Conversation-Stopping Reuben Cabbage Rolls

Last night, we used our leftover homemade corned beef ("leftover" is totally not a good enough word to use here - this was a planned second meal from the beginning) to make Reuben Cabbage Rolls; "Conversation-Stopping" because last night, and again today at lunch when we polished them off, all discussion stopped, unless you want to count the sounds of 'mm mm mmm' that accompanied each bite.  Michael is now demanding we do another brisket like this, and soon, and I'm not arguing at all.

These are awesome, and even better, they are fast and simple.

Reuben Cabbage Rolls

(serves 4)

8 large cabbage leaves

2 cups sauerkraut, drained

2 cups shredded or diced corned beef

2 cups Swiss cheese, shredded

8 oz. cream cheese, softened

1 tsp. caraway seeds (or to taste)

 Preheat oven to 350F.  Spray a baking pan with nonstick coconut oil spray and set aside.

In a pot, boil water and place large leaves of cabbage in the water.  Boil for 5-7 minutes or until tender.

Place corned beef in a bowl and shred with two forks, or dice into .  Add Swiss cheese, sauerkraut, cream cheese and caraway seeds.  Mix well and set aside.

Lay cabbage leaves out flat and evenly distribute corned beef in the center.  Wrap up tightly and place in the prepared baking pan, seams down.  Bake until hot, about 15 minutes.   

We had more filling than cabbage, so I simply plopped the extra filling around  the cabbage rolls, and that worked out just fine.

If you're eating bread, some buttered rye bread would be just the thing here.  We aren't, but it evoked my fondest memories of a good Reuben sandwich - total winner!

Michael would you like you to know that he also is a masterful mixer of Bloody Marys garnished with garlic-stuffed green olives, which are a quite nice appetizer drink to start this meal off.  So now you know!