Memories of Grandma and Kugel

So my first assignment for the writing course I am taking is to write a blog post (minimum 300 words). Describe in luscious detail the most memorable meal you ate as a child. Who made it? Who was at the table? What happened while you were eating it?

Oh boy...300 words is NOT a lot.  So get ready for my shortest entry yet...here we go...

When I think of a childhood food memory I think of Grandma Pearl, Kugel, and lip smacking. 

Grandma died when I was six.  I have only one strong memory of her.  She used to smack her lips when she would eat.  Specifically, when she would eat kugel. 

When I tasted kugel at a family meal for the first time (that my memory allows) I was in love.  I was never able to quite tolerate the lip smacking directly to the right of me but I justified it by thinking 'she must really love kugel'.  By the time I had taken my first bite, the utter delight I felt drowned out any aggravating noises that distracted me.  It was creamy and sweet.  It was crunchy and buttery.  It was a pasta dish, and a dessert.  It was everything.  It was brilliant.  

Since my grandmother's passing, kugel has become a dish that can regularly be found at the dinner table when my family and I get together.  My first instinct is to smack my lips when I eat it so that my kids might pick up on the enthusiasm that can be felt when enjoying a really great dish.  But they will probably just find it to be an annoying nuisance, since young ones tend to miss the important moments and don't realize what they have until it is too late.

Every time I have eaten kugel in the 27 years since her passing, I hear the lip smacking.  I'm sad that I no longer have the choice to either listen to it or drown it out, that choice was taken from me when she was.  Kugel is my reminder to sit back and attempt to enjoy the little things, see the beauty in the annoyances and interruptions.  Look deeper for what you might be missing.  I missed out on recognizing a woman who worked very hard to keep her family happy and united, and who thoroughly enjoyed having a great meal with the people she loved most.  Lesson learned.  Now pass the kugel.
  



Grandma's Kugel
5 eggs
1/2c melted margarine
1/4c sugar
2 tsp salt
1/2 container of cottage cheese (500g container)
1 container of sour cream (500g container)
12 oz egg noodles
3c crushed cornflakes
1c sugar
1/4 c melted margarine

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Blend together the first 5 ingredients.  Add sour cream and mix.  Boil noodles and drain (use package directions - no salt).  Put noodles into a 13" greased pan, our the mixture on top, and mix carefully.  Mix last 3 ingredients together by alternating the sugar and butter into the cornflakes, mixing in between.  Put on top of the noodles and spread carefully & evenly.  Bake 45 minutes.

Delicious!  Thanks Grandma!!

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