I make this recipe annually for VPR’s stalwart volunteer Howard Klein. Howie has been coming to VPR everyday for more than 20 years to process membership checks, do the daily crossword puzzle and lovingly harass whomever crosses his path. I baked him this kugel for Chanukah several years ago, and Howie gave me a big hug, calling me “sheyn meydele”—Yiddish for “beautiful girl.” Unfortunately, I haven’t been able to repeat the kugel’s success with brisket or knish, to which Howie sighs audibly and calls me “meshuge shikseh”—Yiddish for “crazy gentile.”

8 ounces wide egg noodles
1 cup dark raisins
5 large eggs
1 cup sour cream (low fat okay, but don’t tell Howie)
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted, cooled
1/3 cup sugar
4 cups whole milk (low fat okay, but don’t tell Howie)
Cinnamon, to taste
Nutmeg, to taste

3 cups Frosted Flakes, coarsely crushed
1/4 cup packed brown sugar

Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter 13 x 9 x 2-inch glass baking dish. Spread uncooked noodles over bottom of prepared dish and sprinkle with raisins. Whisk eggs, sour cream, butter and sugar in large bowl until smooth. Whisk in milk and pour mixture over noodles. Be sure that the mixture completely covers the noodles, unless you like’em crunchy! Let kugel stand 5 minutes. Sprinkle with nutmeg and cinnamon.

Mix Frosted Flakes and brown sugar in bowl; sprinkle evenly over kugel.