I grew up in Hawaii where the only apples we picked were pineapples. I’m kidding. In all seriousness, I never had the pleasure of spending brisk fall days picking apples from actual trees until I moved to Wisconsin for college. If I hadn’t attended college in the Midwest I would have never met my college sweetheart and thus never obtained his mother’s recipe for Apple Noodle Casserole.
Had you asked me 20 years ago if I would have ever considered combining apples with noodles I would have probably made a face similar to the one my 4-year-old displays when I put a plate of broccoli in front of her. But after trying some of the hearty casserole that features egg noodles, seasonally spectacular Macintosh apples and a host of seasonings I have to say Mrs. S had me at the first bite.
I’ve listed her extremely simple recipe below along with the recipe for a tasty Applesauce Noodle Kugel. For those of you who are not familiar with kugel, it is simply a baked pudding of noodles or potatoes, eggs, and seasonings, which is traditionally eaten by Jews on the Sabbath. It also makes for a warm and inviting dish to serve on a chilly fall day.
APPLE NOODLE CASSEROLE
Ingredients:
1/2 cup butter – melted
1 pound package of egg noodles – prepare as directed
4 large Macintosh apples – peeled, cored, chopped
4 eggs – beaten
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 cup golden raisins
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 dash grated nutmeg
Directions:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Pour melted butter into a 9″ X 13″ X 2″ baking dish and coat bottom of dish.
Combine remaining ingredients and pour into baking dish.
Bake in oven for 45 minutes.
APPLESAUCE NOODLE KUGEL
Ingredients:
1 pound bag wide egg noodles – prepare as directed
6 eggs
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup butter – melted
1 cup applesauce
1/2 cup sour cream
1/4 cup raisins
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup graham cracker crumbs
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Combine all ingredients, except graham cracker crumbs and cinnamon. Mix well.
Spread graham cracker crumbs evenly on the bottom of a greased 13″ X 9″ X 2″ baking dish.
Pour noodle mixture over crumbs and sprinkle top with cinnamon.
Bake in oven for 45-60 minutes, or until set. (Cover with aluminum foil if top begins to brown too quickly.)
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