When I was growing up, there was no such thing as carrot kugel or apple crunch. And if there was, it was called Dessert. But about 10 years ago, they were introduced to me as part of the Shabbos menu, right there alongside chicken and veggies. And these dishes are so yummy, that I’ve never looked back!

So in honor of Shabbos, here are my favorite recipes for carrot kugel and apple crunch. They are both incredibly easy and absolutely delicious. And best of all, kids love them!

Carrot Kugel

3 four-oz. jars of baby carrot food (“Stage 2” from Beechnut is OU-Pareve)
1 cup flour
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1/2 cup oil (or applesauce for low fat version)
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
Sprinkle of cinnamon

Preheat to 350 degrees.
Mix everything together in a bowl.

Two Options:

Loaf pan – Grease a pyrex loaf pan, pour in batter, bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour.

Muffin cups – (No need to grease.) Fill cups to 3/4 full, bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes. (I highly recommend Reynolds “Baked for You – Stay Brite” muffin cups. They stand on their own on a cookie sheet—no need for a muffin pan—and they peel off beautifully.)

Use toothpick in center to tell if it’s done. You want it to be a touch “underdone” for best yumminess (and the blech).

Delicious at any temperature. Muffins may be stored at room temperature for 2 days in a sealed bag.

Apple Crunch

Crunch Mixture
2 cups flour
3/4 cup sugar
1 tsp baking powder
Pinch of salt
1/2 cup shortening (or one stick maragarine)
1 egg, slightly beaten
1 tsp vanilla

Other Ingredients
1 can Comstock sweetened apple pie filling (can also use two smaller cans)
Cinnamon and sugar to sprinkle on top

Preheat to 350 degrees.

Mix all crunch ingredients until it turns crumbly. (I find two methods work best for this: either a large bowl and a potato masher, or the sealed-bag-mush method. Either way is fine.)

Spread half of crunch mixture onto bottom of 11×7 (or 9×13) inch pan. Spoon apples from can onto crunch evenly. Top with rest of crunch mixture. Sprinkle cinnamon and sugar lightly on top.

Bake at 350 degrees for 40-45 minutes or until the apples are boiling up the sides of the pan.

…And don’t worry, if you still think of these dishes as “dessert,” that’s ok, we’ll eat them any time!