Recipe #11 - Reuben Mac n Cheese

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This one is so simple and tasty! Compared to the last casserole that I made. Which was very good, but it took 2 hours to make. Granted the other one was all fresh cut veggies. I digress...

Bring a large pot of water to a boil for the pasta. Salt water and cook pasta to al dente (which I just found out meant "not all of the way cooked").
 
While pasta cooks, toast rye bread in toaster then butter hot bread. Coarsely chop bread and place in food processor. Add parsley and paprika to bread and process into bread crumbs, reserve.

Heat a sauce pot over medium heat. Add butter to pot and melt, whisk in flour 1 minute then milk. Season the sauce with salt and pepper, thicken sauce 5 to 6 minutes then stir in mustard. Melt 2/3 of the combined cheeses into the sauce.

Preheat broiler.

Drain pasta and return to hot pot. Toss hot pasta with chopped meat and sauerkraut to combine, stir in cheese sauce and coat. Transfer mac n cheese to casserole and top with bread crumbs and remaining cheese. Brown under broiler 3 to 4 minutes, serve.

I'm not a huge sauerkraut fan, but pairing it with the hint of mustard and corned beef - yum! It was really weird because when I opened up the sauerkraut I practically gagged by the smell. I took it over to the sauce to mix it in and the smell of the mustard with the smell of the sauerkraut was so appetizing!

Again... so simple. I would recommend this to a working family that needs a flavorful, quick meal to throw on the table. It would be really easy to pre-make and throw in the oven the next day or later that night as well.

Time: 30 mins
Rating: 8.5
Recipe:
Salt
1 pound cavatappi, hallow corkscrew shaped pasta or, other short cut
2 slices rye bread
3 tablespoons butter plus some for buttering toast
A handful fresh parsley leaves
1 teaspoon paprika
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 cups milk
1/4 cup spicy brown deli mustard (recommended: Gulden's)
1 cup shredded Swiss cheese
1 cup shredded Gruyere
1 cup shredded yellow Cheddar
3/4 pound good quality deli corned beef, sliced as thick as bacon, chopped
1 pound sauerkraut, rinsed and well drained