Putting that leftover corned beef to good use

Recently, I have had a couple of readers ask about leftover corned beef recipes. They cooked corned beef for St. Patrick's Day, froze the leftover meat and are now looking for ways to use it up. For people who love the taste of a traditional Reuben sandwich, these recipes are sure to become some of your favorites.

Classic Reuben Sandwich

2 slices rye bread

1 tablespoon Russian salad dressing

1/2 pound corned beef, shaved

1/2 cup sauerkraut

2 slices Gouda cheese

Heat sauerkraut; drain juice; set aside. Microwave the meat; drain juice; set aside.

Toast rye bead. Spread with Russian dressing. Top with warm meat, sauerkraut and cover with Swiss cheese. Put under broiler until cheese is melted.

Hot Reuben Dip

This party dip recipe has all the great taste of a deli favorite, the Reuben sandwich. The clever twist here is that the traditional Reuben flavors are in the form of a creamy dip that your guests won't be able to resist.

1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened

1/2 cup sour cream

1 (8-ounce) can sauerkraut, drained and chopped

1/2 pound deli sliced corned beef, finely chopped

1 cup (4-ounces) shredded Swiss cheese

1 tablespoon finely chopped onion

1 tablespoon ketchup

1 tablespoon spicy brown mustard

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Coat a 2-quart casserole dish with cooking spray. In large bowl, combine all ingredients; mix well, and spoon into baking dish. Cover and bake 20 minutes, or until bubbly. Uncover and bake an additional 5 minutes, or until it begins to turn golden. Serve warm. Serve with crackers or party rye bread slices. Serves: 6

Baked Reuben Casserole

This family-pleasing casserole contains all the ingredients and flavors of a traditional Reuben sandwich.

1 (32-ounce) jar sauerkraut, drained

1 medium onion, finely chopped

1 1/4 cups sour cream

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

4 (2.5-ounce) packages thinly sliced corned beef, cut into thin strips

2 1/2 cups (10 ounces) shredded Swiss cheese

8 slices rye bread

2 tablespoons butter, melted

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Press sauerkraut between paper towels to remove excess moisture. Combine sauerkraut, onion, sour cream, and garlic powder; stir well. Spoon mixture into a lightly greased 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Sprinkle corned beef evenly over sauerkraut mixture; top with cheese. Remove crusts from bread; cut each slice in half diagonally. Arrange bread triangles over cheese, completely covering top of casserole; brush with melted butter. Bake 35 minutes or until bread is lightly browned. Serves: 8

Reuben Turnovers

1 cup (about 4 ounces) finely diced corned beef

1 (8 ounce) can sauerkraut, rinsed and well drained

1/2 cup (2 ounces) shredded Swiss cheese

1/2 teaspoon caraway seed

1 (7 1/2-ounce) package refrigerated biscuits (10 biscuits)

Your favorite dip

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Combine corned beef and sauerkraut in a medium-sized skillet; cook over medium-low heat about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat and stir in cheese and caraway seed. Let cool slightly. Separate biscuits and roll each into a 4-1/2-inch circle. Place about 3 tablespoons filling in center of each circle. Fold dough over filling, making sure edges meet. Press edges together with tines of a fork to seal. Place turnovers on an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake 12 to 14 minutes or until golden brown. Serve with your favorite dip., such as a dill dip. Serves: 6 Makes: 10 turnovers

Reuben Macaroni Salad

These days, salads are more popular then ever before, and the right salad can be the whole meal, like this Reuben macaroni salad.

1 1/2 cups elbow, ditalini, or twist macaroni

1/2 pound cooked corned beef, diced

1 cup (4 ounces) shredded Swiss cheese

1 (16-ounce) can sauerkraut, drained

1/2 teaspoon caraway seed

2/3 cup bottled Russian dressing

2 tomatoes, cut into wedges for garnish (optional)

In a large pot of boiling water, cook macaroni until tender; drain and cool. In a large bowl, combine corned beef, cheese, sauerkraut, caraway seed, and Russian dressing. Add cooked macaroni and toss thoroughly. Serve with tomato wedges, if desired.

Reuben Loaf

Reuben Loaf allows you to enjoy the flavor of a Reuben sandwich in casserole-sized portions. Reuben Loaf makes a wonderful dinner or snack, and tastes just as great when reheated the next day.

3 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

2 teaspoons sugar

1 teaspoon salt

2 cups buttermilk

2 eggs

1/3 cup vegetable oil

1 pound thick-sliced corned beef, chopped

1 (14 1/2-ounce) can sauerkraut, chopped, with liquid reserved

1 cup shredded Swiss cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Coat a 9-by-13-inch baking dish with cooking spray. In a large bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, sugar and salt. With a wire whisk, beat in buttermilk, eggs and oil until moistened. Stir in corned beef, sauerkraut with its liquid and Swiss cheese. Spoon into prepared baking dish and bake 55 to 60 minutes, or until golden and a wooden toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Serves: 12

Have a great week, and until next time, happy cooking.

Susan McClanahan is administrator at the Cape Girardeau Senior Center. Send recipes to her at news@semissourian.com or by mail at P.O. Box 699, Cape Girardeau, MO 63701. Recipes published have not been kitchen-tested by Southeast Missourian staff.