What should I cook?

I have a great old cookbook put together in part by my friend’s mother in the 60’s called “Let My People Cook”. It was a fundraiser sort of thing and they still sell it today. My copy was given to me by the same buddy’s late wife whom I adored.

Anyway, the cookbook is pretty cool and while I’ve skimmed through it, I’ve never used it. So tell me what I should cook. I’m not Jewish, but I’m a big fan of brisket, corned beef and pastrami, kreplach, etc.

Just name something and I’m sure it’s in here. Sometimes multiple times. I’m more into savory and salty if that helps.

Thanks in advance.

Just scrolling Google I found Let My Children Cook and Let My People Eat. Both are geared toward Passover foods as far as I can tell

My bad. You’re right, it’s “Let My People Eat” produced by the ladies at Temple Beth Yeshurun.

So what should I make?

I’m a fan of Pastrami so it’s a good start

To start with, make a lokshen kugel. Not the sweet kind. Just boiled egg noodles, oil, an egg to bind it, salt, and pepper. Maybe some pureed spinach if you want to be fancy. Put in a cake tin and bake. If you wanted to be really fancy I suppose you could mix in some sauteed mushrooms; I’ve never tried it, but it should work.

Thanks. That looks easy enough.

I assume this could serve as a rich side dish?

I often make a savory noodle kugel as Zsero suggests, but I brown and drain 1lb of ground beef (or turkey) and mix it in. Bake and cut and serve in 4"x4" squares as a main course with a green salad.

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Sounds good. Any other “tweaks” I should know about? Seasonings?

If adding the browned ground meat, lightly season the raw meat with salt, ground black pepper and a touch of garlic powder. You can also brown some sliced onions and mix in before baking.

I like to crumble cornflakes on top and dot with butter. Lots of people do. To be clear, we’re talking about the usual noodle kugel with sour cream, cottage cheese, etc., yes? Mine calls for more than just one egg. In fact, it calls for 4 and it’s excellent, but I think it’s pretty much the way most people make this dish.

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Lovely!

That gives me something to shoot for.

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Looks delicious. When making a dairy noodle kugel, I have a recipe form my ex-MIL that uses 7 kinds of cheese/cream/butter. It makes us understand why her husband died so young of heart disease.

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Is it a family secret or shareable? Hey, thanks for getting back to me, also! You’ve lost that loving feeling. :wink:

I don’t think the usual lockshen kugel is dairy! It’s usually a shabbos dish, which means it has to be parev. No, the usual plain lockshen kugel is as I wrote above, just noodles, oil, an egg, salt, pepper. Then you can fancy it up with extra ingredients. If you want to make it dairy for during the week you can do that too, of course, but I’ve rarely seen it done.

Prakes, or sweet/sour stuffed cabbage. If you like root veg., tzimmes is always good.

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Untrue. Among Jews who don’t keep kosher, lukshen kugel is very commonly–even usually–made dairy. Do a Google search using the term “noodle kugel” and look at the ingredients of the first 10 or 20 hits; they almost all include cottage cheese, sour cream, cream cheese, pot or farmer cheese, etc. Only for those who keep kosher and make this for a shabbos meal is it parve.

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Well, as I’m not Jewish and definitely don’t keep Kosher, I’m more interested in finding new and interesting dishes that will be delicious more so than just being traditional. As noted in the OP, I have been gifted a unique cookbook and need to know where to start. Kugel looks like a good spot.

Thanks.

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You’ll love it. Rich, delicious comfort food at its finest! :smiley: Don’t forget the cornflakes on top!

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I am not completely on board with “google” recipes…yes you might find it today as an invention of dairy processing/refrigeration some 100 years ago, but my grandmothers potato kugel and lukshen kugel’ were very often parve…Those posted are perhaps inventions of the past 25 years, where as mine might be 2500 years old!
Could you imagine if “Google” was actually “Kugel”…everyone would be “Kugeling” it on the internet.

Sorry, Phreddy, but 25 years only brings us back to 1990. My mother has been making noodle kugel with pot or farmer cheese at least since the '50’s, and she didn’t invent the recipe. And 2500 years? I assume you are being hyperbolic, because I don’t think you are really speaking about potato kugel 500 years BCE.