Apple-raisin Noodle Bake

Total Time: 2 hrs Preparation Time: 30 mins Cook Time: 1 hr 30 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 8
• 1 lb wide egg noodles (must be egg noodles!)
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 6 tablespoons butter or 6 tablespoons margarine
• 2 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
• 1 cup sugar (or to taste)
• 2 cups cottage cheese
• 1 pint sour cream
• 6 eggs, separated
• 1 cup raisins
• 3 teaspoons cinnamon
• 1 1/2 cups apples, peeled, chopped (or sliced)
• 1/3 cup butter, softened (for topping)
• 1/4-1/3 cup dark brown sugar (for topping)

Recipe

• 1 set oven to 350 degrees f.
• 2 butter a 13 x 9-inch baking dish.
• 3 cook noodles with 2 teaspoons salt in boiling water; drain very well, and toss with 6 tablespoons butter in a large bowl while still warm.
• 4 in a mixer bowl, beat the cream cheese and 1 cup sugar (or to taste) until light.
• 5 add in the cottage cheese and sour cream; mix well.
• 6 in a separate bowl, beat the egg yolks well; add to the cream mixture with the cinnamon; mix well.
• 7 pour this mixture over the egg noodles in the bowl; mix to combine.
• 8 mix in the chopped (or sliced) apples and raisins; mix well.
• 9 in a bowl beat the 6 egg whites until stiff; with a spatula, fold the egg whites into the noodle mixture.
• 10 pour into prepared baking dish.
• 11 bake for 45 minutes.
• 12 while casserole is baking: in a small bowl, mix together the 1/3 cup butter and 1/4-1/3 cup brown sugar.
• 13 after 45 minutes of baking, remove the casserole, and sprinkle the butter/brown sugar mix over top of casserole.
• 14 return to oven and bake another 45 minutes (1-1/2 hours in all).