How to make a Reuben Casserole

I tried this dish yesterday and it was quite good.

It's a Reuben Casserole which some say was created by Arnold Reuben, owner of Reuben Restaurant in New York while others say it was originated in Omaha in the 1930's. Where it was created does not really matter to me, because its real tasty.

The great thing about this recipe and cooking in general is that I can change cooking techniques and ingredients to suite my taste and that is exactly what I did and the resulting meal was great.

INGREDIENTS (Serving size - 6)

6 slices dark rye bread, cubed

1 1/2 cups sauerkraut (this is about one can), drained and rinsed

1 pound sliced corned beef, cut into strips

1/4 cup turkey bacon (fried or baked crispy and finely chopped)

1 tablespoon minced onion

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

3/4 cup Thousand Island salad dressing

2 cups shredded Swiss cheese

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
2. Mix salad dressing with the onions, bacon and pepper in a bowl.
3. Place bread cubes evenly in the bottom of a baking dish.
4. Spread sauerkraut evenly over the bread cubes, then place beef strips over sauerkraut.
5. Pour dressing mix over the beef strips.
6. Cover the baking dish with a sheet of foil paper that has been sprayed on both sides with cooking spray.
7. Bake for about 20 minutes, remove cover, sprinkle with cheese and bake uncovered until the cheese has melted.