hype (well just my hype) is about!

Ingredients: 

• ¾ cup - 1 cup graham crackers (or plain digestive biscuits) 
• 1 pound cottage cheese 
• 3 ounces regular cream cheese 
• ½ pint sour cream 
• 1 cup sugar 
• 5 eggs 
• 1 ½ sticks butter melted 
• 1 teaspoon vanilla 
• 8 ounces package very fine egg noodles  

Directions:  

1. Melt the butter 
2. Take 2 tablespoons of the butter and grease a pyrex 13 inch x 9 inch pan 
3. Add 2 tablespoons of butter to the graham crackers 
4. Set aside 
5. Mix the cheese and eggs with a mixer 
6. Add all other ingredients (except the graham cracker crumbs and the noodles) 
7. Mix: stir by hand 
8. Layer the noodles and mixtures in the pyrex pan and top with crumbs 
9. Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 50 minutes 
10. Enjoy!  

Here is my family and I celebrating Thanksgiving with a view of some of the other classic Thanksgiving dishes (baked sweet potatoes, stuffing, deviled eggs, turkey, rolls) that we enjoy. This picture was taken in November in 2022. I am on the back left side of the table and my Aunt Adrienne, who makes the kugel, is the closest at the front on the right side of the table. 

Emma studies BSc Computer Science in the United States of America.  

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