Cream of Reuben Soup Serves: 8 large servings If you love Reubens, you are sure to love this rich and creamy rendition of this popular sandwich in a soup! Ingredients 5 cups chicken stock 1 pound cooked corned beef, chopped and trimmed of fat 8 ounces Frank’s sauerkraut, drained and rinsed 1 small onion, chopped 2 cloves garlic, minced 1 teaspoon oregano 1/4 teaspoon white pepper 1 bay leaf 1/3 cup cold water 3 Tablespoons corn starch 2 cups celery, chopped coarsely 12 ounces sliced Swiss cheese, cut into small pieces 1 cup heavy cream For serving: Shredded Swiss cheese and rye croutons Instructions In a 5 quart Dutch oven, combine chicken stock, sauerkraut, corned beef, onion, bay leaf, oregano and white pepper. Bring to boil and reduce heat, and simmer covered 30 minutes. Remove bay leaf. Stir cornstarch into water. Add mixture to soup as well as the carrots. Cook and stir for a couple of minutes, soup will begin to thicken. Reduce heat to low, add the Swiss and stir until combined and melted. Stir in cream. Heat through. Serve topped with shredded Swiss cheese and rye croutons HOMEMADE RYE CROUTONS The perfect crouton. Golden brown on the outside, but still soft in the middle. Seasoned just how you like them! YIELD: 3 CUPS INGREDIENTS 6 slices slightly stale Marbled Rye Bread 1/4 cup melted butter 1 clove garlic, minced 2 teaspoons oregano sea salt INSTRUCTIONS Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Spritz a cookie sheet with spray butter, or rub with a stick of butter to coat. Cut slices of bread into the size of croutons you desire. I left the crusts on. Lay bread on prepared cookie sheet in a single layer. Melt butter and whisk in garlic and oregano. Drizzle over the top of the bread. Bake for 5 minutes, turn bread over. Continue this method every 5 minutes until bread is toasted to your desired crispness. I like mine golden brown on the outside and still soft in the middle. Mine took just under 20 minutes. Watch them closely. Sprinkle with sea salt when you remove them from the oven. Let cool. Store in an air tight container. Use within one week. Soup and Crouton Recipes modified from: An Affair from the Heart – anaffairfromtheheart.com Recipe demonstration from NWTC Culinary Specialist program