Hash Brown Potato Kugel

Who knew you could make
a kugel from ready-made
Hash Browns?

After my Hash Brown Potato Latke recipe appeared in the Chicago Tribune, I got an email from, and then spoke on the phone with, a representative of the Simply Potatoes Company thanking me for referencing their product in my article (so cool and so nice of them!).  I also got calls and emails from people asking me where they could buy the Simply Potatoes because after the article appeared the local stores were sold out – amazing!  Afterwards though, I had a bit of a problem.  I had bought so many packages of the hash brown potatoes that I had a few left over – there were only so many potato latkes my family could eat…regardless of how good they were!  Even my family has its limits.  So, I put my remaining two bags in the freezer with a non-binding commitment to the Simply Potatoes people that at some point in time I was going to make a Hash Brown Potato Kugel.  Just for the record, I do not get any kickbacks from the Simply Potatoes people (although I wouldn’t mind one LOL!).  I just really like using their product.

My Norene Gilletz version
of the Potato Kugel

To make my Hash Brown Potato Kugel I turned to my absolute all-time favorite potato kugel recipe. It’s from a cookbook written by one of my favorite authors, and I’ve been making this kugel recipe from The Pleasures of Your Processor by Norene Gilletz since I first got married.  In the past year I’ve actually gotten to know Noreen a little bit and she’s awesome, and so are her recipes.  Simple, but completely excellent.  Now that I have my newer, larger, freakishly powerful food processor I make huge batches of the potato kugel recipe (as long as I can get help peeling all those potatoes!).  When trying to plan this weeks’ menu I decided to go for it and make the Hash Brown Potato Kugel using my favorite basic potato kugel recipe but substituting the hash browns for the raw potatoes.  No guests this week, so no matter how the kugel turned out just my family would be the guinea-pigs.

In the end the kugel was incredibly easy to make.  I tossed all the ingredients into one big bowl, mixed it up, put it in a pan and baked it.  It doesn’t get much easier than that!  Compared to the “old-fashioned” ground potato version that I also made today, the Hash Brown Potato Kugel didn’t brown on top quite as nicely as the tried and true one – but it did have beautiful crispy edges.  I guess as you might expect, scratch is best but if you need a terrific shortcut – Simply Potatoes is the answer (is my case of Simply Potatoes in the mail yet?  Just kidding!).

Hash Brown Potato Kugel

2              packages             Simply Potatoes Hash Browns (1.25 pounds each)

1              large                    onion (or two medium/small), finely chopped (I use a food processor)

3              large                    eggs

¼             cup                      oil

¼             cup                      flour

1 ½          teaspoons            salt

¼             teaspoon             black pepper

                                           non-stick vegetable spray

Preheat oven to 350° F.  Spray a 9x13 inch pan with non-stick vegetable spray.  Set aside.

Place all the ingredients in a large bowl.  Mix until thoroughly combined, then transfer to prepared baking dish.  Bake for 60 minutes until golden brown.

 All the ingredients....

 You've seen these Hash Browns before!

(All the ingredients mixed together)

 Put it in a pretty kugel pan then bake!

 Can't wait to eat it...and it was so easy to make!! 

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Flower Shaped Squash Kugel

"Ooh! Look at the pretty
flower shaped kugel!"

It’s that time of year again when, here in Chicago, we completely skip spring and go right into summer.  It’s like a great sports car - 0 to 60 in a blink of an eye.  In my current optimistic state, I’m going to imagine that the beautiful weather we are currently having will stay with us (I’m optimistic, not unrealistic!). 

I’m hoping to do some planting this weekend. My family gave me a lilac bush for Mother’s Day that they ordered online (Yes, that was in addition to writing my blog for me!).  I happen to love lilacs, and the photo showed this beautiful lilac bush that would bloom over and over again in the summer.  Perfect!  I’m also hoping to put up a few different varieties of tomatoes, peppers, and possibly a few other vegetables and herbs.  There is a garden center not too far from here that sells all different types of heirloom tomatoes.  We have grown purple, yellow and the standard red tomatoes.  Last year we planted so late that we ended up purchasing fully grown plants from the same center. They weren’t labeled and it was like a surprise party waiting to see what types of tomatoes we would grow!  We ended up with tons of amazing yellow grape and red cherry tomatoes that were incredibly sweet and juicy.

The "huge" Mother's Day
lilac bush...on my window sill!!

We also grow some flowers in the front of the house.  Unlike the protagonist in the book “The $64 Tomato”, we do have a budget.  I usually try to find the prettiest, least expensive, and heartiest plants.  My sister also taught me the trick to plant spicy, hot peppers in between the flower plants to keep the squirrels from noshing on our flowers.  It seems to have worked in the past, and we end up with a lot of fiery hot cayenne peppers throughout the summer. 

In honor of the spring planting, this Shabbat I’m making my famous Flower Shaped Squash Kugel, so named because I make it in this cute silicone flower shaped pan.  Every time I bring it out everyone always says “Oooh, look at the pretty flower shaped Kugel!” They really do!  It’s a family favorite, and everyone loves cutting off a petal sized serving.  I love it because it’s healthy (squash), and incredibly easy to make.  Using the silicone pan is a plus too because I don’t have to grease it (silicone is naturally non-stick), its easy to clean, and easy to store – I just roll it up and put it in a drawer.

