How about trying the North African equivalent? Here's a nice one: Maakouda Batata What youâÂÂll need: â¦1 kg or 2 lbs. potatoes (about 5 medium) â¦1 small onion, finely chopped â¦1 to 2 tablespoons butter â¦3 or 4 cloves garlic, pressed â¦1 1/2 tablespoons cumin â¦2 teaspoons salt â¦1/2 teaspoon pepper, or more to taste â¦1 teaspoon turmeric (optional) â¦1/4 cup chopped cilantro â¦2 eggs, beaten â¦olive oil, for frying What youâÂÂll need to do: 1.) Peel and blanch the potatoes (until you can insert a knife halfway into them) for about ten minutes. 2.) Ideally, submerge the potatoes in cold water and set them aside for an hour, into the fridge if you like. This isnâÂÂt necessary if you successfully cool the potatoes. 3.) Grate the potatoes into a mixing bowl. 4.) Dice the onion and mince the garlic. 5.) Melt the butter in a frying pan and on medium-low heat, sauté the onions until translucent, say, for about ten minutes. Add the garlic and stir-fry for a minute or two and then remove from heat. 6.) Dump the onion, garlic, spices, and eggs into the mixing bowl and mix vigorously until well-blended. 7.) Add enough olive oil to the bottom of the pan to cover it and replace onto heat. 8.) Scrape potato mixture into the pan and tamp with spatula; if not a spatula, then use a small animal. 9.) Let it fry for ten minutes or so, or until you think the bottom is browning. Place a large plate face-down over the pan and deftly turn the pan upside down. 10.) Place the pan back on the heat and add a little olive oil. Replace the maakouda in the pan so the other side can brown, too, for about ten more minutes. 11.) When the maakouda begins to smell as though it might be browned enough, remove it to a serving plate and serve immediately. Here is a link that might be useful: Zingy Kugel

Well, I made the fried yellow squash last night for dinner and it was AWESOME! A lot of the success had to do with me being able to get the temp. right on my fussy, on-its-way-out electric range's burners. Not a diet food though, thanks for the alternative RE! Sounds delish! I did feel kind of bad that I had to throw out some leftover flour and bread crumbs. I saved what was left of the egg for scrambled eggs this morning. I loved the double dipping, nice and crispy and delish flavor, although I think tradition in my family is to just dip in egg and then flour. I might try it that way, with a mix of flour and bread crumbs. Lori's way is definately better but I'm a chronic tweaker in the kitchen, what can I say. If I'm not mistaken, this double dipping method works for all kinds of breaded foods, like maybe even chicken or salmon patties, right?? Now on to the kugel. Thanks for the tips, I do vaguely remember my aunt who made the squash kugel salting and draining it. Summer squash fresh from a real garden has got to be one of my favorite things, slightly behind homegrown tomatoes and maybe just minutely ahead of fresh green beans.

I have made and loved AnnT's recipe and the chipotle one above.....yum... Another fave way is this: Sweet Potato Wedges with Dipping Sauce- lorijean 2 lb. 4 oz. sweet potatoes, unpeeled, cut into 3-4" wedges - Toss with 2 tablespoons vegetable oil. Sprinkle with chili powder & salt to taste. Place on baking sheet in single layer. Bake at 375 F., 40 - 50 minutes, until tender and lightly browned on edges. Dipping Sauce Mix 1-1/4 cups sour cream, 2 tablespoons sweet chili sauce, 2 green onions (finely chopped), and 1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro. Season to taste with salt & pepper. Cover & refrigerate. Serve hot wedges with dipping sauce. Lori And while I haven't made it yet, I had this one saved - looks wonderful. Sweet potatoes with bacon, romesco and spinach serves 6 posted by dlundin (Diana) 2 1/4# sweet potatoes 1/3 cup brown sugar 1 cup unsalted butter 1 tablespoon sage, julienned 2 teaspoons picked thyme leaves 1/2# slab bacon, cut into 1/2 inch lardons 1/3# young spinach, cleaned 1 recipe romesco (attached) 1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. 2. peel the potatoes and cut them into 1 1/2 inch cubes. Place them in a large bowl and toss with the sugar. 3. Brown the butter in a saucepot over medium heat. When the butter is deep brown (but not burnt!) with a nutty aroma remove from the heat for a few minutes. Then add the herbs and quickly pour the butter over the sweet potatoes. Toss with a large spoonbe careful of the hot butter. Season generously with salt and pepper. Put the sweet potatoes on a sheetpan and bake in the oven for about 1 1/2 hour until then are tender. Toss frequently with a metal spatula to coat evenly. 4. while the potatoes are cooking, render the bacon over medium heat until the lardons are crispy but still tender and chewy. Set aside. 5. when the potatoes are cooked, toss in the bacon and then, at the last minute, the spinach until it is just wilted. Remove to a platter and drizzle with romesco. Pass a bowl of the romesco at the table for those guests who would like more. AOC romesco makes 2 cups 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil 5 ancho chilis, seeds removed, soaked in warm water for 30 minutes and then dried 2 tablespoons almonds, toasted 2 tablespoons hazelnuts, toasted 1 clove garlic 1 each 1" thick slice of bread, fried in olive oil until golden brown, cut into cubes 1/3 cups roasted or canned tomato 1 tablespoon chopped parsley 1. in a heavy sauté pan, heat 2 tablespoon of oil and sauté the chilis for 5 minutes. Season with salt and put aside. 2. In a food processor, blend the nuts, garlic and fried bread cubes by "pulsing" with the machine. 3. When they are ground together add the chilis and 1 teaspoon salt. Pulse for one more minute. Then add the roasted tomato and the parsley. With the machine running, slowly pour in 1 cup of olive oil until you have a smooth puree. Season to taste with lemon and salt.

I think my family's kugel must be unique. It's fried. Using broad cooked egg noodles, we add an egg, some onion powder (don't want nasty bits of onion, but we do want the flavor), about 1-2 T oil (or chicken fat or nyfat), and salt (and my hubbie insists on raisins). You could also choose to add about 1 T sugar or sugar substitute. I also add a bit of chicken soup base (I prefer the Carmel brand to add the real flavor of chicken fat). Taste as you go. With all these crazy flavors, you get a good mix of sweet and savory. Then heat a small frying pan with enough oil to cover at about 1/4 inch depth. Pour in the noodle mixture and cook on the first side over medium heat. Take a large plate and cover the pan. Over the sink, and with the flick of the wrist, turn everything over, then slide it back into the pan and finish cooking. It's good hot or cold. I prefer it cold with added salt on the top. I never said this was healthy. One more thing - before doing anything, put the dry uncooked noodles into the pan. That's a good measure of how much to cook.