Cottage Cheese Noodle Kugel

1. Gather the ingredients. Crush the cornflakes and melt the butter.

2. Preheat the oven to 350 F (180 C). Butter a 9- by 13-inch baking dish that is 2 inches deep.

3. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the noodles and cook according to package directions until al dente, about 5 to 7 minutes.

4. Drain and rinse the noodles with cold water.

5. Place the noodles in a large bowl. Add the melted butter, cottage cheese, sour cream or gvina levana, eggs, vanilla, and 1/2 cup of the sugar (and the raisins, if you use that option). Mix well.

6. Pour the noodle mixture into the prepared pan and smooth the top with a spatula.

7. In a medium bowl, mix the cornflakes, cinnamon, and the remaining 1/4 cup sugar.

8. Sprinkle the cornflake mixture evenly over the top of the noodle mixture.

9. Bake the kugel, uncovered, in the preheated oven for 45 to 50 minutes or until it is set. The top should be golden brown and a tester inserted in the center should come out clean.

10. Serve in sliced pieces and enjoy. The kugel is delicious hot right out of the oven or at room temperature.

Make It A Meal

• Start with soup. Eat your daily allotment of veggies with a bowl of roasted carrot, apple, and celery soup or zucchini basil soup.

• Alongside the kugel, serve a salad, like an heirloom tomato salad with goat cheese and arugula, or a romaine salad with sun-dried tomatoes, pecans, and feta. Of course, you can skip the cheese on either salad if you feel the kugel already has plenty.

• If the kugel's sweet cinnamon-sugar cornflake topping isn't dessert enough for you, finish the meal with a fruit-laden treat, like apple and dried cherry crisp, a couple of chocolate hazelnut stuffed dates or a slice of pie.

• Any leftover kugel can be stored in a sealed container in the refrigerator. It can be eaten cold, room temperature, or warm and is tasty at any meal or as a decadent mid-day snack.