This dish has been passed down through my mother’s Seibel family for generations. Sadly, each generation finds fewer palates that enjoy it. It remains the only recipe we have from the family that arrived in Galveston from Germany before the “1900 storm.”

• 1 pound dried prunes
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon – 1 Tablespoon ground cinnamon
• 1 lemon, sliced thinly (can substitute lime if necessary)
• 6-12 oz. dried egg noodles, medium width
• 2-4 Tablespoons butter, oleo-margarine, or vegetable spread

Prepare the prunes early in the day. The longer they sit, the thicker the syrup becomes.

Place dried prunes in a 3-quart saucepot and add water to cover the fruit, plus another 1/4-1/2 inch above it. Bring the fruit and water to a boil over hight heat. Add sugar a little at a time, stirring constantly. Reduce heat to medium high and simmer 45 minutes or until prunes are soft.  Pour all contents into a serving bowl. Arrange the lemon slices over the fruit and sprinkle with cinnamon. Allow to sit 4-8 hours. Serve at room temperature over buttered noodles.

Noodles

Place 4-5 quarts of water in a large soup pot. (Optional: add 1 Tablespoon cooking oil and 1 teaspoon salt to the water.) Bring to a boil on high heat. Add the dried egg noodles and stir. The water will return to a boil. Boil on high heat for 7 minutes, or according to the package instructions.

Remove cooked noodles from heat, pour contents of pot into a drainer to remove the water. Return the noodles to the pot and add butter. Stir to melt the butter, then place in a large serving bowl.

Serve the bowl of cooked prunes and the bowl of buttered noodles separately.  Place a portion of buttered noodles on a plate then place a portion of prunes on top of the noodles and drizzle the juice over the fruit and noodles.