Here’s hoping that the weather holds up this weekend…if not, then there’s always the fun of mystery gardening!!  I’ll keep you posted!!

FLOWER SHAPED SQUASH KUGEL

2          10 ounce          packaged cooked winter squash, defrosted, drained

½         cup                   flour

½         cup                   sugar or Splenda

½         cup                   soy milk, preferably vanilla flavored

3          large                 eggs

                                    Non-stick vegetable spray (if using non-silicone pan)

Preheat oven to 350° F.  If not using a silicone pan, spray a 9” round pan with non-stick spray.  Set aside.

Place the squash in a large glass bowl.  Add the flour, sugar, and soy milk.  Whisk until smooth.  Add the eggs and blend until thoroughly combined.    Pour squash mixture into pan.  Bake for 45-60 minutes until completely set.  Allow to cool for at least 10 minutes.  If using a nifty silicone flower shaped pan, invert onto serving dish and serve to amazed guests.

FLOWER SHAPED SQUASH KUGEL

All the ingredients...

except the eggs!

 Defrosted, drained squash....

 Add all the ingredients...

except the eggs!

 Add the eggs & blend until smooth...

The "cool" silicone flower 

shaped pan...

 Pour it into the pan and

into the oven it goes! 

 Tra-la!! Squash Kugel...

in a pretty flower shape! 

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Spaghetti Squash Yerushalmi Kugel

It’s that time of year again, SQUASH SEASON!  They are everywhere you look in a wide, colorful, unusually shaped assortment.  There are the familiar acorn, butternut and pumpkin. Outside a local fruit store recently there were bins of an incredible variety of squash that looked like they had come from another planet!  Some squash can even be disguised as other foods – a sneaky football shaped imposter being the infamous SPAGHETTI SQUASH!  The spaghetti squash is so named because once cooked, the inside of the squash isn’t like your everyday acorn or butternut, but contains strands like spaghetti.   Shocking.  The theory is that you can scoop them out and fool your family into thinking they are eating your run of the mill spaghetti when really they are eating a much healthier alternative.  “Just put pasta sauce on it – no one will know the difference…and it’s so much better for you!”  In the produce section I hear the voices telling me to buy the spaghetti squash and be the responsible, sensible, caring parent.  In the cart goes the large oblong squash.  I cook it up that night and present it with great flourish to my family – here is your dinner!  It’s good for you, it’s healthier, it’s going to be delicious, try it with this great sauce and cheese – it’s just like pasta only better for you.  “CAN WE HAVE PIZZA?”  Suffice it to say that after my husband dutifully ate his serving and eating a portion or two myself, I was left with a large bowl of squash strands.  Staring at me, taunting me.  I was not to be defeated by a squash!  What to do with the rest? 

What can you make with squash…what can you make with noodles?  You have made squash kugel with squash, you have made Yerushalmi kugel with noodles… put the two together and the concept of the Spaghetti Squash Yerushalmi Kugel is born.  The initial concept was received with a “hmm…strange…..”.   In reality, it’s delicious!  The squash really lends itself to the sweet and peppery kugel.  The strands have a slightly sweet taste to them and hold up well when baked.  When served, our Shabbat guests had to be told it was a squash kugel!  They were extremely impressed with this innovative, revolutionary new kugel and it was enjoyed by all – young and old.  I guess when you have lemons you make lemonade – or the new adage…when you have extra spaghetti squash you make KUGEL!

SPAGHETTI SQUASH YERUSHALMI KUGEL

1          large spaghetti squash

1          cup sugar (plus more to taste)

¼         cup water

1          tablespoon corn syrup

¼         cup canola oil

4          large eggs

1          teaspoon salt

1-2       teaspoons black pepper (to taste)

SQUASH:

Cook spaghetti squash (either 45 minutes in a 350* oven or 12-20 minutes on high in the microwave) until the sides are soft when pressed.  Cool slightly.  Cut the squash in half and discard the seeds.  With a large spoon, scoop out the squash into a large microwaveable mixing bowl.  Set aside.

KUGEL CARAMEL:

While preparing the caramel, warm the squash in the microwave for 5 minutes.  It is important that the squash be warm before pouring the caramel over it or the caramel will harden into brittle in the kugel.  If necessary, drain additional liquid from the bowl.

In a 2 quart saucepan combine the cup of sugar, water, and corn syrup.  Stir to combine.  Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until sugar is completely dissolved.  Increase temperature to medium/high heat and cook without stirring until the syrup is a deep amber color.  Watch the syrup closely, it can burn.  Quickly remove from heat and stir in the oil. 

KUGEL:

Preheat oven to 350* F.

Pour the caramel mixture over the warm squash.  Quickly stir until the sugar is completely blended with the squash.  Add the salt and pepper.  Taste the mixture.  Some spaghetti squash is sweeter than others.  You may need to add additional sugar to taste. 

Blend in the eggs until completely combined.  Pour into a greased 9x13 inch pan.  Bake for 45 minutes until golden brown. 

Inside the cooked squash.

Squash in the bowl (double recipe).

Boiling sugar mixture - not ready yet....

This is what amber looks like!

All mixed together in a bowl.

The Final Kugel!