Rich and Fruity Lokshen Kugel

"Sweet Noodle Pudding" recipe that was given to me by a dear friend who is now passed on and deeply missed. For best results, do NOT use non-fat sour cream or non-fat cream cheese in this recipe.

• Ready In: 1 hr 30 mins
• Serves: 8-10

Ingredients

• Topping

• 2  tablespoons sugar
• 1  teaspoon ground cinnamon

• Kugel

• 8  ounces  medium egg noodles (2/3 of a 12 ounce package)
• 1 (16 ounce) can  pitted sweet  dark cherries in heavy syrup
• 1 (10 ounce) can mandarin oranges in light syrup
• 1  cup sour cream (8 ounce container)
• 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened and cut into small pieces
• 1⁄2 cup sugar
• 2  teaspoons vanilla extract
• 4  large eggs or 1  cup egg substitute
• 1 (8 ounce) can  crushed pineapple in juice

Directions

1. For the topping: Put the sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl, and mix them well. Set the topping mixture aside.
2. For the kugel: Cook the egg noodles in a 5-quart or similar pot following the package directions. While the noodles are cooking, drain cherries and mandarin oranges in a colander, and rinse them slightly with cool water. When the noodles are done cooking, drain them well, and return them to the pot off the heat. Set aside.
3. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Coat a 9"x13" baking dish with non-stick cooking spray or grease it well.
4. In a food processor(fitted with a steel blade) or a blender, combine the sour cream, cream cheese, sugar, vanilla, and eggs. Process until the mixture is completely smooth, about 1 minute or longer, scraping down the sides of the container once or twice. Pour the mixture over the noodles, then stir the noodles gently with a large spoon so that the cream cheese mixture is evenly distributed. Add the drained cherries and mandarin oranges, along with the pineapple, and gently stir so that the fruit is evenly distributed.
5. Transfer the noodle mixture to the prepared baking dish. Smooth the top, pushing down any cherries that have floated to the top. Sprinkle all of the reserved cinnamon-sugar topping over the top of the kugel.
6. Bake the uncovered kugel at 350 degrees for 1 hour or until set. Let it rest for at least 10 to 15 minutes before cutting it. Serve warm or at room temperature, cut into squares.
7. Notes: If the kugel is made ahead, let it cool to room temperature. Then cover the top tightly with plastic wrap, and refrigerate or freeze the kugel. Defrost it, covered, in the refrigerator for several hours or overnight. Shortly before serving the kugel, reheat it, covered, in a microwave oven or a 350 degree oven until warmed through.
8. Also, try to use the mandarin oranges canned in syrup. They hold their shape better than those canned in juice. For this recipe, all the syrup is drained off. And again, don't use non-fat sour cream or cream cheese.