Top 5: Winter comfort foods

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4. Oatmeal is a go-to winter breakfast, with a boatload of variations, preferably involving several to many tablespoons of brown sugar. Looking for something a little different? How about rice pudding or kugel? Here's a surefire kugel recipe from an Israeli friend:

Noodle Kugel

1 package egg noodles
1 small carton cottage cheese
1/2 cup or more brown sugar
cinnamon, to taste
1/2/ cup or more raisins
2 eggs
1 heaping Tb. vegetable oil

Heat oven to 350-365. Bring large pot of water to boil and add the noodles. Cook 7-10 minutes or until done. Drain. Add cottage cheese, sugar, cinnamon, and raisins and mix. Add more to taste. Add eggs and oil and mix.

Grease a pan, any size that will fit. Pour mixture into pan and bake for an hour to an hour and a half, depending on how you like it.

Serve with powdered sugar, applesauce, jam, sour cream, yogurt or any other accompaniment you may desire.